Apartment Gardening: Plants, Projects, and Recipes for Growing Food in Your Urban Home

by Amy Pennington, Kate Bingaman-Burt (Illustrations)

Grow squash on the windowsill, flowers in the planter box, or corn in a parking strip.
apartment Gardening details how to start a garden in the heart of the city. From building a window box to planting seeds in jars on the counter, every space is plantable, and this book reveals that the DIY future is now by providing hands-on, accessible advice.
Amy Pennington's friendly voice paired with Kate Bingham-Burt's crafty illustrations make greener living an accessible reality, even if readers have only a few hundred square feet and two windowsills. Save money by planting the same things available at the grocery store, and create an eccentric garden right in the heart of any living space.

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction, Food, How To, Self Help, Reference, Plants

176 pages, Paperback

First published March 8, 2011

Reviews

[Larissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like this book--Pennington's anecdotal voice, her practical and commonsensical tips which are neither too obvious nor too complicated, her enthusiasm, cute illustrations, predilection for planting some less well known veggies/spices (Love-in-the-mist) alongside old favorites (zucchini). I learned a lot from this book (you can use coffee grounds for fertilizer?!) and got really excited about starting my very own apartment garden. I even drew a chart out, planning my first crops.

And then I realize some inherent problems. Firstly, Pennington gears her book not to apartment gardening (like inside), but really, porch/balcony/or small backyard gardening. And a fire escape (a narrow one at that) is not going to cut it. She's talking about container gardening in a tight space, but that's still assuming that you have some outdoor space to utilize. Which I don't really. Which made me sad. The other problem (although this one is more surmountable) is simply that she gears a lot of her advice to the climate and local crops of the northwest--like Seattle. Which is a bit different from the climate and local crops in the northeast.

Had I realized that these issues existed, I might not have bought the book, which actually would have been regrettable (although I suppose I wouldn't know that). Suffice to say that I learned a lot from this book and am excited enough about the process of growing my own snap peas and zucchini and chamomile that I am going to look into getting some space at a nearby community garden. So perhaps I'll still benefit from Pennington's advice in the short term, before I have a porch or small backyard to call my own.

[Chocolategoddess · Rating 1 out of 5]

I kept reading this book waiting for it to get past the introductory chapters. It didn't. There's no substance to it at all.

Possibly the very novice gardener will learn something about dirt and pots and how to sprout seeds, but Pennington barely talks about any of it.

More importantly, basically none of it is actually geared towards people in apartments. She actually seems to have quite a sizeable "deck" that she works on, not a balcony, and apparently gardens in other people's gardens and forages for wild food in the city (mmmm petrol run off). The sizes of pots she recommends using simply won't fit on most people's balconies and she doesn't really address growing inside at all. I think she mentions grow lamps once. She doesn't talk about pest control at all. Or how to handle pets and plants.

There was no mention of great solutions like hydroponics, which can be used to grow herbs and certain vegetables and fruits in a very small space with little effort, indoors. Even microgreens and sprouts were relegated to almost the end of the book.

There's also a huge chunk of the book that contains recipes for food she likes to eat using home-grown produce and like ... face creams and stuff. If the rest of the book had ... anything useful at all, that would be fine. Some of the recipes sound tasty! But it doesn't, so it seemed mostly like filler.

The DIY section is an absolute joke. She kind of proudly brags about how she thought about hanging an entire planter from flimsy wire coat hangers, which I think a 5 year old could figure out they wouldn't hold the weight of all that soil. When it fell, quickly, and wrecked the hangers her attitude was 'lol they were cheap anyway so it was worth trying'. Pennington does not like to plan, which is fine, but she also doesn't appear to like thinking for 5 seconds before trying something, and would rather waste time, money, and resources. She also suggests doing things like making plywood planters (we apartment dwellers are all able to do carpentry on the fly, of course, with all that space and no neighbours surrounding us on all sides ... ?) that will only be useable for a couple of years. So green! So environmentally friendly! Similarly she recommend using a biodegradeable skewer with plastic tape on it to make plant labels? They're not going to last long and they're also not going to biodegrade if you're putting tape on it ... and they'll look really ugly.

Anyway this book is a complete waste of time. Just read a regular gardening book to learn the basics and then apply some common sense to figure out how to make things work in whatever space you have.

[kkou · Rating 2 out of 5]

not that good
also entirely focused on outdoor patio/balcony gardening which is pretty misleading

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

A gift book that would be much more useful if any of my condo had direct sunlight.

