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BOOK REVIEWS--NONFICTION
The Edible Container Garden
by Michael Guerra
©2000 Simon and Shuster
New York
This book is an idea mine. You can sit down and read it cover to cover,
moving freely among concepts of using vertical space, different ways of
watering and composting, weed control, container types, and ways of dealing
with "problem areas". I got many good ideas from this book, including the
imaginative idea of using packing peanuts instead of vermiculite to lighten
soils and increase drainage. Special issues for growing edible plants in
containers are mentioned, including not using polyethylene (PE) or polyvinyl
chloride (PVC) products for containers, as certain harmful chemicals may
leach into the soil. If, however, you are looking for a step-by-step do it
yourself kind of book, this is not the one. The book is actually geared
towards people growing in large containers (the size of raised garden beds)
or postage-stamp sized yards, although small container gardeners are given
some lip-service. I thought from the title that the book would be a how-to
about growing vegetables in pots. Not so, although there is a very handy
plant list at the back, indicating what container sizes, soil type, and
light conditions are required to grow many different kinds of edible plants.
The book addresses issues of both warm climate and cool climate gardening --
the author lives in England. Reading this book is like a daydream on your
most inspired day. I recommend it as a motivator to get out there and do
some gardening: the tone of the book is very pro-experimentation, pro-DIY
and pro-creativity. -EF
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