[wellingtons]

... one at home and one in the shed at the allotment.

It is invaluable for information on when to plant and spacing ... and finding out what's wrong with your plants when they're looking less than well.

And at £4 it's brilliant value.

[sweet nasturtium]

I had a book at the lottie once in the shed and it got very damp.  Since then I've not kept paper there.  Any ideas?  Am I asking really dumb questions now?

[muntjac]

keep em in a plastic ziplock bag?  werks for me  

[wellingtons]

... in a big plastic tupperware container that doesn't get used for anything else.  In my case the blasted mouse would eat it before it got damp!!

[GrannieAnnie]

I used to save those little bags of silica gel you get in boxes of shoes and things that stop the damp, and put those in with things i didn't want to get damp.  If you get any, you could put those in with your book too!

[Scribbler]

Dr H was supposed to have been bought up to date, but the bit about garlic is about 30 years out of date. Also chemicals are dodgy as MK says. Rest is good for general rule of thumb type guidance. Great for beginners, but not keen garlic fans!! See Carol K for garlic.

[mkhenry]

I have just dug out my first ever Dr Hessayon book. Called a Vegetable Plotter. Published by Pan Birtannica Ind.Ltd.

Its dated 1976 its a first edition 2nd impression.

Looking at the pictures and rereading the sowing instructions the first thing you notice is that the wording has hardly changed.

Most of the sowing instructions are exactly word for word the same.

Even the drawings showing the planting and sowing are the same.

The new books do have more in them but this old edition offers the same advice.

It was good advice then and it shows how little as changed.

In 1988/9 A new book was trialed called a Vegetable Jotter. This was published by Hazell Watson and Viney.This was and is a better book than the Plotter.

The good doctor was unhappy about his deal with "pbi" and this book was the short term result.

My copy is a first edition..

From these came the Expert books.But the advice is as I have already stated a bit out of date,and if you are new to gardening how would you know the good info from the now usless.

[muntjac]

because the old advice werked for hundreds years anyways ..... werks for me  

[mkhenry]

because the old advice werked for hundreds years anyways ..... werks for me  

Absolute ly correct about the advice on planting,I totally agree but when did you last use or could get hold of some Bromophos etc.

What chemicals are around now that a beginer can go to a garden centre and legally obtain, that have been banned since the Drs books were published.

Is it just coincidence that the books are published by "pbi" and that the use of so many chemicals is advised I dont think so Munty.

[muntjac]

got loads bromophos still
   
but yes i agree maybe the books are written by the folks selling the stuff . but when you read the book that has the products banned in then i guess its on the reader to find alternatives , loike what i do   like we now have to do with creosote ,books still exixt in print tha say use it  

 is it buyer beware now or reader?

[shaun]

I thought he was organic  :roll:

[SnooziSuzi]

Hah! unfortunately not  :?  I have a 2007 edition and it recommends chemicals throughout for various things.

Would be nice if someone would do a similar thing but with organic treatments.  Now there's a project for you Shaun!

[Stevens706]

Hi everyone, didn’t realise I would cause such a debate when I posted this, I will point out a couple of points about this 2007 edition against the comments above.

Chapter 3 General Pests and Diseases does not mention Bromophos at all. Looks like it has been updated to what is currently available. (If you are that way inclined)

The book is published by Transworld Publishers not PBI

[mkhenry]

Hi everyone, didn’t realise I would cause such a debate when I posted this, I will point out a couple of points about this 2007 edition against the comments above.

Chapter 3 General Pests and Diseases does not mention Bromophos at all. Looks like it has been updated to what is currently available. (If you are that way inclined)

The book is published by Transworld Publishers not PBI

Exactly my point buy the latest one you can. The"Veg Jotter" also not pubished by pbi does not mention chemicals all the time.

Its because you can no longer buy all the chemicals that pbi have lost interest in the books,and another publisher has taken over.
But books before your one still push gardeners to use chemicals all the time.

[upthetump]

I have a copy of Veggie expert book and used it so much it has fallen apart. BUT, I have looked at other books and find that he is a bit out of date. I used the book when ordering seeds etc and I find that the seeds section on this site is far more informative than his book.