[piratesPencil · Rating 4 out of 5]

This little book contains an almost overwhelming amount of information, not just about apartment gardening but also about cooking, canning, bees, worm compost, DIY planters, urban foraging... Definitely a good read if you want to garden in a small space. The author lives in Seattle, so the information is particularly relevant to people on the West Coast, but it’s broad enough that it should appeal to people in any climate.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmmm probably out of the 3 plant books I’ve recently read I’ve liked this book the least. I thought based on the title it was going to be about what to grow in an apartment and how to make the most of it. Which it did in the start of the book - which I did enjoy. Towards the middle it went into what recipes to make with specific herbs/ plants and then went into how to build your own pots/seed boards etc. which seems like a lot more work than just going out and buying.

[Cait · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is great when it's focused on instructions for container gardening, but loses focus with the scattershot recipes and brief, unhelpful end section on urban foraging. Still, it's got me inspired to resurrect my patio herb garden, so credit where it's due.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good tips for later down the line, but nothing to solve my immediate plant woes.

[L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative! Got her next book on hold!

[Christa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book would serve as a good resource for people living in an apartment who want to do some urban gardening. It functions more as a reference book than a straight-through read. The tips are practical and down-to-earth, many of which could be completed in an afternoon. Many urban gardening/homesteading/DIY books are filled with wildly expensive and impractical projects that no one with a job or family could ever hope to accomplish. Apartment Gardening was not so; ideas ranged from simple vermiculture to using wine crates as planters. I did not feel like any of the projects were too expensive or difficult, nor were they overly simplistic. My main fault with the book was a lack of complete reference to plants; the author seemed to pick and chose which plants she thought were most practical and did not address others.

I did not try any of the recipes in the book, so I can't evaluate their merit, but the lavender chocolate tart looked absolutely amazing. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to craft apartment-dwellers looking to get in touch with their green side.

[Joscelin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a quick read and had some decent information in it for beginners, but I just saw a lot of things I personally didn't like. As many people pointed out, this book is geared towards those who have a decent sized balcony and who get decent light, which is not the reality for many, especially those living in very large, old metropolitan areas like Chicago or New York.

Other issues I had:
- She mentioned using plant lights but didn't mention that LED's are much more energy efficient and will save you money. Honestly, don't bother unless it's an LED.
- She also mentions that heat mats aren't really needed, which is true. If you have a dome this should be sufficient. The only thing I didn't like about this was that it seems that she keeps her plants under a dome until they are too big, which I don't do. They really only need to be under the dome while they germinate. As long as you keep your apartment warm during cold months, the plants will be fine.
- She did mention that different regions are better to grow different plants, but didn't mention the concept of "grow zones" and as a reference book, this really should have discussed this term.
- She spends a few paragraphs talking about plant labeling, which I found unnecessary. I don't need to make my own plant labels out of tape and paper. Just buy popsicle sticks from the store, or if you really want, buy them from a garden center. Both options are easier and better than trying to make something out of scotch tape and paper. I also have just drawn a map of my plants when they were too small for a label.
- There's a section where she talks about how she likes DIY projects and only owns a hammer and borrows all other tools, like screwdrivers. I'm sorry, but this is just horrible advice. Everyone should own a basic set of screwdrivers. It doesn't have to be anything fancy and will only cost a few dollars. At this point, I was just rolling my eyes. Maybe this is a generational thing, but I prefer not to bother my neighbors with requests to use their belongings. Buy a freaking screwdriver lady. She also mentions in this paragraph that she doesn't like doing research with projects and just throws things together. This is also just bad advice. All this accomplishes is a shitty end product and a waste of time and money when it only lasts for a year. I'd much rather have a quality product and spend a little extra time with it than something that I'll need to replace or looks horrible in a year. What a waste of money. Oh and then follows a list of projects you can make yourself that requires a drill, which apparently, she doesn't own.
- She also mentions foraging, which is fine and does put in a disclaimer about the precautions of identifying plants. But I feel like this is a reality that many people just shouldn't try. Identifying foods can be very difficult and it's very easy to misidentify something and end up sick. Many places this also isn't really an option. I'm thinking about my area and there just wouldn' be much to forage. Not to mention the increased scrutiny that POC's face when doing anything really.

Overall, it's not a book that I would buy. I was able to borrow it through my library and read within a week. It included some food recipes and how to make your own lip balm, but I just kind of feel like this isn't worth the trouble. And the food was nothing I'd personally eat.

[Jacqueline M. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sorry y'all this ain't it. The author clearly has minimal gardening experience and for a book about "apartment" gardening, there is a distinct lack of apartment gardening here. I was hoping for in depth discussion of container gardening on a balcony, hydroponics, and the like. What we got was someone who has access to a large deck and a community garden who also values foraging and dumpster diving. As this seems to be a theme in "urban gardening" books lately, let me be very clear: foraging and dumpster diving are NOT gardening. They are perfectly valid strategies to obtain food, but they are NOT gardening. More than a third of the book is devoted to recipes (that, I might add, don't even look that good), a chapter on canning -- but again no specific information for those living in small spaces: where to keep a canner or resources for sharing with others, where to keep jars that take a ton of space, how to process small batches etc.

