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The Edible Balcony: Growing Fresh Produce in the Heart of the City
Just because you don't have any soil doesn't mean you can't eat delicious fruit and vegetables every day of the year. From an easy edible balcony that can be set up over a weekend, to using recycled and salvage materials, growing exotic fruit and creating a futuristic salad and herb wall, "The Edible Balcony" mixes inspirational ideas with practical advice on how to achieve beautiful, flourishing outdoor areas however many floors up you maybe and however small your space. Packed with detailed planting and growing advice on all the crops featured, including the best varieties for sunny, shady, windy and dry balconies, plus how to make a self-watering container, create a salad cascade using guttering and grow beans and tomatoes on a hatstand, it is the essential guide for both beginner and experienced gardeners alike.
176 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2011
63 people are currently reading
379 people want to read
About the author
Alex Mitchell
5 books2 followersAlex Mitchell is a writer and gardener who has grown her own fruit, salad, herbs and vegetables for years. She studied at the Chelsea Physic Garden and for the past five years her columns in The Sunday Telegraph have entertained readers with her experiences of turning her garden into an edible Eden. Alex lives and gardens in Greenwich, South-East London, with her partner and two young sons.
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Alex^^Mitchell, gardener
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Alex^^Mitchell, gardener
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
September 25, 2017
This book is a great reference for gardening beginners and people curious about urban gardening. Since that's exactly what I am, I found the book informative and inspirational: I've been meaning to start a small balcony garden at home for a while, but last year, the weather totally thwarted me (it was cold and rainy in Montreal until early July!) so this year, I decided to have a solid plan so that I could get started in early spring - in the hopes that the weather will be a little more friendly this time around...
"The Edible Balcony" gave me a lot of ideas about which plants and veggies to get started with and how to take care of them: I'm going to start slow and easy with tomatoes, spinach, jalapenos and some fresh herb! But honestly, that's where the book's practical usefulness ended.
There are quite a few chapters in this book dedicated to explaining why urban gardening is important, its benefits, ecological impact, long-term sustainability, etc. And don't get me wrong, I am 100% behind that, because I think it's important to educate people about the amount of work that goes into producing the food they eat and how they can make a difference by actively being part of the process. But I also assume that if you buy a book about balcony gardening, you are already aware of all that: hence the buying a book about urban gardening... I would have liked a bit more "how" and a little less "why", because preaching to the choir is all good, but giving them the tools to act is even better.
Alex Mitchell also seems to assume that everyone has a huge balcony or rooftop at their disposal, which isn't really the case. A lot of her advice and projects are great if you have a medium or large space to work with, but actual tiny spaces require a bit more ingenuity to be maximized - and there aren't many ideas that are applicable to 5-square meter balconies...
Still 3 stars, because the book gave me the kick in the butt I needed to get my balcony garden project going and gave me good pointers on how to start, but it's really more of a coffee table book than a gardening guide.
"The Edible Balcony" gave me a lot of ideas about which plants and veggies to get started with and how to take care of them: I'm going to start slow and easy with tomatoes, spinach, jalapenos and some fresh herb! But honestly, that's where the book's practical usefulness ended.
There are quite a few chapters in this book dedicated to explaining why urban gardening is important, its benefits, ecological impact, long-term sustainability, etc. And don't get me wrong, I am 100% behind that, because I think it's important to educate people about the amount of work that goes into producing the food they eat and how they can make a difference by actively being part of the process. But I also assume that if you buy a book about balcony gardening, you are already aware of all that: hence the buying a book about urban gardening... I would have liked a bit more "how" and a little less "why", because preaching to the choir is all good, but giving them the tools to act is even better.
Alex Mitchell also seems to assume that everyone has a huge balcony or rooftop at their disposal, which isn't really the case. A lot of her advice and projects are great if you have a medium or large space to work with, but actual tiny spaces require a bit more ingenuity to be maximized - and there aren't many ideas that are applicable to 5-square meter balconies...
Still 3 stars, because the book gave me the kick in the butt I needed to get my balcony garden project going and gave me good pointers on how to start, but it's really more of a coffee table book than a gardening guide.
December 29, 2016
The impression that I get from reading this book is that the author had three books that she wanted to write, and instead crammed all that information into a scant 160 pages (with probably a third of those being devoted to pictures). As a result, this book doesn't deliver on any of the promises in the description.
