The First-Time Gardener: Container Food Gardening - (The First-Time Gardener's Guides) by Pam Farley (Paperback)

About the Book

In The First-Time Gardener: Container Food Gardening, you'll learn how to successfully grow vegetables, herbs, and fruits in pots, even if you've never gardened before.

Book Synopsis

"Straightforward instructions, matrices, photos, and illustrations make this one of my new favorite gardening books." --Seira Wilson, Amazon Editor

Growing your own fresh, organic food in containers is a great way to begin your gardening journey! This friendly guide includes everything you need to know to get started.

What's holding you back from growing your own food? Are you nervous about having enough space? Do you question whether or not you have the time to make it happen? Are the growing conditions you have a little questionable? Is your budget at a bare-bones minimum? Then container gardening is the answer to all of your concerns! With a minimal investment in time, money, and space, and The First-Time Gardener: Container Food Gardening at your side, start your very first garden in containers, instead of in the ground. You just may find you're capable of growing fantastic yields in spite of all your initial hesitations.

Container gardens can take up as much or as little room as you'd like. They're portable, so you can locate them wherever conditions are optimal for plant growth. And, you can grow just about any veggie in pots, as long as you have the right container, the right soil blend, and the right care tips. In these pages, author Pam Farley of BrownThumbMama.com lines the path to container food gardening success in clear, simple steps.

Not only will you learn how to get started, you'll also discover:

• What size container you need for each different veggie
• Why filling the pot with the perfect soil blend matters so much
• When to fertilize and how often to water
• Where to locate your container food garden for optimum production
• What to do if problems arise and how to fix them
• Tips for everything from staking and pruning your veggie plants to knowing when it's time to harvest

Plus, find a dozen fully illustrated planting plans for themed container food gardens, including a Smoothie Greens Garden, a Spring Stir-Fry Garden, a Spaghetti Sauce Garden, a Salad Greens Garden, and many others.

No room? No problem. Lousy soil? Nothing to worry about. Not enough time? Think again. Growing food in containers is fun, easy, and perfect for beginners.

This book is part of The First-Time Gardener's Guides series from Cool Springs Press, which also includes The First-Time Gardener: Raised Bed Gardening, The First-Time Gardener: Growing Plants and Flowers, and The First-Time Gardener: Growing Vegetables. Each book in The First-Time Gardener's Guides series is aimed at beginner gardeners and offers clear, fact-based information that's presented in a friendly and accessible way, including step-by-step instructions and full-color illustrations throughout.

Review Quotes

"...a great resource for its intended audience of beginner gardeners. With charts to hammer down exactly the ideal conditions for each edible plant and photo resources to explain how to go about certain tasks, the book works to truly simplify edible container gardening for those who have never touched a plant before."--Marissa Yelenick, Washington Gardener - Top Gardening Books of 2023

"This book is perfect for any newcomer to the world of gardening. Containers can be a game changer in the garden. Farley offers details on appropriate sizes of contaners, obtaining proper drainage for containers, and the pests and problems commonly found on container plants. Easy to comprehend, great for gardeners of all ages, and packed with information, this is a great book to have in a beginner gardener's library."--Washington Gardener

"Basic-but-important questions ("What does 'full sun' mean?" "Is there a 'right side up' when you plant seeds?") are answered; gardening terms are defined; and step-by-step, photo-illustrated instructions are provided in a fun, conversational tone that educates in a down-toEarth fashion."--New York Newsday

About the Author

Pam Farley has been gardening and writing (usually not at the same time) since she was in grade school. These interests united when she started the website BrownThumbMama.com to document her home and garden tips. Now, millions of readers around the world visit her site to learn about vegetable gardening, easy recipes, and making a nontoxic home. When she's not gardening and writing, she's likely camping, reading, or otherwise avoiding housework.