Beautiful and comprehensive, Vegetables is a must-have for all gardeners, by acclaimed authors Roger Phillips and Martyn Rix. 'Remarkable . . . I have learnt so much' - Financial Times Whether you are a complete novice or an experienced gardener, Vegetables contains a stunning array of produce, in full colour photography, that can be grown in gardens of all sizes, allotments and even in windowsill pots. The book features over 500 vegetables that can be cultivated in a temperate climate, from the familiar carrot and spinach to the exotic jicama and sacred lotus. Revised and updated, this is an indispensable guide for growers, the authoritative text contains fascinating details of the history and development of each species and information on characteristics, cultivation, when to harvest, and pests and diseases - as well as tips for cooking the more unusual varieties.

- A beautifully simple and practical guide to getting the very best results from your potatoes.
- Includes an illustrated guide to the different varieties of potato and their best growing conditions, including Carlingford, Maris Piper, Desiree, King Edward, Romano and many more.
- Practical advice on how to grow potatoes, from choosing which variety to plant, sowing in rows and containers, to harvesting and storing.

No matter how small your space, green-fingered Sam Corfield (aka The Hairy Horticulturist) shows you how simple it is to grow your own edible garden. Covering over 50 roots, shoots, flowers, leaves and fruits, he'll guide you through his foolproof three-step method of sow-grow-gather, while providing useful tips and tricks along the way. Showcasing delicious vegetables, fruits and herbs that anyone can easily grow at home, Sam will also introduce you to some more unusual and colourful veggies (like purple carrots, rainbow radishes and cucamelons!) to show just how exciting growing-your-own can be. Whether you have a small garden, balcony or windowsill, Sow Grow Gather will demystify the growing process, explain useful gardening equipment and reveal how to fit different containers and pots into every corner of your space. With beautiful photography and advice on which plants will suit your plot, as well as how to care for them, you'll go from veg-patch beginner to edible-garden-expert in no time, and have fun during the process.

All gardeners and farmers should be plant breeders, says author Carol Deppe. Developing new vegetable varieties doesn't require a specialized education, a lot of land, or even a lot of time. It can be done on any scale. It's enjoyable. It's deeply rewarding. You can get useful new varieties much faster than you might suppose. And you can eat your mistakes.

Authoritative and easy-to-understand, Breed Your Own Vegetable Varieties: The Gardener's and Farmer's Guide to Plant Breeding and Seed Saving is the only guide to plant breeding and seed saving for the serious home gardener and the small-scale farmer or commercial grower. Discover:

how to breed for a wide range of different traits (flavor, size, shape, or color; cold or heat tolerance; pest and disease resistance; and regional adaptation)

how to save seed and maintain varieties

how to conduct your own variety trials and other farm- or garden-based research

how to breed for performance under organic or sustainable growing methods

In this one-size-fits-all world of multinational seed companies, plant patents, and biotech monopolies, more and more gardeners and farmers are recognizing that they need to "take back their seeds." They need to save more of their own seed, grow and maintain the best traditional and regional varieties, and develop more of their own unique new varieties. Breed Your Own Vegetable Varieties: The Gardener's and Farmer's Guide to Plant Breeding and Seed Saving shows the way, and offers an exciting introduction to a whole new gardening adventure.

Want to get home-grown spices in the middle of winter? Eat fresh vegetables in the spring? Sow in the summer to harvest in the fall? Lena Israelsson's book, Year-Round Edible Gardening, is a practical guide for those who want to extend their growing season. And double, perhaps triple, their harvest. Growing year-round is possible, and this book can teach you the best methods to do it the right way. Year-Round Edible Gardening includes inspiring and expert tips on which vegetables, herbs, and spices suit the different seasons. Certain plants can even be harvested in the middle of winter if handled correctly. Others, like microgreens, herbs, and hydroculture, can create the perfect indoor gardens. This book will teach readers to know the difference between cold and hot weather plants, which growing methods are best suited for different plants, and when to plant and harvest. They'll learn about sowing; coverage with plastic, glass, or fiber weaves; and fertilization-creating a fruitful and fertile soil is the linchpin of all cultivation and one of the book's most important parts.

Support and protect the natural world with tips from expert gardener Joe Swift.