It starts and ends with a discussion of why urban gardening is important. Maybe I am not the target audience, but I would think anyone who has dared to pick up a book on growing food in small spaces would already be on board with that idea, so I found it to be a waste of energy.
In between, there was a jumbled mass of what plants you could/should grow on a balcony or rooftop along with some sample projects for creating containers for those plants to live in based on profiles of other rooftop or balcony gardens. I thought some of the container ideas were cute, and obviously some thought was put into suggesting plants that would perform well in windy conditions or other adverse weather effects that you would see when growing plants in elevated spaces. However, I was disappointed that the author suggested specific varieties rather than suggesting that readers research and purchase seeds or plants that would grow well in their agricultural zone. For instance, the author extols the idea of growing fruit trees or bushes on the balcony, and while she does point out that readers should take the time to ensure that their growing space will bear the weight of the tree, she neglects to mention that some trees will need to be brought inside for the winter in some growing areas, and so readers also need to make space within their likely small dwellings for these plants. The same can be said for the wormeries that she praises endlessly.
I came away with the impression that while the author mentions New York and London constantly as places where balcony or rooftop gardens should definitely be grown, she has no experience at growing plants in New York, where it regularly dips below freezing in the winter. Also, I get the impression that the author doesn't have personal experience growing vegetables like squash, cucumber, or corn in small spaces or at heights, because even in my small, ground-level garden where I do get visited by bees and other pollinators, I still have to hand-pollinate most of these plants.
In summary, while the book has very lovely pictures, and some of the sample projects might be neat to try, I would not recommend this book for anyone seriously looking to learn how to garden, in small spaces or not.
It starts and ends with a discussion of why urban gardening is important. Maybe I am not the target audience, but I would think anyone who has dared to pick up a book on growing food in small spaces would already be on board with that idea, so I found it to be a waste of energy.
In between, there was a jumbled mass of what plants you could/should grow on a balcony or rooftop along with some sample projects for creating containers for those plants to live in based on profiles of other rooftop or balcony gardens. I thought some of the container ideas were cute, and obviously some thought was put into suggesting plants that would perform well in windy conditions or other adverse weather effects that you would see when growing plants in elevated spaces. However, I was disappointed that the author suggested specific varieties rather than suggesting that readers research and purchase seeds or plants that would grow well in their agricultural zone. For instance, the author extols the idea of growing fruit trees or bushes on the balcony, and while she does point out that readers should take the time to ensure that their growing space will bear the weight of the tree, she neglects to mention that some trees will need to be brought inside for the winter in some growing areas, and so readers also need to make space within their likely small dwellings for these plants. The same can be said for the wormeries that she praises endlessly.
I came away with the impression that while the author mentions New York and London constantly as places where balcony or rooftop gardens should definitely be grown, she has no experience at growing plants in New York, where it regularly dips below freezing in the winter. Also, I get the impression that the author doesn't have personal experience growing vegetables like squash, cucumber, or corn in small spaces or at heights, because even in my small, ground-level garden where I do get visited by bees and other pollinators, I still have to hand-pollinate most of these plants.
In summary, while the book has very lovely pictures, and some of the sample projects might be neat to try, I would not recommend this book for anyone seriously looking to learn how to garden, in small spaces or not.
October 16, 2023
Had some interesting ideas and information. It’s nice to see how other people garden on their balcony. Not as in depth as I was hoping, but it’s a very pleasant read, except for when she talks about how bok choy is a great exotic addition to exotic eastern dishes 💀
August 18, 2014
I love this book. Here's what I liked:
* The author lives in the UK, which makes (I think) for a more comparable situation, since I live in the Netherlands. While the climate zones aren't completely the same between UK and the Netherlands, I still think it is easier to relate to than gardening books and blogs that are situated in the US. It also means that many of the suppliers listed in the back of the book are more accessible to me.
* So many pictures and projects! While not all of them are possible for me to execute, as we only have about 2 square metres of usable balcony space, I really enjoyed looking at the clever ideas for reusing empty cans and colanders and even wooden and textile sock drawers. There are also many great ideas for space-saving and co-planting vegetables and flowers to help each other out.
* The author has listed tips for how to deal with windy balconies, which was a concern of mine. There are also discussions of which pots to use, and how to deal with soil that dries out too fast.
* Lists. Lots of lists. Lists of which plants like the sun and which prefer shade, lists of which plants are the easiest to start out with, lists of which plants yield the most produce with the least effort.
