The Urban Edible Gardening Guidebook: Your One Stop Guide to Growing Food in Small Spaces
- ISBN-10
- 1543016294
- ISBN-13
- 9781543016291
- Pages
- 264
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2017-02-15
- Author
- Chris A. Macluckie
Description
THE URBAN EDIBLE GARDENING GUIDEBOOKYour One Stop Guide to Growing Food in Small SpacesThis book is a comprehensive guide covering all the components of urban agriculture. It was written as an easy to follow text ideal for the school, class or outdoor learning environment.It provides extensive tested practical information on:* Urban edible gardens set ups of all size ranges* Comparisons of all types of urban edible gardens * Monthly maintenance schedules* Over 100 detailed plant descriptions* Container and raised bed options* Inexpensive season extension tips* Most importantly: How to make healthy soil and plant the right way to prevent most garden problems from ever happening!This Guidebook was written:* As a complete template for courses in organic urban agriculture* For beginners to learn how to consistently grow nutritionally high quality food in any space available* With an emphasis on small spaces (5 sq ft) to mid size (4500 sq ft 1/10 acre) urban gardens.From the Introduction:The 1st edition was written in 2010 as a first in a series to help growers and gardeners with their journey of discovery in sustainable and organic gardening delights. The original intent was for it to be used as the Coursebook for a proposed Urban Edible Gardening Course in the spring 2010, which I was to teach at Humber College in Ontario. It was written to be read aloud on site at the demo garden we were to create.At the time I was the owner-operator of The Greener Side, an edible-ornamental gardening company in Toronto. The last few years prior to that I had designed, installed and maintained dozens of urban edible gardens. This period followed a career in organic vegetable farming, primarily Community Supported Agriculture.The 2nd edition from winter 2017 was written to fully complete the original beta edition. Taking the concepts and protocols from the first edition I endeavored to make them thoroughly cohesive, comprehensive and easy to follow. The current format of the book continues to be in the course book tradition. Sections are meant to be read aloud, discussed, reviewed and summarized.The second edition expands on the first in several ways:1. Section and chapter entries are more thorough. 2. The new edition contrasts types of small to large gardens. 3. A 750 square foot garden is designed, installed, maintained and harvested. 4. DIY instructions for building inexpensive worm composters and balcony sized heated greenhouses are included in detail.5. Social and economic dynamics of gardening are also addressed - the big 3: local, organic, fresh. 6. The concept - and reality- of sustainable agriculture is laid on the table. 7. And finally, it also brings perspective from homesteading, where the garden is not quite farm size, but is larger than most urban farms, and may also include animal husbandry. I wish you the best in your garden delights.
