Friday, August 24, 2012

Small Space Gardening

Do you live in an apartment building, or have a small yard or no yard? It makes it hard to grow a garden right? Well with the right knowledge, you can have a great harvest in a small space too. I received and read a great gardening book called "Any Size, Anywhere Edible Gardening  The No Yard, No Time, No Problem Way To Grow Your Own Food" By William Moss.
I have read many Gardening Books and was wondering if there would be any new information in this book that I haven't already seen. So I started reading this sceptically. I quickly found that he had many great ideas, much of which I already use and recommend others to do.  I liked the information and opinions he had with gardening in small spaces. He has lived in a city in apartments for most of his adult life, so he has learned by experience how to grow food successfully in pots, grow boxes, on rooftops and balconies. He includes some vegetable guides with tips on growing them in containers, and includes a whole chapter on growing tomatoes. This book will be a great help to those just starting out gardening to those who are downsizing into container gardens.

 The following are some tips By William Moss.


William Moss' Eight Easy Tips for Edible Fall Gardening
By William Moss
Author of AnySize, Anywhere Edible Gardening

1. Sow your fall crops from mid to late summer
2.  Amend the soil with compost before planting
3. Areas with cold winters should choose cool season crops, like: broccoli, collards, beets,spinach, field greens, radish, kale, chard, pak choy, carrots, onions, cabbage,etc.  Areas with warm winters can choose from a wider variety of veggies. Check with your local Extension Service office to learn what grows well in your area.
4. Plant herbs to spice up your recipes. Many herbs (like thyme, oregano, garlic, and sage)are perennials and will excel in the cool, bright days of autumn. Others, such as cilantro and marjoram, may not make it through cold winters; but will supply loads of tasty leaves before frost.
5. Use fallen leaves as mulch around the base of large veggies. Large, coarse leaves should be chopped or shredded first.
6. Grow your own micro-greens. Sow field greens (lettuce, arugula, tatsoi, mizuna, mustard)thickly. Once they reach 3” or more in height, shear them down for micro-greens.  Be sure to leave the crown so they can resprout. You can repeat this many times throughout fall for nutritious, tender greens.
7. Get a Frost Blanket. You can keep some of your fall veggies going into winter, by simply covering them on frosty nights.
8. Harvest everything you want before the temps drop below 280 F (-20C).  That’s the temp at which most veggies will be killed. Sometimes your hardier veggies will survive, especially if you have a Frost Blanket on them, but don’t count on it.

To purchase this book, you can go to Amazon.com or visit your local book store.

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