This book covered a loooot of topics and because of that, none of them were super in-depth. However, I did appreciate Vitale's enthusiasm and energetic writing style, and his interesting ideas. A lot of this was geared towards small-space gardening and/or UK-specific climate, which won't apply to everyone.

A quality read. This is a must have reference guide for those with limited space who would love to grow their own. There are a lot of crossovers with similar books, but I guess that’s because the advice is genuine and works! Experts in grow your own may not find hidden gems, but will happily enjoy reading it anyway.

This is a wonderfully laid out book and one that is ideal for those new to gardening or us that have been doing it for years. As new techniques are developed it is always good to have a look at how we can do more for our own garden and also the environment around us.

I have been gardening for years, growing up helping on my parent's allotment before then growing my own plants and vegetable. I now have a mix of vegetables, fruit and flowers in my garden and the benefits for me are great. It helps with my mental health as it is a serene place and I can stop and relax my mind as I potter around in the garden or just sit and look.

This book is great for bringing together new techniques and reinforcing old ones. As climate changes, we have to be mindful of temperatures and weather for setting seeds. I did enjoy the section on seed sovereignty and GMO seeds.

The book is laid out well and it is easy to navigate, it is one of those books you can quite happily flick through until something catches your eye, which it certainly will with the wonderful photos. It is also good for finding a specific topic by using the index or contents as a guide. I read through it from cover to cover and thoroughly enjoyed it this way as well. For me that makes it a very good book as it is informative and at times learning new things as well.

Well laid out, interesting, engaging and one I would definitely recommend.

I love this book because I love that it takes a different approach and I voted all kinds of people into the gardening space! The author brings a lot of expertise and life experience and I appreciate his use of organic methods. He shares knowledge and wisdom while also making the reader feel comfortable and drawing us in. Well done!

Some of this book came across as a little judgy, but generally speaking this is a very valuable resource for anyone attempting alternate gardening methods and who cares about the environment.

I've been following Alessandro, aka Spicy Moustache, on Tiktok since I've been on the app. His deep voice caught my attention first and his urban gardening tips and zero-waste attitude kept my attention.

Rebel Gardening should be considered the handbook for sustainable gardening. Alessandro teaches readers how to do everything necessary, including the reasons why it should be done that way. He teaches by example and shares his own successes and failures. I find him to be incredibly thorough in his explanations.

Rebel Gardening doesn't just give you one way to garden, the reader learns about multiple types of gardens that are typically considered non-traditional. This makes gardening accessible for those who want to garden regardless of where they live. Then, the book walks you through preparing and feeding the soil and choosing the seeds to maintaining the garden. Alessandro even steps into ways to preserve the vegetables in ways such as pickling, fermenting, and dehydrating.

Rebel Gardening isn't the type of book that you pick up in April before you start your garden for the year. This book is one that should be studied over the winter so that long-term garden plans can be made.

Rebel Gardening is filled with colorful pictures of Alessandro and his garden bounty as well as everything that the reader will need to get their garden, small or large, started and maintained. I highly recommend this book (and Alessandro's social media accounts) to anyone interested in gardening and reducing food waste in their home (or businesses such as restaurants).

This was an excellent guide to gardening that would be helpful to look back on over time. It covers all kinds of set ups, truly aptly named "rebel" gardening. I appreciate the graphics in the book. Such a helpful guidebook!

First, I need to state, I cannot garden and I thought this book might be a fun way to explore gardening...and it was.
Rebel Gardening is clear, concise and easy to follow. From choosing what to grow to growing in small or vertical spaces, there is something for all types of gardeners...even non existant ones like me. that need everthing explained from scratched.

I came across this author through charles dowding and pleased to say I love this book! It is visually aesthetic and packed with amazing content.

Rebel Gardening is an enthusiastic and up to the minute guide for urban gardeners written by Alessandro Vitale. Due out 11th April 2023 from Watkins Publishing, it's 272 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.

