As seen in the New York Times, Better Homes and Gardens, San Francisco Chronicle, Modern Farmer, Edible Brooklyn, Organic Life, City Lab-Atlantic Magazine, and Design*Sponge
“Novak’s prose is clear, warm and accessible. No space is wasted in her garden, and it’s the same in her book, where every page is packed with information…Her book is also a terrific introduction to farming in Any Yard, U.S.A.”
—New York Times Book Review
“With The Rooftop Growing Guide, Annie Novak has given us a blueprint to reimagine thousands of underutilized acres in urban environments. In a book that reflects her own creativity, intellectual curiosity, and experience, she provides both inspiration and detailed, practical guidance to create farms in the sky.”
— Will Allen, MacArthur fellow and author of The Good Food Revolution
“ Annie Novak explores every imaginable detail of how to turn any community’s acres of unused rooftops into deliciously productive gardens. This book has already become an invaluable resource to our restaurant crew as we search for new ways to expand our rooftop production.”
— Rick Bayless, chef/owner of Frontera Grill, Topolobampo, and XOCO Chicago
“The Rooftop Growing Guide is filled with essential information about how to grow food on the alien plains of building tops. What makes it so much more than a how-to guide are the gorgeous photographs proving it can all be done, and the prose passages that make clear the wisdom and joyousness with which Novak embraces her work.”
— Joan Gussow, professor and author of This Organic Life
acknowledgments vii
introduction 1
how to use this book 6
1 Why Rooftops? 9
2 Assessing Your Rooftop 15
3 Containers, Greenhouses, Green Roofs,
and Irrigation Methods 41
4 The Dirt on Rooftop Soil 87
5 Rooftop Seeds and Starts 125
6 Flowers, Herbs, Shrubs, and Trees 149
7 Planning Your Planting 167
8 Rooftop Pests and Problems 189
9 Taking Care of Business 229
afterword 236
appendix 238
resources 239
index 242
