just starting out, and VERY wet behind the ears :-\
can anyone recommend any decent books for 'starters'?
cheers ;D
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
thanks manic - i'll give it a go :)
if you're looking to buy something, have a look on the allotments amazon shop, top right..gives a bit back to the site :)
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
cheers jeannine. i might give b&q a try, as i'll just forget to take the books back to the library ::) ;D
Blimey,
The Vegetable Expert (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/0903505207/026-6435681-3831602?tag=allotments4al-21&linkCode=sb1&camp=2378&creative=8434)
Available second hand on Amazon for only 1 pence!
Dan
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!!!
::)
Grow your own vegetables by Joy Larkcom
no pics but lots of common sense info
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
Thanks for the tip M. I use the library but did not know about the listing :)
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.
THE ALLOTMENT HANDBOOK by CAROLINE FOLEY. My OH got it as a chrimbo prezzie few year back. Refer to it regularly.
Quote from: saddad on March 30, 2007, 20:04:07
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.
Quote from: redclanger on March 30, 2007, 21:51:00
;.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
Quote from: ktlawson on March 31, 2007, 01:04:46
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
Another vote for Joy Larcom - brilliant. The only downside is it doesn't cover fruit.
some great info guys!
cheers!! ;D
Caroline Foley's new book 'How to plant your allotment' is well worth a read, some interesting planting plans of allotments too. ;D
Quote from: Deb P on April 01, 2007, 13:57:22
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"?
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
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.
Quote from: kitten on April 01, 2007, 17:20:47
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/ (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.
:)
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
Another vote for
Grow Your Own Vegetables
by
Joy Larkcom
no fancy pictures of dew soaked veg, just very good advice.
Quote from: Deb P on April 02, 2007, 17:01:43
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!
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
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 (http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/851185/The_Allotment_Book/Product.html)
thanks for all the great advice guys - plenty of weekend reading for me! ;D