Full disclosure - I haven't actually started my own balcony garden yet. But I feel well-prepared for when I can start setting up pots and tubs outside (I've decided to start out with plug plants instead of growing them from seed, as that seems the easiest for now). There are, of course, some topics where I would have liked a little more information (such as handling seedlings - I've grown some herbs from seed and basically don't know what to do with them now that they've sprouted); in some ways this book relies on having just a bit of gardening experience (I've never even really kept house plants). Regardless, I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking to start out with balcony gardening. It's such a fun book, and the author's voice is very easy-going and approachable.
* The author lives in the UK, which makes (I think) for a more comparable situation, since I live in the Netherlands. While the climate zones aren't completely the same between UK and the Netherlands, I still think it is easier to relate to than gardening books and blogs that are situated in the US. It also means that many of the suppliers listed in the back of the book are more accessible to me.
* So many pictures and projects! While not all of them are possible for me to execute, as we only have about 2 square metres of usable balcony space, I really enjoyed looking at the clever ideas for reusing empty cans and colanders and even wooden and textile sock drawers. There are also many great ideas for space-saving and co-planting vegetables and flowers to help each other out.
* The author has listed tips for how to deal with windy balconies, which was a concern of mine. There are also discussions of which pots to use, and how to deal with soil that dries out too fast.
* Lists. Lots of lists. Lists of which plants like the sun and which prefer shade, lists of which plants are the easiest to start out with, lists of which plants yield the most produce with the least effort.
Full disclosure - I haven't actually started my own balcony garden yet. But I feel well-prepared for when I can start setting up pots and tubs outside (I've decided to start out with plug plants instead of growing them from seed, as that seems the easiest for now). There are, of course, some topics where I would have liked a little more information (such as handling seedlings - I've grown some herbs from seed and basically don't know what to do with them now that they've sprouted); in some ways this book relies on having just a bit of gardening experience (I've never even really kept house plants). Regardless, I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking to start out with balcony gardening. It's such a fun book, and the author's voice is very easy-going and approachable.
January 15, 2015
I didn't get to read all of this because it was due at the library. I marked my calendar to take it out again after Christmas, when the seed catalogs come. I liked the idea of doing carrots and marigolds in a container, and I really want to grow potatoes in a container. As I age, it is easier for me to pot things up on a card table on the back porch, rather than bending and crawling on the ground. This book has good pictures, and descriptions of how to tell when something is ready to pick. So many good ideas!!!!
Now it's Feb 2013 and I have this book from the library again. I think I'm going to get some "Root pouches" from gardener's edge catalog and plant potatoes and carrots in them... it's the time of year to dream!
Ok, I've done my homework. Going to copy a couple of pages and return the book. Planning to do potatoes, the carrot/marigold project, beets and Kale. Yum! 2/2013
Update July 2013
I did plant in the root pouches. The marigold/carrot project is thriving in pouchs on each side of my front steps. I've successfully grown and eaten green onions from seed, carrots, lots of beets, lettuce, snow peas,garlic chives, parsley and radishes. The lettuce was so delicious, and the fragrance when first cut was marvelous. I have 2 big bags of potatoes, but they are still green and growing on top, so I think I have to wait to see if there are really potatoes under the soil. I am planning 2 different kinds of kale for fall.
Now it's Feb 2013 and I have this book from the library again. I think I'm going to get some "Root pouches" from gardener's edge catalog and plant potatoes and carrots in them... it's the time of year to dream!
Ok, I've done my homework. Going to copy a couple of pages and return the book. Planning to do potatoes, the carrot/marigold project, beets and Kale. Yum! 2/2013
Update July 2013
I did plant in the root pouches. The marigold/carrot project is thriving in pouchs on each side of my front steps. I've successfully grown and eaten green onions from seed, carrots, lots of beets, lettuce, snow peas,garlic chives, parsley and radishes. The lettuce was so delicious, and the fragrance when first cut was marvelous. I have 2 big bags of potatoes, but they are still green and growing on top, so I think I have to wait to see if there are really potatoes under the soil. I am planning 2 different kinds of kale for fall.
