Balcony Gardening

Book excerpt: Do you live in an apartment with a balcony, fire escape or rooftop terrace? Most city dwellers neglect these spaces or use them for nothing more than hanging laundry and storing bicycles. And for a long time, so did I. Several years ago I decided to transform my under-used balcony from a lifeless concrete pad into a little garden in the sky. Every year I grow a small harvest of vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, beans and peas, and more than enough herbs to satisfy our culinary needs. Sometimes I even grow watermelons. You don't need to live in the country or have a big yard to own a productive garden. This book will guide you through the challenges of container gardening in one of the most sterile of urban environments: a high-rise balcony. With topics including: Container gardening basics Small space composting and vermicomposting Starting plants indoors from seed Self-watering containers Hand-pollination Diagnosing common plant problems And detailed growing instructions for all of my favorite garden herbs and vegetables