Free ebook · 86 pages · instant download
A friendly, step-by-step guide to herbs, salad leaves and tomatoes in pots. No yard, no experience and no fancy tools needed. Just a sunny corner and a weekend.
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Wildacre Press
The 30-DayKitchen Garden
Grow herbs & vegetables on a balcony or small yard
Real photos & printable charts inside!
What you’ll learn
Short, practical chapters with one clear job for each day. You can read the whole thing in an evening and start the next morning.
Work out how many sunny hours your balcony or yard gets, and which crops love it.
The right size, mix and drainage for each plant, so roots stay healthy and happy.
Sow on a windowsill in egg boxes and old jars, then move seedlings outside safely.
A simple weekly routine, homemade feeds and a trick for keeping pots moist on holiday.
Spot aphids and snails early and fix them with soap, companions and a torch.
Cut-and-come-again picking that keeps herbs and leaves growing for months.
Chapter list
Each chapter covers a few days of the plan. Follow along in order, or jump straight to the crop you care about most.
Contents
The 30-Day Kitchen Garden
Chapter 1: Read your light
A ten-minute sun test and a map of what grows where.
Chapter 2: Pots, soil & drainage
Choosing containers, mixing compost and raising pots off the floor.
Chapter 3: Seeds or seedlings?
When to sow, when to buy, and a windowsill seed tray that works.
Chapter 4: Ten herbs to start with
Basil, mint, chives, thyme and six more you will actually cook with.
Chapter 5: Salad in a window box
Lettuce, rocket and spinach on repeat, picked leaf by leaf.
Chapter 6: Tomatoes, beans & peppers
Tubs, canes and supports for the crops that need a bit more room.
Chapter 7: Water, feed & protect
A weekly routine, homemade feeds and gentle pest control.
Chapter 8: Harvest & plan ahead
Picking, saving seed and a planting calendar for next season.
+ planting calendar & shopping list, p. 80
Look inside
Real photos, simple charts and a little to-do list on every spread. Here is a peek at chapter three.
Chapter 3 · Seeds or seedlings?
Seeds are cheaper than plants and far more fun. A bright windowsill, a tray with holes and a thin layer of compost is all you need. Sow two seeds per cell, cover lightly and water from below so nothing washes away.
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The 30-Day Kitchen Garden
| Herb | Sow | Pot size | Ready in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basil | Apr–Jun | 15 cm | 4 weeks |
| Chives | Mar–May | 12 cm | 5 weeks |
| Coriander | Apr–Aug | 20 cm | 4 weeks |
| Parsley | Mar–Jul | 15 cm | 7 weeks |
| Mint | Buy a plant | 25 cm | 3 weeks |
Today’s jobs
Tip: Pinch the top off basil every week and it grows twice as bushy.
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From our readers
A few notes from people who started with the ebook last spring.
“I only had a north-east balcony and assumed nothing would grow. Chapter one showed me exactly which herbs would cope. I’m picking mint and chives every single day.”
Chives in 26 days!
“Clear, kind and properly practical. The planting chart lives on our fridge and the kids water the window boxes every morning before school.”
First salad on day 21
“I’ve bought big gardening books before and never finished one. This I read in an evening, and the 30-day planner kept me going.”
Basil for the whole summer
Wildacre Press
The 30-DayKitchen Garden
Grow herbs & vegetables on a balcony or small yard
Free download
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What you get:
FAQ
Can’t find what you need? Send a note and Ilse or someone from the team will reply within two working days.
Yes. Leave your email and we send you the full PDF, the planner and the planting chart. There is nothing to pay now or later.
It was written for complete beginners. Every chapter starts with the absolute basics and ends with a short list of things to do that day.
A sunny windowsill is enough to start. Most of the book assumes a small balcony or a patch of yard with room for six to ten pots.
The plan is written for spring and summer in mild to warm climates. Each chapter has notes for hot summers, short seasons and windy spots.
Yes. The PDF is laid out to read comfortably on a phone, tablet or laptop. The planner and charts are also made to print on A4 or US Letter.
We send you the ebook, then one garden letter a month with seasonal tips. Every email has a one-click unsubscribe, and we never share or sell your address.