With around 16 million UK gardens covering a larger area than all our nature reserves, you could say our largest nature reserve is one big garden! In this practical guide, Joe shows you how to support and protect our rich and varied wildlife habitats.

Joe's no-nonsense approach covers everything you need to know about doing your bit for wildlife. Learn how to manage soil and carefully select plants to create rich and varied habitats, from tall trees down to tiny, spring-flowering bulbs. In this book, Joe demonstrates how to manage your outdoor space sensitively, and debunks the common misconception that 'wildlife-friendly gardens' have to be unkempt.

From bug hotels to pollinators, he also shares his ideas on fun and innovative projects to help kids, as the future custodians of our planet, engage with nature. Joe Swift is an author, TV presenter and garden designer. He makes regular appearances on BBC's Gardener's World and the RHS Flower Shows

Perennial vegetables are a joy to grow. Whereas traditional vegetable plots are largely made up of short-lived, annual vegetable plants, perennials are edible plants that live longer than three years. Grown as permaculture plants, they take up less of your time and effort than annual vegetables do. Martin Crawford's book outlines the benefits of growing perennial vegetables: Perennials provide crops throughout the year, so there's always something that can be used in the kitchen. You avoid the hungry gap between the end of the winter harvest and the start of the summer harvest of annual vegetables. Perennial vegetables are less work. Once planted, they stay in the ground for many years. They are the classic plants for no-dig gardeners. Unlike annual vegetables, perennial vegetables cover and protect the soil all year round. This maintains the structure of the soil and helps everything growing in it. Humous levels build up and nutrients don't wash out of soil. (Cultivating the soil for annuals exposes this humous to air on the surface, causing the carbon to be released as carbon dioxide.) Mycorrhizal fungi, critical for storing carbon within the soil, are preserved. (They are killed when soil is constantly dug for annual vegetables.) Perennial plants contain higher levels of mineral nutrients than annuals because perennial vegetables have larger, permanent root systems, capable of using space more efficiently, and they take up more nutrients. How to grow perennial vegetables gives comprehensive advice on all types of perennial vegetable, from ground-cover plants and coppiced trees to plants for bog gardens and edible woodland plants: In Part One Martin Crawford outlines why we should grow perennials. He then explains where and how to grow them in perennial polycultures, in forest garden or aquatic garden settings. He outlines how to propagate them, how to look after them for maximum health and how to harvest them. Part Two is a plant-by-plant reference of over 100 perennial edibles in detail, from familiar ones like rhubarb, Jerusalem artichokes (sunchokes), horseradish and asparagus to less common ones such as skirret, nodding onions, red chicory, Babbington's leek, scorzonera, sea kale and wild rocket. With beautiful colour photographs and illustrations and plenty of cooking tips throughout, this book offers inspiration and information for all gardeners, whether experienced or beginner.

In The New Southern Garden Cookbook, Sheri Castle aims to make "what's in season" the answer to "what's for dinner?" This timely cookbook, with dishes for omnivores and vegetarians alike, celebrates and promotes delicious, healthful homemade meals centered on the diverse array of seasonal fruits and vegetables grown in the South, and in most of the rest of the nation as well. Increased attention to the health benefits and environmental advantages of eating locally, Castle notes, is inspiring Americans to partake of the garden by raising their own kitchen plots, visiting area farmers' markets and pick-your-own farms, and signing up for CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) boxes from local growers. The New Southern Garden Cookbook offers over 300 brightly flavored recipes that will inspire beginning and experienced cooks, southern or otherwise, to take advantage of seasonal delights. Castle has organized the cookbook alphabetically by type of vegetable or fruit, building on the premise that when cooking with fresh produce, the ingredient, not the recipe, is the wiser starting point. While some dishes are inspired by traditional southern recipes, many reveal the goodness of gardens in new, contemporary ways. Peppered with tips, hints, and great stories, these pages make for good food and a good read.

Take your pick: apples, pears, peaches, blueberries? For health- and money-conscious consumers, homegrown edibles are the way to go. While vegetable gardening has been the hot trend, fruit growing is now taking a bite out of the market. This timely and comprehensive book from gardening expert Lee Reich shows the way to successfully grow fruits that are delicious and nutritious, with information on over 30 fruits and how to reap the most of their bounty. Covering all topics from planning and planting to pruning and harvesting, this essential reference also discusses natural pest-control and fertilization methods, pollination, irrigation, and special techniques such as espalier and growing fruit in containers. A handy, encyclopedic listing of fruits provides in-depth information on individual fruit needs, care, and varieties, with a focus on all-natural growing techniques. With 150 photos and over 50 illustrations, this highly visual guide is the book to pick up to keep your fruit crops thriving.

