[Njal]

I know there is a lot of information on the internet but I like to have a book for reference.

Since I started growing veg about 5 years ago I have managed with The Vegetable Expert by Hessayon which seems woefully out of date.

Now that I have an allotment to fill I thought of getting a better book.

A search on "allotment" or "vegetable" on amazon lists dozens of decent looking books and I'm overwhelmed.

What I need is one with information about what can be grown when, with info about varieties and if possible on how to make the most efficient use of space i.e. planting early maturing crops in and amongst later maturing ones.

Please help!

Thanks,
Nial.

[GreenOwl]

Before someone else posts it:

http://www.allotment-garden.org/book/index.php

Personally I like Dr. Hessayon's (and in fact requested another one for Christmas as my brother-in-law has snaffled my old one) but yes it is a bit dated (even the updated version).

Andi Clevely's "The Allotment Book" is very good.  

I'd pop into Waterstone's and browse - and then order online  :oops:

[nobby]

johns book is defenitly a good one to start with it has everything you need to get you going

[tallulah]

My first book was a bargain from a charity shop - John Seymour's Gardening Book (for kids).  Great illustrations - but harking back to 1978!  My all-time favourite (another bargain, old stock sold by library) is Your Kitchen Garden by Andrew Bicknell, 1995 edition.  It is laid out very well, with all the pertinent information under subheadings, and includes how to cook/freeze each veg, and how to grow it (if poss) in a container, plus varieties.  In my opinion it is excellent.  I expect you can do a search on Amazon and get a 2nd hand copy.

[Njal]

Before someone else posts it:

http://www.allotment-garden.org/book/index.php

Ah yes, I'd seen that one on amazon and it was in my "top two" although I haven't ordered yet.

May buy one online and then browse the charity shops next time I'm in town, as the more the better, usually.

By the way, Hessayon also includes cooking tips but this is the most out-dated aspect of the book!
He even says garlic is a stranger to our kitchens!

[MOLUSC]

my fave reference books -

Grow your own veg by Carol Klein
The Allotment handbook by Caroline Foley
and Composting by Liz Ball

All full of usefull info,i dont really look any further than these.

[richyrich7]

Apart from John's, I've got "the organic allotment" from chase orgaincs, and the Readers Digest "food from your garden" which is so well read it's starting to fall to bit's if you can get the older version it's got the section on poultry, bee's brewing pickling etc and I know poultry and bees is missing from the new one. It's also very good for telling you how much to expect from your crop, and has loads of lovely recipes too.
I've also got the Veg expert which is good but after that all the ones I've got cover nearly everything. An inspirational read is "cost effective self sufficiency or the middle class peasant" oldish book out of print but available at amazon, it's brill.  

[Njal]

Hessayon is a bit too keen on chemicals for my liking too.

Don't know whether I'll be able to maintain 100% organic but he recommends reaching for the bottle for everything!

Anyone read this one?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Grow-Your-Own-Vegetables-Larkcom/dp/071121963X/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232126178&sr=8-5

Seems like a decent one?

[GreenOwl]

By the way, Hessayon also includes cooking tips but this is the most out-dated aspect of the book!
He even says garlic is a stranger to our kitchens!

I know.  Always makes me laugh too.

Hessayon is a bit too keen on chemicals for my liking too.

Oh I agree but I was suprised by how much I missed it after BIL swiped it!  

I've also got the Readers Digest book Richy recommends but without the bees and poulty bit.  I wouln't be without that one either.  I've got a "Vegetables for Small Gardens" by Joy Larkhom which is very good for me.  I haven't got the "Grow your own Vegetables" one ought to be decent.

[RichardA]

I have a shelf full of gardening books incl those inherited from my father and my father in law. But which one is always out on the kitchen table and a constant source of information and guidance ------ John's. The others are all on the shelf somewhere
The only other one that gets much use is Dr Hessayon's simply because it is so quick to use for spacings, depths etc. It is up in the tool shed.
Enuff said
R

[eeyore]

I have a shelf full of gardening books incl those inherited from my father and my father in law. But which one is always out on the kitchen table and a constant source of information and guidance ------ John's. The others are all on the shelf somewhere
The only other one that gets much use is Dr Hessayon's simply because it is so quick to use for spacings, depths etc. It is up in the tool shed.
Enuff said
R

we just bought johns book and  vegetable gardening by joy larcomb - between them they pretty much cover everyting we need , although my old dear did give me a copy of hessayon also

[DIGGER]

I'v got loads of gardening books. Before i took an interest in lotte and gardening [only 5 years] I used to get socks and pants for chrissy/birthday pressies. Now , you've guessed it

[PinkTequila]

Vegetable Garden Displayed

Joy LArkom updated this book for the RHS I however prefer and still use this old edition from 1942 I also have a couple of other prints of it. It has surprisingly not really dated at all and is very straightforward and as you can see can be got for 1p. A brilliant book that shows all techniques from preparing the ground, sowing, manuring quantities etc.

[Quetzal]

I got both Klein's 'Grow your own veg' and Titchmarsh's effort for Christmas and like them both, although they're quite, hmmm, introductory, i guess.

I also really like Allotment Gardening by Susan Berger (Green Books, 2005)

[Yorkie]

I believe John is bringing out a further book, this one is much more about allotment gardening so it's worth keeping an eye open for that when he puts information on the site nearer the time