Suggestions on a great container gardening book?

April 19, 2010 7:19 AM

[Coworker Gift Filter] Hivemind! I need suggestions on a great container gardening book to give a coworker as a birthday gift.

A coworker and good friend of mind has a birthday coming up next week and I need suggestions on a gift.

She has just moved into a new house recently and wants to do some container gardening. She mentioned wanting to get a book on it but she hasn't picked one up yet.

She would be mad if I spent too much (so lets say <$30).

Central PA is our location in case that matters.

Amazon Prime availability is a plus.

Thanks!

posted by PlutoniumX to Home & Garden (7 answers total)

Best answer: It's not fully about container gardening, but You Grow Girl is a great, hip guide to urban gardens. It looks like her newer book, "Grow Great Grub," might be a little more container-y?
posted by stargazer360 at 7:30 AM on April 19, 2010

I like The Bountiful Container. It's primarily about growing edibles in containers (herbs, vegetables, fruits, edible flowers). It's definitely written with the assumption that the reader knows nothing about container gardening (or gardening of any kind), so it might be less ideal if she's an experienced gardener already.
posted by Signy at 9:54 AM on April 19, 2010

Response by poster: I don't think she knows much about the subject actually, so great suggestion! Thanks!
posted by PlutoniumX at 10:19 AM on April 19, 2010

After reading about it on MeFi, I'm partial to Square Foot Gardening.
posted by gakiko at 11:07 AM on April 19, 2010

As stargazer360 has mentioned both of Gayla Trail's books are great, and Grow Great Grub: Organic Food From Small Spaces has been a great help to me getting my little balcony garden going this spring. It's very beginner friendly. I've also heard great things about The Bountiful Container but I haven't gotten to see it myself as it's always checked out from the library (which is probably a good sign). It looks like you could get both books on amazon for less than $30 if you can't decide.
posted by radiomayonnaise at 11:33 AM on April 19, 2010

Square Foot Gardening is nice, but mostly deals with (duh) Square Foot Gardens, in raised beds. Some container stuff in there... Don't get me wrong: I love that book.

But for container gardening, I love Richard Bird's the kitchen garden. Wonderful photography by Jonathon Buckley and wonderful ideas by Bird have cemented several ideas in my head that I WILL try out some day.
posted by IAmBroom at 9:30 PM on April 19, 2010

Seconding The Bountiful Container - incredibly goofy cover art, but very very very useful. I recommend it to everyone but I won't lend it out because I reference it so much!
posted by hungrybruno at 8:54 AM on April 20, 2010