Fifteen people--plus a class of first graders--tell how local food, farms, and gardens changed their lives and their community . . . and how they can change yours, too.
"Urban Farming Handbook" includes:
- Fifteen first-person stories of personal and civic transformation from a range of individuals, including farmers and community garden members, a low-income senior and a troubled teen, a foodie, a food bank officer, and many more
- Seven in-depth "How It Works" sections on student farms, community gardens, community-supported agriculture (CSA), community education, farm work therapy, community outreach, and more
- Detailed information on dozens of additional resources from relevant books and websites to government programs and national nonprofit organizations
- Seventy full-color photographs showing a diverse local food community at home, work, and play
Read "Urban Farming Handbook" to learn how people like you, with busy lives like yours, can and do enjoy the many benefits of local food without having to become full-time organic farmers. Gain the information you need to organize or get involved in your own "growing community" anywhere across the country and around the world.

Zero-cost, low effort and a long term solution to your fresh produce needs! Huw Richards set himself a challenge - to be self-sufficient by growing his own fruit and veg for free for a year. He succeeded, and now wants to help you do the same. Grow your own food in your home garden, allotment or container and look forward to a bountiful harvest year-round. You can plant fruit and veg at home without spending a penny and Huw Richard's shows you how. Packed with tried-and-tested advice, this gardening book covers: - Finding a space to grow - in the garden or on a terrace or balcony - and sourcing the materials you need - Deciding what to grow your crops in (the ground, a raised bed, or containers) - Clear growing instructions on more than 30 species of popular annual and perennial crops - Huw Richards' 52-week journal of how he grew his own food for free for a year without spending a penny - Advice on how to go about selling your produce to raise money to expand your growing area Author Huw Richards is a man on a mission. He is passionate about teaching you how to garden and grow your own food. Years of experience and trying different things has taught Huw how to garden with little money (or without a garden) and he shows you how to do the same! Grow Food for Free teaches you how to produce no-cost, low-maintenance fruit and veg - and finding low-cost ways to overcome common gardening worries. Learn about the space you need and how to prepare it, make your own compost, tackle weeds, pests, and diseases, and how to get hold of your first set of seeds! Discover strategies to expand your garden. Can't afford a raised bed? Try repurposing an old wooden pallet. Don't have money to buy lots of different seeds? Look in your kitchen cupboards for food that you can plant. This home gardening book shows you everything you need to barter, borrow, repurpose, and propagate your way to a bountiful harvest without burdening your bank balance!

Highly valued for its unique flavors, textures, and colors, recent research has shown berry fruit to be high in antioxidants, vitamin C, fiber, folic acid, and other beneficial functional compounds. The food industry has also widely used berry fruits in beverages, ice cream, yogurts, and jams. With the rapidly growing popularity of this unique crop it is important to have a single resource for all aspects of the industry from production technologies to nutritional and health benefits. Drawing on the knowledge of leading international experts, Berry Fruit: Value-Added Products for Health Promotion is a comprehensive reference on the handling, use, and functional components of berry fruit. Beginning with an introduction to the current state of the industry, the book covers worldwide production and trends specific to each berry including annual, perennial, and off-season systems. The contributors go into great detail regarding the chemical composition of berries including carbohydrates, organic acids, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals; phytochemicals; antioxidants; and the functionality of pigments such as anthocyanins. Chapters address quality and safety concerns during post-harvest handling and storage, deterioration and microbial safety for the fresh market, and techniques to extend shelf-life including cold-storage and controlled atmosphere packaging. Finally, an extensive section highlights processing technologies and the production of value-added foods such as freezing, dehydrating, and canning; preserves, jellies, and jams; and the intelligent use of processing by-products. Presenting scientific background, research results, and critical reviews, as well as case studies andreferences, Berry Fruit: Value-Added Products for Health Promotion provides a valuable resource for current knowledge and further research and development of berry fruit for the food industry.

Take your love of plants to the next level and start growing some food with this modern, easy-to-follow guidebook that shows you everything you need to know to grow edible plants all year round!

