any good allotment books for new peeps?

[anton]

just starting out, and VERY wet behind the ears :-\

can anyone recommend any decent books for 'starters'?

cheers ;D

[anton]

[manicscousers]

if you use the search facility at the top(I think it's working) , there's loads of recommendations, my favie is Bob Flowerdew..the organic bible

[anton]

thanks manic - i'll give it a go :)

[manicscousers]

if you're looking to buy something, have a look on the allotments amazon shop, top right..gives a bit back to the site  :)

[Jeannine]

Anton, there are a lot of good books, plus a lot of duds, go to the library befor you invest much. If you want to buy one , good start for not much money is The Vegatable Expert by Dr DG Hessayon. Every B& Q and every garden centre sell it, it really is available everywhere. It is good basic advice , not real up to date about varieties but it is a good easy to read start which you will get for about £6...look it up online.

XX Jeannine

[anton]

cheers jeannine.  i might give b&q a try, as i'll just forget to take the books back to the library ::) ;D

[Admin aka Dan]

Blimey,

The Vegetable Expert

Available second hand on Amazon for only 1 pence!

Dan

[saddad]

That's what I started with in the mid 70's.....
Alloted Time is an easy read about two no-hopers who took on a lottie... not very informative about what to do exactly but good on what to expect!!!
::)

[markfield rover]

Grow your own vegetables by Joy Larkcom
no pics but lots of common sense info

[mikey]

Anton et Al,

if you are not already a member, join your Town or County Library ... a fantastic resource. Lincolnshire County have their whole stock listed on the Website which is easily searched and items ordered.

I have borrowed +/- 15 Allotment and/or Veggie growing books over this last Winter, if it would be helpful to you I can put together a list and post here.

Currently I have, on loan:

Vegetables Herbs and Fruit (growing, harvesting and cooking) by Matthew Biggs, Jekka McVicar and Bob Flowerdew ... an absolutely 'magic' book, 640 pages, almost A4 sized, priced at £16.99 but I have found on Amazon at circa £11, might just buy a personal copy with some of the Birthday money my Mum sent me (at least she not using Postal Orders anymore  ;) remember them ?)

also
The Allotment Keepers Handbook , by Jane Perrone, a light hearted style but full of good solid advice. Priced at £14.99 but I just bought a new copy on Amazon for £8.99 post free (ordered the new Harry Potter book, due in July, which qualified me for 'free' postage on both books) ... yes a wrinklie Harry Potter fan, the stories are far too good for children ha! ha!

Cheers

Mikey

[flossie]

Thanks for the tip M.  I use the library but did not know about the listing :)

[redimp]

I use a battered copy of Geoff Hamilton's Organic Gardening (it's the one that goes with me) and a pristine copy of HDRA Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening (it's the one that stays at home)  Both quite big and cumbersome but very good.  Next up is the Flowerdew tome.  I have lost my Chemical Alli Hessayon book but that was invaluable when I started out - as long as you can ignore the nuke em aspect. ;D

;.PS - I will follow Mikey's tip and get those books out once he has returned them.

[kt.]

THE ALLOTMENT HANDBOOK by CAROLINE FOLEY. My OH got it as a chrimbo prezzie few year back. Refer to it regularly.

[Barnowl]

That's what I started with in the mid 70's.....
Alloted Time is an easy read about two no-hopers who took on a lottie... not very informative about what to do exactly but good on what to expect!!!
::)

I really enjoyed Allotted Time. At the end I realised I had picked up quite a lot of info without being aware of it while I read.

Our guide in our first year was Growing Vegetables by Tony Biggs (an RHS publication). Just ignored the chemical bits.

[mikey]

;.PS - I will follow Mikey's tip and get those books out once he has returned them.

Redclanger,

suggest you reserve the books via Library website, I think there were 5 people waiting when I reserved Jane Perrone's book, at start of March. Lincs Libraries charge 15p to make reservations via the Web then they telephone you to tell you when the book has arrived at the Branch of your choice (in my case Market Rasen)

sorry if you knew this .... not trying to teach you to such eggs  ;D

Mikey

[emmy1978]

THE ALLOTMENT HANDBOOK by CAROLINE FOLEY. My OH got it as a chrimbo prezzie few year back. Refer to it regularly.

Me too. Also by Caroline Foley and slightly better than the handbook for beginners is Practical Allotment Gardening. Bit more basic and lots of very helpful pics and mini projects like paths and ponds. Have fun. x

[pye]

Another vote for Joy Larcom - brilliant. The only downside is it doesn't cover fruit.

[anton]

some great info guys!

cheers!! ;D

[Deb P]

Caroline Foley's new book 'How to plant your allotment' is well worth a read, some interesting planting plans of allotments too. ;D

[kt.]

Caroline Foley's new book 'How to plant your allotment' is well worth a read, some interesting planting plans of allotments too. ;D

Does it differ much from her first book "The Allotment Handbook"?