Overall if you've never gardened at all this might be helpful, but I don't see anything that would be particularly useful for apartment/small space gardeners.

I am bumping up a single star because the section on prioritizing high yield/high value crops is helpful and relevant to those without unlimited garden space.

[Florence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely geared for people who have access to balconies of some sort. If you're in an urban area, have access to a lot of sunlight, and want to figure out how to plant herbs/small veggies to harvest, this is a great book. (Sadly, if you don't have a lot of sunlight, I don't think you'll benefit much from this book).

I learned a lot as a novice/new gardener - the author covers a lot of basics very well. She doesn't push expensive solutions to you, and she's very practical. I hugely appreciated that.

She also offers up some recipes for cooking, making tea, or cordials from the herbs you may grow. I was looking more for flowers in general, rather than vegetables, but the principles are broad enough that it all applies. She mentions some things for foraging that make me cringe a little (be careful where you forage from, plants right next to roadways are not ideal, and an emphasis of making sure not to overharvest would have made it better).

But overall, a very enjoyable and quick intro to outdoor gardening for those with an apartment.

[Ricky · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short read to get some ideas on how to set up a small garden. Very useful for providing practical examples, however I recommend using this book as a supplement to a larger gardening book. Many examples, planting seasons, and solutions were specific to the PNW, so the reader would need to do their own reasoning to extrapolate to their own climate. Also, this book is mentioned as "apartment" gardening, though many times Amy mentions having access to a rooftop garden, or having large amounts of soil and room. The only section I could feasibly consider for my setup would be containers on the patio.

Sometimes Amy mentioned solutions that seemed impractical but beneficial only because they fit the "organic-only" or doing everything yourself ideals. These are nice ideas, but I was hoping for something more practical when starting out of an apartment. These areas were easy to skim through though.

[Kate M · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really helpful, no-nonsense guide to small space urban gardening. I may not use all of her tips, but I loved the advice and the options for planters (find an empty file cabinet alongside the road? Remove the drawers, paint it up, add some wood for stability, some casters so you can move it, and viola! Space for a balcony garden!).

I won’t probably plant everything she does, and I may add a couple of veggies that will take to containers, but she emphasizes trial and error and not perfection. Grow what you will eat, make it organic, and plants want to survive, so help them (rather than feeling like you have to keep them alive).

Anyone have a file cabinet you want to get rid of?

[Jae R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick and good start for beginners if you have a patio

Pretty good. Very informed. But was confused on if any of the plants needed to be planted and/or kept outside versus if I could plant the ones listed inside of my apartment because I don’t have a patio. But there is so much information. I only plant herbs as of now and there was more info about herbs that I didn’t know.

[Rachel Wong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just the basics for beginners

A concise and accessible guide for those looking to jump into small space & container gardening. I appreciated the recommendations on suitable container plants and pot sizes, but wish some info or resources had been included for readers located outside of the PNW

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful info on gardening principles including natural fertilizer tips and which plants grow well in small spaces, how to ensure proper drainage in pots, and more. I also like the recipes! But, this seems more geared towards outdoor gardening, which is not what I expected from a book on apartment gardening. “Patio gardening” or “container gardening for small spaces” would be more accurate.

[Sharayah Herring · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is a great starter book for anyone wanting to learn the basics of gardening in small spaces. The information provided for not only what grows best but when to plant, when to harvest, as well as DIY options should that be more feasible for you to get started makes this a high recommendation from me.

[Lita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had some helpful ideas as well as information on when/where/how to various herbs, flowers and veggies if you live in an apartment, as well as what to do with the excess. Instructions for drying herbs and recipes for DIY plant based beauty products.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh, I don’t have a balcony or tons of direct sunlight, so I can’t benefit from a lot of the author’s suggestions. Still, I learned a few things that I’d like to put into practice if/when I have the time to devote to gardening.

[Dorab56 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good container resource

This book has a lot of good information on how and what to grow in containers. The author included what to grow, best size pot, soil, sun or shade, and how/when to harvest. I wish there were actual photos of the authors pots and plants.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read it, loved it, wanted to get started and then didn't do a thing. I'm surrounded by discount stores that just sell junk supplies (Miracle Grow), and I'm nowhere near a place to get the good stuff. Plus I'm lazy.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

The information was good but I wanted pictures.

[Corinnagoodwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book as it directly addresses the small patio garden need for city living

[Paul · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too much about the author and not enough about plants.

[Jay-Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not much in here I didn't already know. Oh well.

[Kyra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have no outside space.

I was hoping with a name like apartment gardening it was going to cater to those who only can grow inside their apartments. Sadly disappointed.

[A.g. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very basic

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good information for an indoor garden in a small space.