Grow Food Anywhere: The New Guide to Small-Space Gardening

Australian gardener Pember and American environmental consultant Seitchik-Reardon combine expertise in a gardening manual that’s fun but hard to follow for American readers. The book is well-grounded in the science of gardening, offering useful information about soil nutrients, water, and light that will edify gardeners interested in the hows and whys of what they are growing. A section dealing with plant pests and diseases is clearly written and user-friendly. But the bulk of the book profiles what to grow using Australian taxonomy and seasons. American gardeners won’t find information about growing bell peppers or Swiss chard unless they know to look under capsicum and silverbeet. The four climate zones that designate the best time of year to grow each plant don’t clearly correspond with the map of North America provided, which has six zones. While the authors’ sprightly tone and the book’s bright cartoonish design will appeal to many readers, the regional differences will limit the usefulness for gardeners outside of Australia. Color photos. (Mar.)