any good allotment books for new peeps?

[kitten]

My fave book is Susan Berger's 'Allotment Gardening, An Organic Guide for Beginners', it takes you right from the off, planning & designing the plot, deciding what to grow, how to enrich soil - organic methods only, companion planting, a calendar of what to do each month etc.

I'd also recommend 'The Allotment Book by Andi Clevely, we got it for xmas and it's been a good read.

Happy reading!  ;D

[kitten]

[Good Gourd2]

I don`t  suppose you can get one now as  the one I have was published in 1987 but its Percy Thrower`s  How to Grow Vegetables and Fruit. It`s basic, you just look up which veg you need to know about and its there no frills. Of course there are a lot more up to date methods I have loads of books but always come back to this one.  Try the charity shops thats where I found mine.

[sally_cinnamon]

I'd also recommend 'The Allotment Book by Andi Clevely, we got it for xmas and it's been a good read.

I also love this book and I lent it to one of my plot neighbours who is held in high regard at my site and he said it's one of the best books he's read!  I also have Sarah Ravens "Great Vegetable Plot", which we also like.  Check out the Wiki on A4A, there is a book section...   http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_mambowiki/Itemid,92/

I also have Alan T's "Gardeners Year" which has info about all aspects of gardening not just veg, but is good to see what you can be doing at different times of year.  Maybe one to get from the library if you are only interested in the veg section.

:)

[Deb P]

It is fairly different, it concentrates more on getting things like successional  and companion planting going to get year round best use of space, which I found very helpful.

There are 16 planting plans with line drawings of plots that you will either love or hate, following various 'themes' e.g family plot, Italian plot, Jamaican plot but they all give food for thought and I'm planning on copying a few combinations! Worth a purchase IMHO. ;D

[isbister]

Another vote for

Grow Your Own Vegetables
by
Joy Larkcom

no fancy pictures of dew soaked veg, just very good advice.

[Deb P]

It is fairly different, it concentrates more on getting things like successional  and companion planting going to get year round best use of space, which I found very helpful.

There are 16 planting plans with line drawings of plots that you will either love or hate, following various 'themes' e.g family plot, Italian plot, Jamaican plot but they all give food for thought and I'm planning on copying a few combinations! Worth a purchase IMHO. ;D

Sorry, I was referring to the Caroline Foley 'How to plant your allotment ' book!

[Blue Bird]

Hi and welcome like you I am a new allotmentier and have found that the book Grow Your Own Veg by Carol Klein is the best so far  (programme was disappointing) but the book has lots of photos and helpful hints that is not too advanced.

Good luck
BB

[sally_cinnamon]

Just found the Allotment Book by Andi Clevely for £13.49 (delivered) on play.com

http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/851185/The_Allotment_Book/Product.html

[anton]

thanks for all the great advice guys - plenty of weekend reading for me! ;D