Grow Your Own Mini Fruit Garden is a general guide to cultivating fruit written by Christy Wilhelmi. Due out 20th April 2021 from Quarto on their Cool Springs Press imprint, it's 192 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.
This is a well written general book aimed at gardeners who would like to implement fruits into their garden routines with special emphasis in smaller spaces or using the available space in the most efficient ways. The information is presented in a logical and accessible way and there are good takeaways for readers no matter what their level of experience. The author's introductory chapters cover siting, containers, planning, variety selection, and culture. The chapter on grafting is clearly written and very well illustrated. There is an entire chapter devoted to soft/caning fruits and berries. The rest of the book is rounded out with info on maintenance, trimming & pruning, and pest & disease control.
It's very well illustrated and beautifully and clearly photographed throughout. Appendices include a serviceable overview of rootstock varieties for grafting, along with stockists and online resources, followed by a cross-referenced index.
The author is knowledgeable and writes well on the subject. Not all of the concrete advice presented in any given book will be 100% applicable or desirable for every reader. It's the same with this one. I disagree with the advocacy for kill traps for rodent pests, but in general this is a solidly information dense and well presented book on fruit gardening in limited spaces. I don't fuss much about my own fruit trees and cane fruits and subsequently share the bigger portion with my feathered and furred "neighbors" and I'm glad to pay them for the wonder and joy they bring me. Other readers will have different needs and expectations.
Five stars. Very well done book. This would make a good selection for library acquisition, gardening groups, community garden libraries, smallholders, and the like.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Five stars.
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