Ridsdill Smith - The Vertical Veg Guide to Container Gardening: How to Grow an Abundance of Herbs, Vegetables and Fruit in Small Spaces

PRAISE FOR

The Vertical Veg Guide to Container Gardening

Food deserts and the associated human health concerns that exist in urban environments belie the costs of a failing food system. Growing fresh and nutritious produce in the city is a most important aspect of any food quality discussion. Vertical Veg provides ideas and guidance for the individual to create a green oasis in a concrete space. A simple pot of soil can support tasty herbs, salad greens and more. Mark Ridsdill Smith shows us how to take these ideas to the limits of available space, both his and his neighbors. These actions are infectious and inclusive nourishing the body, nurturing the soul and connecting the community.

Nigel Palmer, author of The Regenerative Growers Guide to Garden Amendments

I love the image of many small urban gardens growing in containers so useful and beautiful where water is available. There is a lot of good information in this book, whether you intend to make a container garden or sow plants in the ground. I know it will be a good guide for this (non-urban) gardener for years to come.

Deborah Madison, author of An Onion in My Pocket and Vegetable Literacy

Mark has eliminated every excuse you can garden wherever you live, without exception. He goes further than just salad greens by outlining a plan for most vegetables known to gardening. Despite the dedication, I contend that it will be as beneficial to those who want to container garden in the suburbs and the countryside as well as in the concrete jungle! We all are better off with this book. This book is detailed with many creative pointers gleaned from his years of experience container gardening. Fun to read.

Peter Burke, author of Year-Round Indoor Salad Gardening

Marks enthusiasm is infectious and together with his attention to often-overlooked details, will give you confidence and knowledge to grow an impressive amount of food in seriously small spaces, where you probably thought you could not! He has been practising what he preaches for a long time and continually refines his methods, to be able to share with you many effective ways to harvest fresh vegetables throughout the year.

Charles Dowding, author of Skills for Growing and No Dig Gardening

The impression that the fine art of gardening can be achieved only by those with large amounts of space is slowly and surely becoming disproved. Marks container gardening book deals another major blow to that myth with a comprehensive guide, both practical and scientific, to growing edibles without the need for open ground. With many people in urban areas now living in flats, whose outdoor access is limited to balconies or small community areas, this book lays out with thorough advice how to garden in container conditions and how to enjoy the social, physical, and mental benefits of gardening with the massive bonus of having access to fresh food. What I most love about this book is that it is entirely based around Marks practical experiences he is a container gardener to his soul, and whether you are an experienced gardener or just starting out, it is the perfect launch to your endeavours.

Chris Collins, TV presenter and head of horticulture at Garden Organic

If you want bumper harvests from brick walls and block paving, this book shows you how. A cornucopia of sage advice and cunning tips, its verbal fertiliser for your growing plans. But small space gardening is also about people, and Marks considerate humanity blooms in every chapter.

Tom Heap, BBC Countryfile

Mark has filled this book with so many insights from years of first-hand trial-and-error and building a real green community around growing food in challenging situations. I hope it inspires an army of urban vegetable growers to make the most of their outside spaces I couldnt put this down.

Sian Berry, Green Party member of the London Assembly

Like all the best educators Mark is an excellent storyteller, and his enthusiasm and personal commitment shine from every page.

On a practical level this book details every important aspect of how to succeed growing in containers. From composting to watering, propagation to plant choices, there are detailed investigations and recommendations.

Dont be fooled by the good for beginners intro. The depth of research and recording and the factual guidance is as good as it gets. This is a masterwork for all gardeners to enjoy even the most experienced.

Graham Bell, author, practicing gardener, teacher of permaculture

The Vertical VegGuide to Container Gardening

How to grow an abundance of herbs, vegetables and fruit in small spaces

MARK RIDSDILL SMITH

Chelsea Green Publishing

White River Junction, Vermont

London, UK

Copyright 2022 by Mark Ridsdill Smith.

All rights reserved.

Unless otherwise noted, all photographs copyright 2022 by Mark Ridsdill Smith.

Unless otherwise noted, all illustrations by Abrah Griggs.

No part of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form by any means without permission in writing from the publisher.

Commissioning Editor: Jonathan Rae

Project Manager: Patricia Stone

Developmental Editor: Muna Reyal

Copy Editor: Caroline West

Proofreader: Anne Sheasby

Indexer: Nancy Crompton

Designer: Melissa Jacobson

Printed in the United States of America.

First printing March 2022.

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Our Commitment to Green Publishing

Chelsea Green sees publishing as a tool for cultural change and ecological stewardship. We strive to align our book manufacturing practices with our editorial mission and to reduce the impact of our business enterprise in the environment. We print our books and catalogs on chlorine-free recycled paper, using vegetable-based inks whenever possible. This book may cost slightly more because it was printed on paper that contains recycled fiber, and we hope youll agree that its worth it. The Vertical Veg Guide to Container Gardening was printed on paper supplied by Versa that is made of recycled materials and other controlled sources.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Ridsdill Smith, Mark, 1965 author.

Title: The Vertical Veg guide to container gardening : how to grow an abundance of herbs, vegetables and fruit in small spaces / Mark Ridsdill Smith

Other titles: How to grow an abundance of herbs, vegetables and fruit in small spaces

Description: White River Junction, Vermont : Chelsea Green Publishing, 2022. | Includes index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2021056131 | ISBN 9781645021506 (paperback) | ISBN 9781645020790 (hardcover) | ISBN 9781645020806 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Container gardening. | Balcony gardening. | Patio gardening. | Handbooks and manuals.

Classification: LCC SB324.4 .R53 2022 | DDC 635.9/86dc23/eng/20211201

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021056131

Chelsea Green Publishing

85 North Main Street, Suite 120

White River Junction, Vermont USA

Somerset House

London, UK

www.chelseagreen.com

This book is dedicated to all the people growing food in unpromising, concrete urban spaces around the world.