In Field Guide to Urban Gardening, author Kevin Espiritu of Epic Gardening shares the basics of growing plants, offers tips on how to choose the right urban gardening method, and troubleshoots the most common problems you’ll encounter.
If you think it’s impossible to grow your own food because you don’t have a large yard or you live in the city…think again. There is a plethora of urban gardening options to create beautiful, productive edible gardens no matter where you live. The key to succeeding as an urban gardener is to choose the method(s) that make sense for your unique living situation and then give your plants what they need to thrive. Kevin helps you do just that.
But he doesn’t stop there. He also provides in-depth garden plans, from upcycled DIY projects and intensive hydroponic systems to beautiful and functional raised beds. Urban gardening is a real, growing, and important movement in today’s world. This fact-packed book is your roadmap to get growing today.
Author(s): Kevin Espiritu
Year: 2019
Language: English
Commentary: Appendix, Index, color, bookmarks
Pages: 4706
Tags: Agriculture;Gardens;Gardening;Gardener;Food Cultivation;Food Plants;Cultivars;Growing;Planting seeds;Plant Selection;Soils;Vegetables;Container Gardening;Raised Beds;Hydroponics
Introduction
Why Urban Gardening?
My Story
About This Book
Urban Garden Gallery
1. Getting Started
What Kind of Home Do You Live In?
Urban Gardening Regulations
Protecting Your Garden
Green Thumb Basics
2. Container Gardening
Volume
Container Materials
Drainage
Filling Your Containers with Soil
Where to Place Your Containers
Which Plants Do Well in Containers?
Keeping Your Containers Well Watered
Fertilizing Your Container Plants
Caring for Your Container Garden
Sub-Irrigated Two-Liter Bottle Gardens
Self-Watering 5-Gallon Bucket
Upcycled Container Garden
3. Raised Bed Gardening
The Many Advantages of Raised Beds
Raised Bed Materials
Constructing the Bed
Planting Your Beds
Protecting Your Precious Plants
How to Harvest Week After Week
Maintaining Your Beds Year After Year
Dead-Simple Raised Bed
Masonry Raised Bed
Classic Raised Bed
4. Vertical Gardening Where to Build Your Vertical Garden
How Plants Climb
The Many Ways to Grow Vertically
Heavy-Duty Modular Trellis
Repurposed Hanging Shoe Rack
Rain Gutter Garden
5. Indoor Edibles
Audit Your Growing Space
Kitchen Herbs: Bring Some Spice to Your Home
Mason Jar Herb Garden
Microgreens: Nature’s Little Secret
Growing Microgreens from Start to Finish
How to Solve Common Microgreen Problems
Which Microgreens Should I Grow?
6. Balconies and Rooftops
Balcony Gardening
Rooftop Gardening
7. Hydroponics
History of Hydroponics
Why Grow in a Hydroponic System?
Fundamental Hydroponic Principles
Hydroponic Nutrients
Hydroponic Growing Media
Growing Under Artificial Lighting
Building Successful Hydroponic Systems
Deep Water Culture Herb Tote
Compact Ebb and Flow Table
Sit-on-Top NFT Channel System
Aeroponic Bucket System
8. Growing Problems
Pests
Diseases
Appendix
Resources
Metric Conversions
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Index
