Sophie Andrews offers a good beginning if you're new to allotment gardening, or want to set up a kitchen garden for the first time. The book is good for giving simple lists of things to do on the allotment month by month from sowing seed to pruning fruit bushes and another great feature is the 'beginners' section which covers things like finding a plot, preparing the soil, dealing with weeds, crop rotation and planting the beds. A chapter on gardening techniques covers propagation, protecting your plants, pruning and harvesting and this is perhaps where the book falls down a little for the more experienced grower as a chapter that covers all that information has to be pretty basic, and indeed, it is really just the ground rules and doesn't go into many of the alternatives, problem-solving techniques and hints and tips that a well-seasoned allotment holder will wish to see included. The book will appeal to new allotment holders and is a great simple reference tool
A comprehensive guide to organic gardening, explaining that it is not just how you grow that makes a successful organic garden - what you grow is also important. The book promotes vegetables that were developed before the use of pesticides and fertilizers, and shows the reader how to bring together practical and ornamental elements in the garden. Highlighting the benefits of organic gardening and covering soil and compost, planning and working the organic gardens, and featuring an illustrated directory of vegetables, fruit and herbs, the volume should be useful for both beginners and experienced gardeners alike.
New paperback edition of Collins best-selling gardening title. This wonderfully illustrated book celebrates the blood, sweat and joy to be had in growing your own in an allotment. Includes in-depth, practical gardening know-how, stories from allotmenteers and recipes.
An illustrated celebration of the blood, sweat and joy to be had growing your own in an allotment. This book testifies to the vibrancy of allotment culture, aiming both to inspire the next generation of plot-holders and to provide all the practical knowledge needed to turn a patch of soil into a lifelong adventure.