January 15, 2019
the weights and measures have been americanised, but not the climate advice? lots of pretty pictures of new york rooftop gardens while the author blithely assures you that you can grow spinach and beets through winter and into spring! there is no way!
she lacks any awareness of the long and rich history of black, latino, italian, chinese urban gardening in america and canada, implying by omission that eco-minded bourgeois urbanites are the first to bring farming to inner cities. (and can i nitpick? the use of "wigwam" to mean "tripod" is baffling and racist.)
the gardening advice is so superficial that it barely registers. like in a lot of beginner gardener books, the author underexplains some concepts and overexplains others, making it useful to no one. more time is spent explaining how to cut apart & paint soda bottles than on choosing the right fertiliser.
tldr this could be 3 stars if it stayed in its lane of white european hipster gardening. republishing it in north america required a lot more research and effort than this!
she lacks any awareness of the long and rich history of black, latino, italian, chinese urban gardening in america and canada, implying by omission that eco-minded bourgeois urbanites are the first to bring farming to inner cities. (and can i nitpick? the use of "wigwam" to mean "tripod" is baffling and racist.)
the gardening advice is so superficial that it barely registers. like in a lot of beginner gardener books, the author underexplains some concepts and overexplains others, making it useful to no one. more time is spent explaining how to cut apart & paint soda bottles than on choosing the right fertiliser.
tldr this could be 3 stars if it stayed in its lane of white european hipster gardening. republishing it in north america required a lot more research and effort than this!
February 27, 2018
The great thing about 'The Edible Balcony' is that I recognize some of the projects described in it when I am walking or biking around the city. It is a kind a reference for the urban gardeners full of amusing and Eco-friendly ideas and advices.
March 21, 2017
Skvělá kniha jak pro začínající balkonové zahrádkáře, tak i jako inspirace pro ty zkušenější. Ať už pěstujete na balkoně, terase nebo truhlíku za oknem, najdete zde spoustu nápadů a vylepšení. Nechybí praktické informace a pokocháte se i ukázkami balkonových zahrádek z celého světa. Za mě palec nahoru :)
May 5, 2017
Brilliant. Easy to follow, inspiring photographs, lots of instructions. This is a must for anyone living in the city with only a small space. Warning though - you will need a balcony, no matter how small. Otherwise prepare for frustration. If you have one though and want to grow things on it, this is the book to get.
July 10, 2018
great photos with some inspirational creative ideas. very very basic information on the actual plants, probably okay for total beginners but not for anyone who knows anything about gardening. lots of “do this” but very lacking on the “why”. get it for the photos, set it on the coffee table, and flip through it when you’re feeling dull.
April 8, 2020
A grazing overview of various choices best suited for balcony gardening. There are a variety of projects, drink/food recipes and suggestions for ideal small space plants. I think I would have preferred a little more detail (or list/comparisons) and timing on the plants. Maybe a useful reference to go back to.
December 24, 2017
The thing I liked most about this book is it tackled the pervasive wind problem that many roof/balcony gardens face. It is a bit of a grab bag of informations but it was clear and concise and full of good planting ideas and suggestions.
May 10, 2022
A few helpful tips, and quick to skim, but overall is rather shallow / lacking nuance, targeted towards places with very mild winters and...Millenials? Mitchell's style seems to be these pop-gardening type books, which is fine! but not the tone / depth of knowledge that I'm looking for.
May 25, 2018
Either I wasn’t in the mood or its just more of the same. 🤷🏻♀️
November 19, 2018
Good informational gardening reference.
May 16, 2019
This book is a good reference for people trying to get into apartment gardening, with a particular emphasis on produce. I liked it! It’s made me want to go buy a lemon tree for my balcony.
January 4, 2020
As a beginner wanna be balcony gardener, I had a few take aways with this book.
April 22, 2020
Really well written, clear and easy to follow, great for beginners.
September 30, 2012
I think the strength of this book is on helping you figure out which plants to choose when you're starting a container garden. It is definitely focused on balconies and rooftops, with special tips about wind and weight considerations. It also has a few different projects that combine different plants into the same container. There was a nice section at the back on "future gardening" with some mention of vertical farming and hydroponics, but not enough information to really do something with those.
My biggest complaint about the book is that the projects didn't have photos, and the photos that were in the book usually didn't have any kind of identifying information. Once in a while, they would, but for the most part there were just photos upon photos of filler, I guess. Make them useful! Show me what you mean by all these different tips and project ideas!
Still, I did get some helpful notes out of it in regards to what plants to start looking for.
My biggest complaint about the book is that the projects didn't have photos, and the photos that were in the book usually didn't have any kind of identifying information. Once in a while, they would, but for the most part there were just photos upon photos of filler, I guess. Make them useful! Show me what you mean by all these different tips and project ideas!
