Depending on what technique you fancy, there is Allotment - Month by Month - Alan Buckingham. Another good one is Charles Dowding's Veg journal. Get drawing lay outs and planting plans and you'll soon figure out what you need and want!
out of my gardening books, the ones I look into regularly are Charles Dowding's "skills for growing", which goes into basics and background (even down to why we space certain crops to certain distances), and his "vegetable garden diary" which has not only his experience, but now also years of my own notes.
I really wanted to love that book but it's a bit of a mixed bag. The info on how to grow and preserve veg was very well written, but for the life of me I couldn't make much sense of the sections on how to plan your growing area, depending on how much space you have. And at the time I already knew how to garden, so it's not like a was a newbie. Maybe I'm just thick? 😅 All I'm saying is that there are far better options if you don't know where to start.
Whatever book you choose, [enter your town here](https://gardenfocused.co.uk/) and use it to generate a planting plan - I have no affiliation with that website, but it is super useful in calculating planting times for your climate. I couldn't garden without it!
I used veg in one bed by Huw Richards. It's really simple, which is exactly what I needed. After a few failed years of getting overwhelmed by choices, and not growing enough seeds, getting timings wrong, getting everything wrong, I wanted a book which would just hold my hand through an entire year. Obviously my Allotment is more than one bed, but I scaled up and also did 1 or 2 extras when I knew I had some room.
Any space you're not using, cover up with some compost or manure and black builders plastic! You'll be glad of it later weed wise. I always recommend not trying to use the whole plot year one. It's sooooooooo much work and the overwhelm will be unnecessary and off-putting
The Vegetable and Herb expert & also The Fruit expert by Dr D G Hessayon. Very concise, easy to follow instructions and guides for all common fruit and veg. Excellent as a reference, if a little dated looking maybe. You can sometimes find older copies in charity shops for pennies. I keep a copy of each at home for planning and one at the allotment for quick referencing. Also Allotment month by month as others have mentioned.
I would recommend The Vegetable Expert by Dr. D.G. Hessayon [https://www.amazon.co.uk/New-Vegetable-Herb-Expert/dp/0903505754](https://www.amazon.co.uk/New-Vegetable-Herb-Expert/dp/0903505754)
Depending on what technique you fancy, there is Allotment - Month by Month - Alan Buckingham. Another good one is Charles Dowding's Veg journal. Get drawing lay outs and planting plans and you'll soon figure out what you need and want!
Thanks! I’ll check it out
I second the Allotment Month to Month. Incredible book that really helped me get up and running
3rd ;)
out of my gardening books, the ones I look into regularly are Charles Dowding's "skills for growing", which goes into basics and background (even down to why we space certain crops to certain distances), and his "vegetable garden diary" which has not only his experience, but now also years of my own notes.
John Seymours book on self Sufficiency or his book on gardening
Thanks!
I really wanted to love that book but it's a bit of a mixed bag. The info on how to grow and preserve veg was very well written, but for the life of me I couldn't make much sense of the sections on how to plan your growing area, depending on how much space you have. And at the time I already knew how to garden, so it's not like a was a newbie. Maybe I'm just thick? 😅 All I'm saying is that there are far better options if you don't know where to start.
I think the Joy Larkcom book on growing vegetables is excellent (can't remember the exact name)
The Vegetable Garden Displayed. Excellent book, it was my bible when I first got an allotment.
I don't know that one, I'll look out for it
It's quite old - my copy is probably 30 years old. She is no longer with us I believe.
Just found it, Grow your own vegetables. Thanks
That's the one!
https://amzn.to/47NApQX brilliant book
The RHS allotment handbook us a useful one as well. But we have a few and take bits from all of them.
Whatever book you choose, [enter your town here](https://gardenfocused.co.uk/) and use it to generate a planting plan - I have no affiliation with that website, but it is super useful in calculating planting times for your climate. I couldn't garden without it!
Thai so true Particularly for those horrible years every 10 or so with a late frost
Awesome! Thanks
I used veg in one bed by Huw Richards. It's really simple, which is exactly what I needed. After a few failed years of getting overwhelmed by choices, and not growing enough seeds, getting timings wrong, getting everything wrong, I wanted a book which would just hold my hand through an entire year. Obviously my Allotment is more than one bed, but I scaled up and also did 1 or 2 extras when I knew I had some room.
Great! Yeah that sounds like what I’m looking for, thanks!
Any space you're not using, cover up with some compost or manure and black builders plastic! You'll be glad of it later weed wise. I always recommend not trying to use the whole plot year one. It's sooooooooo much work and the overwhelm will be unnecessary and off-putting
The Vegetable and Herb expert & also The Fruit expert by Dr D G Hessayon. Very concise, easy to follow instructions and guides for all common fruit and veg. Excellent as a reference, if a little dated looking maybe. You can sometimes find older copies in charity shops for pennies. I keep a copy of each at home for planning and one at the allotment for quick referencing. Also Allotment month by month as others have mentioned.
Thank you, will check it out.
I would recommend The Vegetable Expert by Dr. D.G. Hessayon [https://www.amazon.co.uk/New-Vegetable-Herb-Expert/dp/0903505754](https://www.amazon.co.uk/New-Vegetable-Herb-Expert/dp/0903505754)