Did you know you could grow vegetables, fruits, and herbs in containers? Well, now you can take your houseplants to the next level by growing home-grown produce and seasoning that will taste delicious in all of your favorite dishes.

How to Grow Your Own Food identifies 50 common, easy-to-grow edible plants from herbs to vegetables, along with detailed care instructions and beautiful illustrations of each plant. You’ll find everything you need to know about building your container garden including:

• How to choose the right size container for each plant
• How to water (and feed!) your plants for optimal growth
• When to harvest your crops for the best flavor
• And much more!

It’s time to turn your decorative plants into ones that will keep you happy and healthy! No matter how much or how little space you have in your apartment, you can enjoy everything—from basil to onions to strawberries—with this practical guide to container gardening.

Mushroom guru Gary Lincoff escorts you through the cultural and culinary history of the mushroom, hunting and identifying wild mushrooms, mushroom safety, and on to preparing and serving the fungi. Stunning photographs and Lincoff's fascinating anecdotes from the field will make you an instant mycophile. Gathering edible wild food is a wonderful way to forge a connection to the Earth. Mushrooms are the ultimate local food source; they grow literally everywhere, from mountains and woodlands to urban and suburban parks to your own backyard. The Complete Mushroom Hunter, Revised will enrich your understanding of the natural world and build an appreciation for an ancient, critically relevant, and useful body of knowledge. With great expertise, Lincoff provides a complete overview of edible mushrooms: from the mushroom's earliest culinary awakening, through getting equipped for mushroom forays, to preparing and serving the fruits of the foray, wherever you live. Inside you'll find: A brief, colorful history of mushroom hunting worldwide How to get equipped for a mushroom foray A completely illustrated guide to the common wild edible mushrooms and their poisonous look-alikes, with information of psychedelic and psychotherapeutic mushrooms An illustrated guide to medicinal mushrooms Where to find your fare, and how to identify them How to prepare and serve your fungi Thirty delicious recipes Five appendices offer even more mushroom knowledge, with information on how to make mushroom artwork, mushroom cultivation, less common edible varieties, and winter hunting; plus find an essential guide to major poisonous mushrooms, symptoms of poisoning, and treatment. Whether you're just starting out with the hobby or an experienced mycophile looking to add to your collection, The Complete Mushroom Hunter, Revised is your ideal guide.

Washington and Oregon are ideal places to grow a huge variety of vegetables, and there are plenty of healthful and economic benefits to having your own garden. Whether you have a traditional backyard space or several containers on a high-rise balcony, you can grow a season-long supply of tasty produce. Best-selling garden writers Marianne Binetti and Laura Peters provide all you need to know to dig in: Basics such as light, soil, exposure and frost tolerance; Almost infinite garden styles, including raised beds and containers; Preparing the garden and selecting which vegetables to grow where; Recommended varieties, including new, traditional, heirloom and unusual selections; Seasonal care, including mulching, weeding and watering; Tips throughout, including how to extend the growing season and what to do with your harvest; Organic approaches to management of pests and diseases; An appendix featuring companion plants and relationships; Helpful hardiness maps, and delicious colour photos throughout. From A to Z -- yummy artichokes, arugula and asparagus, through to healthy kale and peculiar kohlrabi, leeks and okra, all the way to colourful peppers, potatoes and zucchini -- it is all here in this informative gardening guide.

"Wonderfully written, beautifully illustrated, and everything you need to know to get more productivity out of your food garden." --Joe Lamp'l, creator and executive producer, Growing a Greener World Discover how to get more out of your growing space with succession planting--carefully planned, continuous seed sowing--and provide a steady stream of fresh food from early spring through late fall. Drawing inspiration from succession in natural landscapes, Meg McAndrews Cowden teaches you how to implement lessons from these dynamic systems in your home garden. You'll learn how to layer succession across your perennial and annual crops; maximize the early growing season; determine the sequence to plant and replant in summer; and incorporate annual and perennial flowers to benefit wildlife and ensure efficient pollination. You'll also find detailed, seasonal sowing charts to inform your garden planning, so you can grow more anywhere, regardless of your climate. Plant Grow Harvest Repeat will inspire you to create an even more productive, beautiful, and enjoyable garden across the seasons--every vegetable gardener's dream.