Small-Space Vegetable Gardens

November 17, 2014
This handy volume dispels the notion that raised-bed gardens and container gardening are for amateurs. To the contrary, Bellamy (Sugar Snaps and Strawberries) makes the case that small-scale gardening offers the opportunity to experience the fullness of horticultural possibility in defined and proportionate spaces. Through charts, illustrations, and to-do lists, she demonstrates that container gardens are just the right size to be manageable and to explore the entire cycle of gardening, from seed to harvest. Beginning with the rudimentary aspects of the nature of soil, the usefulness of mulch, and the making of compost, she explains the unique conditions for starting seeds and, later, for plant maintenance, including guidelines about watering. From there, post-harvest, the section on saving and storing seeds and propagating can encourage the gardener to keep the garden going perpetually. Finally, at season’s end, when all is harvested and seeds stored, the section on winter protection and cleaning tools brings the process full circle. Bellamy has written an inspiring and practical guide to sprouting life in the nooks and corners of unused land.

December 1, 2014

The growing interest in tending edibles in tight spots leaves both new and seasoned gardeners with a need for guidance on fostering food and plants within nontraditional spaces, such as in balcony containers or in beds perched on rooftops. While the body of gardening materials available today is not lacking in titles focusing on spatial constraints, what differentiates Bellamy's (Sugar Snaps and Strawberries: Simple Solutions for Creating Your Own Small-Space Edible Garden) latest is its organizational structure and magazinelike feel, which make it a hybrid of an "idea book" and a strong survey of the craft of small-space gardening. Organic techniques are encouraged by nature, rather than as a means of marketing. Full-color, annotated photographs provide inspiration and illustration while concise, well-written text offer instruction. The book culminates in a directory of fruits and vegetables, including each plant's scientific name, a color photo, and growing and harvesting information. Although the title lacks a list of further reading to provide its audience with a springboard, there is a bibliography, a metric conversion chart, and an index. VERDICT Recommended for readers interested in gardening on a smaller scale or growing food where lack of physical space is challenging.--Nerissa Kuebrich, Chicago

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from December 15, 2014
As soaring food prices intersect with food surety and safety concerns, more and more people are using apartment balconies as sites for container gardens and, in all settings, discovering the benefits of using flower pots rather than backyard plots. Bellamy's user-friendly, super-comprehensive volume emphasizes first things first: finding and assessing space. She also stresses having fun as an inspiration for planting edibles, along with all the other excellent reasons behind the movement to grow your own organically: to save money, to be self-sufficient, and to cultivate healthy and delicious food. Bellamy writes, I do it because it feels great. I love working outside and getting my hands dirty . . . connecting with other gardeners and . . . harvesting something I have grown and eating it fresh that night for dinner. Careful design and planning are essential, and Bellamy explains why. She follows inspiration with instruction in sections on soil optimization, sowing and growing, maintaining plants' health, maximizing the usefulness of limited space, harvesting, and more. Bellamy provides an AZ (apples to zucchini) guide to edibles and many ancillary sources of information, all accompanied by delightful illustrations and scrumptious color photographs to create a one-stop guide to vegetable gardens sure to encourage and please many aspiring and veteran gardeners.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)