Still, I did get some helpful notes out of it in regards to what plants to start looking for.
August 6, 2020
Ce livre donne plein d'idées intéressantes pour faire un potager en ville.
Toutefois, je le trouve assez technique : bien qu'il soit une introduction au jardinage urbain, il ne s'agit clairement pas d'une introduction générale au jardinage. Pour comprendre certains termes et techniques employés par l'auteure, il vaut mieux s'être déjà renseigné. De plus, je trouve que les idées de bricolage pourraient être plus claires, par exemple en mettant des photos des étapes. Plus généralement, les photos ne montrent pas très bien ce que l'auteure veut illustrer du texte.
Toutefois, je le trouve assez technique : bien qu'il soit une introduction au jardinage urbain, il ne s'agit clairement pas d'une introduction générale au jardinage. Pour comprendre certains termes et techniques employés par l'auteure, il vaut mieux s'être déjà renseigné. De plus, je trouve que les idées de bricolage pourraient être plus claires, par exemple en mettant des photos des étapes. Plus généralement, les photos ne montrent pas très bien ce que l'auteure veut illustrer du texte.
April 23, 2013
Captures the essence of the urban farming movement as of the first decade of the 21st century that encourages further study. From home-scaled harvests on tiny fire esapes and shaded balconies to market yields on rooftop field crops and permaculture-in-the-sky edible forests, this book has detailed solutions for every unlikely outdoor space at the disposal of street-locked apartment dwellers. Great start-to-finish resource for the know-nothing beginner as well as inspiration and project ideas to improve the sustainability and increase the self-sufficiency of the experienced, off-the-ground container grower.
April 20, 2017
Delightful glossy-photos take on urban edibles gardening. Some interesting projects and lots more ideas and inspiration for expanding my own balcony edibles garden this year. Even included some things I would never have thought to grow in containers (corn, fruit trees!). My only criticism were that there seemed to be just as much mention of rooftop gardens as there were balconies. The author also seems to be in a warmer climate than me, but she always follows up with frostier climate recommendations. All in all, a good read. I'd recommend it to others in my position and will certainly re-read it!
October 26, 2011
Ultimate inspirational handbook for micro-gardening in very small and frequently inhospital places.
More of a series of case studies illustrated with gorgeous photos (and text light) than an instructional book it's great for giving inspirationa nd finding ideas to adapt.
Divided into sections: easy edible balcony, making it personal, city farmer's balcony, some like it hot, edible forest roof garden, futuristis balcony, pests and diseases and suppliers.
More of a series of case studies illustrated with gorgeous photos (and text light) than an instructional book it's great for giving inspirationa nd finding ideas to adapt.
Divided into sections: easy edible balcony, making it personal, city farmer's balcony, some like it hot, edible forest roof garden, futuristis balcony, pests and diseases and suppliers.
September 12, 2012
Every wanted to grow your own fruits and vegetables, but all you've got is your apartment balcony. This book is a good resource. Most books just tell you about growing plants in containers. This has sections for which vegetables on a balcony or small space will give you the best return, which grow best in heat or shade. There is even a section about exotic plants and bee keeping. Excellent resource for the balcony or small space gardener.
February 29, 2016
Good book, lots of good projects. Had good tips and ideas for smaller balcony gardens but they still have much more space that I do so while it was a good starting point it didn't 100% fit my needs but has been better than most of the small garden/container gardening books I have read. I only put this on my use again later shelf because if I ever get more space I would like to use more of their ideas!
September 7, 2012
How much can one person love a book? This book is amazing and inspiring. The info it contains is perfect for the novice gardener like myself and surely has something to offer even the more experienced practitioner. Its so beautifully photographed and is well laid out. There are many little ideas that I want to copy and tips that have really helped. Bravo!
August 7, 2012
I particularly liked the resources in the back section and the many creative ideas for balcony and rooftop gardens. A great book for any urban backyard gardener or for those who live in apartment buildings
May 26, 2013
Some interesting ideas but the spaces she deals with are quite a bit larger than what I have so the designs do not help me out. However she does have some tips I haven't seen before and interesting ideas for containers.
May 30, 2016
Good ideas for growing vegetables or flowers in a small area. The book focuses on growing plants on a balcony and the author uses containers one would never normally imagine - colander for one. Great pictures.
August 9, 2012
I love this book. It has so many great ideas for growing fruit and veg in small spaces. I know I'll be doing some of them myself very soon and I can't wait.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews