Gardening books.

[oldfella]

Went down to see my neighbour, and found him writing out his list for seeds, during our discussion, about gardening in general I asked him if he have gardening books so that I could explain something to him, as my French was not up to it, to my surprise he had only one book.
Now, I know he always works according to Moon Phase, but I was surprised that he had no books on Gardening.
On my return home, I thought I would sort out my books and found that over the years I have accumulated 41 books on Vegetables, Shrubs, Flowers, 2 on soft fruit, 3 on Fruit Trees, 1 on Greenhouse management , and 2 on Hydroponics, John Seymour's Self- Sufficiency and course the "BIBLE".


So my Question is, "How many have you got"

[crowsashes]

books in general i have approx 200+ books , actually scratch that i reckon its near the 300 mark after all my xmas pressies and charity shop finds. i think i have 20 or so gardening books, mostly on herbs and growing your own, i have an old school one from the early 80's and a couple of older ones i was given to me by my nan, complete with recommendations for chemicals which are now banned.

there are 3 i use regularly the first is a 'complete handbook' on growing veg with seperate sections for each vegetable, pest and disease. the other is one on growing herbs and the last one that shows you how to grow your own and cook it! courgette bacon anyone ill post the titles up as soon as i can find them!

[spider8]

Just before we moved to Orkney we decided to have a book cull and found that we were still going to be taking upwards of 600 books with us.........and that was after selling 160 of them and giving to charity a good load.
Since being here we've added quite a few more from our charity shop rummages and gifts to us at birthdays etc., so now we are trying to squeeze yet another bookcase in - somewhere !
Sorry, got off track..........there must be at least 50 to 60 gardening books and I always end-up going back to 'The Gardening Year' by Reader's Digest (which has to be adjusted on timings etc., for more northern climes) and 'The Impossible Garden' by Rosa Steppanova. Bob Flowerdew is my gardening hero though with Alan Titchmarch second place.
We just love books - can you tell

[grahamhobbs]

Once upon a time, a long time ago when I first got an allotment, around 1969, there were only 2 books on vegetable growing "THE VEGETABLE GARDEN DISPLAYED" traditional cloth cap style gardening and the only organic book available, Lawerence D Hills "GROW YOUR OWN FRUIT AND VEGETABLES".

These were probably the only books I had for the first twenty years. Since then I've amassed ... well too many, 90% of which just repeat the same information.

However the following stand out

Geof Hamilton's "ORGANIC GARDENING" - straightforward, clear, encyclopedae

Charles Dowdings "ORGANIC GARDENING : THE NO DIG WAY", the best book for the serious veg. grower, and his "SALAD LEAVES: FOR ALL SEASONS" for serious all year salad growing. These overtake Eliot Coleman's books, although they too have some interesting ideas but are rather specifically North USA orientated.

Joy Larkom is the person if you are interested in Oriental Vegetables.

I like Bob Flowerdew for his somewhat quirky approach, his "ORGANIC BIBLE" is a good introduction and his "NO WORK GARDEN" has many interesting and labour saving ideas. (I haven't read his fruit or produce saving books and would appreciate any other isher's feedback).

As yet I haven't found a really good book for all season growing in a polytunnel, "GARDENING UNDER PLASTIC" is merely an introduction as are all the others I've seen.

"GROWING GREEN: ORGANIC TECHNIQUES FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE" has some interesting ideas regarding organic growing without the use of animal manures, but is rather heavy as it is orientated towards achieving commercial organic status.

The last books I would (highly) recommend, expanding the horizons a bit are "FARMERS OF FORTY CENTURIES" and "ONE STRAW REVOLUTION".

[fruitcake]

only about 14 or so...

oldest (in age, not length of time I've had them cos they're hand me downs from my dad) are

The Small Garden by CE Lucas Phillips cost 3'6, published 1952 and says it is a complete guide to flowers, fruit and vegetables
and
The Vegetable Garden by E R Janes, cost 2'6 and is brilliant - first published 1954

[Wombat]

Probably 1000+ looking at all things self sufficientish, not just the gardening aspect

Nev

[Millymollymandy]

Probably about 20 of which most got read once (if at all) then never looked at again. These days I look on the internet for any info that I need.

The only two I reference regularly are RHS books, one on fruit (I always have a refresher every year on apple tree pruning!) and the other on veg (again, for spud spacing).

[homegrown]

I have about ten books on vege gardens including my latest by Xanthe White The Organic Vegetable Garden written for New Zealand Urbans, great Book

But wife has four on roses as well

[grahamhobbs]

Oh, another good book is Joy Larkom's "CREATIVE VEGETABLE GARDENING" about making your vegetable plot into something of beauty.

[crowsashes]

well these are the ones that get regular outings in my house

a practicle guide to growing vegetables fruits and herbs, richard bird, ( southwater 2008)

the thrifty gardener, alys fowler,

grow your own drugs, james wong , not exactly gardening but very useful as well as potters herbal cyclopedia.

again not exactly gardening but i reguarly use 'food for free' book well its actually always stuffed in the bottom of my bag!

[Flo]

Five of the "Be your own expert" books by D. G. Hessayon (Fruit, Vegetable, Flower, Tree & Shrub, Pest) as reference - the pictures are good when talking to the less experienced, extended family. I've got a book on wild flowers with pictures second hand from Oxfam to indentify the weeds - handy as the weeds up here are different in some cases to the ones I learned on different soils as a child. And I've picked up a new one - growing herbs by Jessica Houdart which tells me much more about each herb, uses and planting requirements. Must get my head round this one as it's a new to me area.

[bonniethomas06]

Ah...I thought for a minute that nobody was going to mention the 'Expert' books!

I grew up with these, when everyone else was reading 'Just Seventeen' or 'Smash Hits' on the school bus back in 1993, I was there with 'The Vegetable Expert'! They are very clear and although basic, good for quick reference.

I also love Monty Don's 'The Complete Gardener'.

Apart from the one on pests, I don't go near the RHS ones, I find it really frustrating that they advise the use of chemicals first and barely touch on organic methods - a bit of a dated approach these days.

[MuddyWitch]

I measure my books in feet....Gardening books take up 20 feet of shelves! (Or they used to, most of 'em are packed ready for our move.)

I'm guesstimating here but there must be over 200. Then there are the other 300ft of book shelves....No, I'm not joking!

MW

[homegrown]

Hey MW hows things, Books are timeless in our house we have enough to fill a room, OH is threatening to make me sell some in order to accommodate all the self-sufficiency and gardening books I want to get.

[Harasimow]

ive got

1) the ish bible
2) Seymours complete book
3) seymours gardening book
4) Veg expert
5) garden expert
6) indoor plant spotter
5) flower expert
6) RHS gardening techniques
7) how to make your garden grow

So thats 7. Need to get a good book on fruit and a good book on pests and diseases.

Only bought 1 and 2 yeaterday.

PAul