veg books

[wiggy]

Hi, wondering if anyone out there knows a good book that deals with the basics of veg and fruit growing - for virtual beginners? I have seen lots of books with flowers etc, in but dont want them, just fruit and veg's!
Have done some gardening in past, and do some in pots now, but am planning for a bigger plot and want to grow as much as possible. Will start putting garden site up over autumn/winter, so looking at getting seeds in late winter, early spring, so need to learn alot before then!

Also want to know more about preserving foods, mum used to salt stuff like beans, but only watched her when i was a kid. And putting root veg in earth/straw [is it a clamp?] and how best to over winter fruit [apart from jam and pickles] - so it would be an old fashioned type book/books i am after for that I guess.

Cheers.

[MKG]

Well, there are literally hundreds - but the best ones I've ever come across are those by D. G. Hessayon (I think that's how it's spelled). They're the softback things (called the Expert series - but they're for beginners too) you can find in virtually any garden centre (ones on roses, patio gardening, ponds, lawns etc etc - and Fruit and Vegetables). They're simply laid out, easy to read, easy to follow. In fact, they're very good and inexpensive.

[Jobi1canobi]

Hi,

Books I use:

All New Square Foot Gardening (Grow More In Less Space!) - Mel Bartholomew (Cool Springs Press) Highly Recommended!

Your Organic Allotment - Ian Spence/Pauline Pears (Gaia Books)

Keeping The Harvest - Nancy Chioffi/Gretchen Mead (Storey Publishing)

Hope that helps.

[Annpan]

I agree with MKG, I haven't hear of the ones that jobi names I am afraid. I use the John Seymour book alot too "complete book of self-sufficiency" it covers lots of topics (including, making a potato clamp)

But I find that I have to come on here lots because I either can't find what I am looking for, or I find conflicting advice.

[wiggy]

Brilliant, at least something does exist for the uninitiated gardener!
I will explore armed with names and such
Thanks

[ocailleagh]

Anything by Bob Flowerdew too! I'm surprised noone's mentioned him already!

[Lady Willow]

For a beginner, I would recommend Bob Flowerdew's "Organic Bible", and Sarah Raven's "The Great Vegetable Plot".


I bought them for a friend recently who is getting into growing veg .. I read them years ago and they are great ... not only do they give step by step instructions on HOW to grow .. but also what you should grow, why, companion planting ... basically a whole overview of how you can "run" your allotment/veg garden.

[ocailleagh]

Oh yeah, the Sarah Raven book is quite good too! Word of warning though, only order from her mail order company if you wish to be deluged with catalogues stuffed with rather expensive and mostly unnecessary items! Some of which are, admittedly, very lovely and shiny...

[Ratty]

Look on Ebay or in charity shops too - always cheaper to buy second hand!

I use old books which belonged to my grandad - Food from your Garden which I think is a Reader's Digest one is probably my fave.

[Jules]

I strongly recommend the Encyclopdeia of Organic Gardening by The Henry Doubleday Research Association.

Its the best and I use it all the time. Its corner has been chewed off by slugs though!