Pretty produce: Organic Crops in Pots

June 21, 1:43 PMGardening ExaminerRobin Ripley

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Organic Crops in Pots has something for everyone--
container gardening basics for the beginner container
gardener and creative ideas and inspiration for the
experienced gardener.

With so many container gardening books on the market--not to mention on my gardening bookshelf--I didn't think yet another one would catch my eye. But Organic Crops in Pots, by Deborah Schneebeli-Morrell, did just that by combining my two favorite garden descriptors--pretty and productive.

Organic Crops in Pots includes the usual introduction about gardening organically, choosing containers, pests and diseases and other gardening basics. The rest of the book is divided into a series of small container gardening projects, including herbs, vegetables and small fruits. I particularly like that the author includes small crops you don't usually see in container gardening books, such as arugula, chard, beets, alpine strawberries and tomatillos.

Beginning container gardeners, will find that the step-by-step photos and instructions for planting vegetables and fruits in containers takes the guesswork out of whether they are correctly following instructions. Bite-sized sidebars, "What You Will Need" and "GreenCare," offer useful tips and hints for successful growing.

Experienced container gardeners will find inspiration in the found, repurposed and recycled containers that fit their crops with a witty sense of style. Eggplants in recycled olive oil cans, red chilies in galvanized buckets, strawberries in wooden fruit boxes, potatoes in woven sacks, arugula in a colander are just some of the innovative pairings Schneebeli-Morrell has created. I enjoyed just flipping through the pages at the bookstore and decided I had to add this clever little book to my inspirational ideas gardening bookshelf.

By combining useful information with a fun sense of style, Organic Crops in Pots, rises above being another me-too containiner gardening book.