Grow Bag Gardening is a tutorial and technique guide by Kevin Espiritu. Due out 16th March 2021 from Quarto on their Cool Springs Press imprint, it's 176 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats (ebook available at time of review).
Several years ago I began noticing these fabric bags showing up in garden centers in my area. I didn't give them much thought because I had a fairly fixed idea about what my home flower and vegetable beds should look like and wasn't all that intrigued with things which didn't fit into my preconceived mental image. (shame on me). I had some serious problem areas with my home garden, for one thing my house is literally built on solid rock - zero soil, lots of gravel and no options other than raised beds or other permaculture type structures. These challenges also made grow bags a viable option for areas which I hadn't yet converted to raised beds. So I bought a dozen grow-bags and off I went and had one of the best gardening years with the vegetables I had growing in the grow bags.
This is the manual I wish I had had when I started with grow bags. The author is knowledgeable, cool, and writes with enthusiasm and genuine warmth. He knows what he's talking about and his positivity and encouragement are infectious. The book's layout it logical and information is easy to find and remember. The introduction explains why grow bags might be a good option (and where), choosing and sourcing them, what to grow in them, soil and substrates which will give optimal results, maintenance/culture, and ideas for planting and siting.
The book includes a short resource list with links (aimed mostly at North American readers, but including some useful for readers located elsewhere), and a cross referenced index. As with most Quarto books, the art layout and photography are superlative (they must have a killer graphics department). The photos are colorful and engaging and got my fingers itching to get started gardening immediately.
This is a well done gardening book and would be a good choice for coop garden libraries, public or home library acquisition, gifting to a gardening friend (maybe someone with limited space who wants to get their fingers into the dirt), or for activity/scouting group projects, or even rehab/retirement/or school gardens.
Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
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