In times of increasing food insecurity and distrust/boredom with the incredibly limited selections available to most people who live in urban areas, coupled with the psychological and health benefits of being in contact with growing plants and having more control over our food as well as the sense of accomplishment that comes from being more self sufficient, it's easy to see why more people are making a conscious choice to garden. People in urban areas face more challenges finding space to grow anything as well as challenges associated with water and light conditions. This book gives a lot of really creative solutions to those problems (and more).

The focus throughout is on regenerative and supportive gardening; to heal the planet, support life (including our own), and improve food security. There is such a wealth of experience and information contained in the volume that doesn't fit into precise pigeonholes. The author has included links to his social media presence at the very beginning of the book so that readers can see videos of the techniques he talks about. He is also a supporter of open pollinated heirloom (non-hybrid) seeds and promotes the use of organic controls, no dig beds, JADAM techniques, and permaculture. It's also incredibly enthusiastic and the author's passion about gardening comes through very clearly in the text.

The book is well photographed (many are stock photos, but they are clear and illustrate the plants and techniques well).

Four and a half stars. Full of information. This would be a superlative choice for public and school library acquisition, home use, allotments/gardening groups, smallholders (with or without urban locations), and similar. The language and spelling are UK English (marrow, aubergine, etc), but will pose no problems in context for readers elsewhere. Tutorial and recipe lists have measurements given in metric units with imperial (American) units in parentheses (yay!).

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

This is a fantastic gardening book for new gardeners but experienced gardeners are likely to learn something too, especially with the international organic gardening techniques that he highlights. Vitale goes into all the steps in setting up your garden even in urban environments and focuses on doing it frugally and sustainably. He also talks about pests, watering, companion plants, compost, and tons more. He gives lots of instructions for projects too, and real photos of him and his garden are featured throughout.

The one area that didn’t work for me is that in his quest for sustainability he uses quite a lot of containers I wouldn’t consider optimal, especially for organic gardening. Not only does he use lots of plastic containers with no talk about how plastics degrade and are taken up in the soil, but he recommends planting food crops in old tires (lined with plastic). I commend him for reusing materials and caring for the environment, but I personally would not feel great about using those materials to grow food and wish he’d at least discussed the topic for new gardeners who might not know about potential health risks. Those of us growing for children or pregnant women need to be especially mindful of the risks.

That said, I adored the book otherwise and really appreciated his unique perspective.

I read a temporary digital advance copy of this book via NetGalley.

I'm keen gardener and I think this is an excellent book for gardener at any level: well written, easy to follow, informative.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

I hope to do some gardening this spring and I couldn’t wait to get to review this book, REBEL GARDENING by Alessandro Vitale.

This book really breaks down how to grow your own healthy food no matter if you have a yard to work with, or a rooftop, or even only a windowsill. Gives insight into the various planting methods and tells you how to sow, start, and save seeds and describes the various different types of seeds to choose from. This book covers everything you need to know to get started growing your own garden, and even gives tips on how to preserve your harvest. 5 stars!!

I’ve done gardening before but it’s been a while so I was happy for the refresher and the new ideas. I can’t wait to get my hands dirty and get some seeds started!!

Thanks NetGalley and Watkins Publishing for this ebook in exchange for my honest review.

A gardening book for a gardener at any level! Even as an experienced gardener, I learned several things from REBEL GARDENING. An inspiring book that will make you want to start your own garden wherever you are - even on a balcony or inside your home. The book shows multiple ways to get started with several cost-effective methods. It's rather empowering to know you can grow your own food even in such little space. Looking forward to buying my own hardcopy and am very happy to have come across the author/gardener, Spicy Moustache. It's evident he deeply cares about nature and the earth and wants others to experience the power of food sovereignty and connecting back to the earth by being a rebel gardener. It even has a recipe to make vegan honey!

Thank you to Watkins Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!

