VEGETABLE GARDENING BOOKS

[Shallot Man]

Someone asked about the above for a beginner, unable to find the thread, Hessayons Vegetable & Herb Expert was suggested by one of our readers, I concur probably one of the best on the market, can also recommend "The Vegetable Garden Displayed "by the RHS, I believe it is still in print [mine is 1972 price £1-15] Have just bought HAYNES "Home Grown Vegetables" by Steve Ott. Haynes do a good car servicing manual, but have a lot to learn on gardening books. Wouldn't recommend this, maybe worth a try through your local library.

[Monika]

Joy Larkcom's "Grow your own Vegetables" and Alan Titchmarsh's "The Kitchen Gardener" and "the Gardener's Year" aren't bad either, the first for detailed advice on digging, fertiliser, etc and the last two for dipping in and as a reminder of what to do every month. The last two are also rather nicely illustrated and might encourage a very new gardener to keep going when the going gets tough!

[PLUMPUDDING]

I picked up an excellent gardening and cookery book in one at the garden centre last week. Organic Kitchen and Garden by Ysanne Spevack, Christine Lavelle and Michael Lavelle.

It has clear photos showing how to do everything, basic techniques, soil management, plant health, ornamental garden, wildlife garden, kitchen garden, directory of vegetables, herbs and fruit and calendar of care.

There is a section giving very good reasons why organic food is a good idea, and the book finishes with some lovely recipes to use all your garden produce. The information is excellent even if you don't intend to grow organically. I tend to the organic way, but use slug pellets on vulnerable seedlings and sometimes use a herbicide on paths and ornamental areas that are a problem.

It was only £4.99 and is very comprehensive with some good info for experienced as well as new gardeners.

A bargain if you can find it.

[Johnboy]

Hi Plumpudding,
"I tend to the organic way, but use slug pellets on vulnerable seedlings and sometimes use a herbicide on paths and ornamental areas that are a problem."
This is what I call 'Pragmatic Gardening.' Because you cannot be classified as Organic but nevertheless raise good wholesome food.
In other words it's called 'using your loaf!'
JB.

[PLUMPUDDING]

Hi Johnboy, My thoughts exactly.

PP

[Shallot Man]

Hi johnboy, and me.

[MKPoshfan]

try Monty Don - that's assuming you respect him as a gardener, which I do; also, Geoff Hamilton's A Year in your Garden is excellent if you can find a copy any more; Carol Klein's Grow your own Veg is another good starter book.

[Johnboy]

Hi MKP,
To mention Monty Don is likely to unleash a can of worms on this forum!
JB.

[Johnboy]

It is reported in this weeks Horticulture and Grower Magazine that Alan Titchmarsh is to write a series of books on gardening similar to the Dr Hessayon books that have sold over 50 million copies. Accused of a sort of plaguerism of Hessayon he is reported to have said the only similarity will be the size of the book. There will be 6 books in the series entitled
'How to Garden Books. I would like to lay a bet that they will be at least twice the price of the wonderful Hessayon series. To date for sheer information value there is nothing to touch the venerable Dr Hessayon.
Every book totally packed full with sheer common sense gardening which no beginner should be without.
JB.

[The Mouse]

Hi

When I first started growing veg - about 10 years ago - I found Hessayon's book invaluable. And I still refer to it from time to time.

The only problem I've found with it is that it is getting a bit out of date with regard to the varieties of plants that are suggested, and the pests they are prone to. I picked a copy off the shelf when I was in a shop recently, to see if this had changed, but it hadn't. Admittedly, I only looked to see if Peer Gynt Brussels sprouts were still in it (and of course they were!), as these haven't been around for a while now.

As far as I'm concerned, all that's needed is a new, updated edition of this book! Let's hope the publishers take note

[Shallot Man]

Caz. Hessayon do do updates, mine is 2005, having not looked, there might be a later edition, still one of the best gardening books on the market.

[Johnboy]

Hi Caz,
Sadly if a book was updated because of the Variety of seeds mentioned it probably never reach the market at all.
The value of David Hessayon's work is the clear and simple way it is presented to the reader. The depth of planting, spacing twixt rows and down the row, these things will never change.
It is unlikely that David will ever update his own work as he is now over 80
and it is calculated that he has a book in one of every two households in the country. According to the Guinness Book of Records he holds the world record for the sales of non-fiction books. In 2008 he was awarded an OBE for service to the world of Horticulture. I wish he had been around when I was learning to grow instead he is 18 months older than me so we were growing up at the same time.
JB.

[The Mouse]

Hi, Johnboy

Don't get me wrong - I'm not suggesting that a book should be updated everytime there's a new variety of seed, or an old one becomes unavailable, because as you hint, this would mean changing it every week!. However, I have glanced through the book several times in recent years when I have seen it on sale, and I've been struck by the fact that this particular aspect of the book barely seems to have changed, despite the fact that there have been huge changes in what's available and popular to grow since I started growing ten years ago. When I started out, I went looking for varieties of seed based on what I read in the book. If someone starting out tries to do the same now, they could be disappointed.

But I agree with you 100% that the book is brilliant in the clear and simple way it presents things. I wouldn't be without it and have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone!

[The Mouse]

Hi again, Johnboy

I'm slow on the uptake sometimes, but I've just seen the clues and done the maths. So that's when one's second childhood begins
Congratulations again!

[cherrycoop]

I am looking for a book on gardening, fruit and veg growing in the tropics - anyone got any suggestions