Organic Container Gardening

Organic Container Gardening is about reducing pesticide exposure in the family diet. It is a complete guide to growing the twelve fruits and vegetables with the most pesticide residues according to USDA testing. From Apples and Celery to Strawberries and Spinach, pick a few of your favorites from the list. Make a big difference in your family's pesticide exposure with a small organic garden.

"After talking with other parents, I realized we all wanted an inexpensive way to feed our children more foods with less pesticide residue. None of us had time and few of us had the space to grow large gardens. I began researching the problem and soon realized a family's intake of pesticides could be substantially reduced by selecting their favorite foods from the EWG's Dirty Dozen list and growing these in containers or small space gardens."

- Barbara Barker, from the first chapter

"There are a number of books on bookstore shelves these days that offer to help us become container gardeners. Barker's book, however, is unique, for she combines the information you need to know about gardening in containers with what you need to know to protect your food supply. Most of us don't have a great deal of extra time on our hands these days, so concentrating our efforts on replacing at least some of the 'dirty dozen' with our own pesticide-free fruits and vegetables makes very good sense. In fact, this whole book makes very good sense. You'll find yourself going back to it over and over again."

- Susan Wittig Albert, Story Circle Book Reviews

The Environmental Working Group
(EWG) analyzed USDA pesticide
residue data and compiled this list of
the "top twelve most contaminated
fruits and vegetables":

Apples, Celery, Strawberries, Peaches, Spinach, Nectarines, Grapes, Sweet Bell Peppers, Potatoes, Blueberries, Lettuce, and Kale.

About The Author

A certified master gardener, Barbara Barker traces her love for gardening back to fifth grade when she started a business rejuvenating her mother's ailing plants and selling them back to her for a small profit.

Barker expanded her knowledge of plants by working in garden centers in high school and college. After obtaining a BA in English from the University of Florida, she started an internet company selling gourmet varieties of vegetable and herb plants.

Contents

List of Figures

Introduction

1. Chemical Residue on Your Food

2. The Forbidden Apple

3. Celery

4. Strawberries, Mother Nature's Candy

5. Peaches and Nectarines

6. Spinach

7. Grapes

8. Sweet Bell Peppers

9. Potatoes

10. Blueberries

11. Lettuce

12. Kale

13. Primary Pesticides Found On the Dirty Dozen

14. Pests and Diseases

Raised Growing Beds

Selected Resources/Bibliography

Glossary

Index