Extremely helpful for new gardeners! I will be using some of his tips in my personal garden this year! Definitely some new info learned!!

This is a beginner’s handbook for organic urban gardening. If you have seen Vitale’s videos on social media, you know how empowering and motivational a gardener he is. Rebel Gardening brings us all the action. Not only is the book put together in the best way, but the instructions or guides to create your garden are also helpful.

Rebel Gardening is full of vital information to give your garden its own spotlight. The education and knowledge shared are impressive, there is no gatekeeping, only useful information.
From techniques to the tools you need, and any other things you might need to build it is all explained. For every item you will need, the diagrams show just how to do things. From your own irrigation system to saving seeds. Alessandro Vitale has taken the time to motivate you into having your own organic urban garden. If you think you don’t have the space, he will help you realize you can still have your own garden. Worried you don’t have a green thumb on you, the guidance provided will get you to see that you do.

In fact, a fantastic book for anyone interested in growing their own garden or even expanding on an existing one. Rebel Gardening will motivate you without a doubt. You don’t have to grow fruits or veggies, the guide also teaches you to grow herbs and flowers. It discusses solutions that may arise like how to protect your garden from pests and what animals might help your garden.

I have a small urban garden and I wanted to learn more about permaculture so this was right up my street. There are four sections - defining your small space, what to plant and how, maintaining your garden, and top plants for beginners.
It's a hefty book - 260-odd pages, then references. It's very densely packed with useful information including on things like no-dig methods that might save you buying multiple books.
It's encouraged me to draw up a garden plan, so let's see if I implement any of the other ideas after that.

You might know him as Spicy Moustache, from YouTube or TikTok. Alessandro Vitale has created the perfect beginner’s handbook titled Rebel Gardening. A perfect title, if I say so myself.
This is a beginner’s handbook for organic urban gardening. If you have seen Vitale’s videos on social media, you know how empowering and motivational a gardener he is. Rebel Gardening brings us all the action. Not only is the book put together in the best way, but the instructions or guides to create your garden are also helpful.

Rebel Gardening is full of vital information to give your garden its own spotlight. The education and knowledge shared are impressive, there is no gatekeeping, only useful information.
From techniques to the tools you need, and any other things you might need to build it is all explained. For every item you will need, the diagrams show just how to do things. From your own irrigation system to saving seeds. Alessandro Vitale has taken the time to motivate you into having your own organic urban garden. If you think you don’t have the space, he will help you realize you can still have your own garden. Worried you don’t have a green thumb on you, the guidance provided will get you to see that you do.

In fact, a fantastic book for anyone interested in growing their own garden or even expanding on an existing one. Rebel Gardening will motivate you without a doubt. You don’t have to grow fruits or veggies, the guide also teaches you to grow herbs and flowers. It discusses solutions that may arise like how to protect your garden from pests and what animals might help your garden.

I love this book! It’s visually gorgeous! The book is full of good information: how to create your gardens from pots, recycled items, raised gardens, etc How to prepare the dirt. How to plan your space. How to plant. How to make compost, and fertilizer. Ideas of plants to grow indoors all year round. Various ways to create trellises and greenhouses. There is something in this book for everyone, no matter if you live where you only have a little balcony, a rooftop, or a backyard! Shade, sun, or a mix of both.

I’m a beginner gardener and learned a lot from this book! It’s giving me the itch to start planting!

I’m obsessed!

I never thought I would say that about a simple gardening book but there was nothing simple about this masterpiece. Told in a way that is both attractive and beneficial to both newbies and experienced gardeners, Rebel Gardening is a treasure within the gardening community! It covers everything from the basics of seeds, composting, mushrooms, curating soil, and preservation of harvest. That last one is so important for sustainability!!

I’ve always been intrigued by urban gardening. Although my family owns a decent size property, it’s important to be able to afford a level of sustain any environment. This book is a requirement in your gardening arsenal of knowledge!