Growing Self-Sufficiency is a practical and inspirational guide for both the beginner and the experienced gardener. It explains how you can enjoy the satisfaction and pride of providing food for yourself and your family, whether you have just a small balcony or back yard, a large garden, or a homestead or smallholding. Learn how to: Enjoy fresh and tasty vegetables in season Grow delicious fruit for eating all year round Produce your own chicken, eggs and lamb, guaranteed free from harmful chemicals and additives Preserve your produce - from freezing and drying to making jams, chutneys and pickles Make your own drinks: juices, cordials, cider, wine and liqueurs Grow medicinal herbs and make your own herbal remedies Provide more food from your plot than you ever thought possible!

What happens between the hopeful spring weekend spent planting seeds and the warm summer morning when the gardener wanders back into the rows of vegetable plants with picking basket in hand? Plenty! Every healthy vegetable garden represents an entire world of activity and every vegetable gardener, no matter how experienced, wants to know more about what's going on in those tidy rows and how to handle any growing quandary that may arise throughout the season The popularity of vegetable gardening is at an all-time high. Home grown vegetables taste great, nourish body and soul, and provide the additional security of knowing where the produce comes from and how it was grown. "The Veggie Gardener's Answer Book" feeds readers all the insider's tips and tricks, practical advice, and organic wisdom necessary for growing the very best crops.

Japanese Style Companion Planting brings the techniques of a master farmer in Japan to home gardeners all over the world, with over 175 easy-to-follow color illustrations and detailed texts. Japanese gardeners typically work with small plots and are experts at making the most efficient use of available garden space. They have long understood that when compatible vegetables and fruits are grown together, the result is increased yields, healthier plants, fewer pest problems and better taste. Vegetables from small gardens are the mainstay of Japan's famously healthy cuisine and movement towards farm-to-table dining tradition. Author Toshio Kijima is head of the Biotechnology Department at Tochigi Agricultural Station in Japan and principal of the Nogyo Daigakko School of Natural Farming. In this book, he provides 88 different plant pairings, including common favorites such as: Tomato with basil Eggplant with green beans Carrots with edamame Iceberg lettuce with broccoli Strawberries with garlic Green beans with arugula Blueberry bushes with mint ...and dozens of other pairings that yield tasty, nutritious vegetables and fruits, all grown without the need for pesticides or chemical fertilizers. This book also covers excellent combinations for relay planting, such as watermelon followed by spinach, spinach followed by broccoli, broccoli followed by potato, and many more. Clear and precise instructions are given for each combination--from planning and preparing your plot to planting depths and spacing--all accompanied by detailed color drawings and photographs. Information on the theory and basics of companion planting will ensure a smooth transition to sustainable gardening techniques that millions of home gardeners are using!

From from kitchen-garden guru Joyce Russell, author of best-selling The Polytunnel Book, this book presents 30 decorative vegetable-growing projects that anyone can make and enjoy. Whether you are an experienced gardener looking for an edge to help boost your fruit and vegetable yields, or are new to gardening and need some gentle guidance in how to make a start, this book will help you create a beautiful, bountiful garden filled with delicious fruit and veg! All the projects are devised to extend the season, protect crops from pests or improve yields. Apart from the obvious cost-savings from growing or making your own, the desire to work with craft fulfils the need to improve your patch of land. These compelling projects transform your vegetable plot into somewhere more productive, more attractive and more secure. From simple cloche projects to making tunnels and frames or creating design solutions that deter slugs and carrot root fly, these projects are well-designed, functional and decorative. Each project has photographed step by step instructions, a list of materials and tools needed, and a relative skills rating. Projects include: simple cloche raised bed herb bed plant propagator mini greenhouse compost bins fruit cage bean support leaf mould container folding bean frame poly cloche carrot fly protector boot scraper drying cabinet Alongside the projects are growing tips and specific advice to make the most of your crop. These 30 projects will be enjoyed by gardeners of all levels and anyone who loves growing their own produce.

The content of this book originally appeared in The New Kitchen Garden, published in 2015. 'An endless selection of delicious produce you can plant, grow and then cook with.' Raymond Blanc OBE Now you can create your own delicious edible garden at home! More and more people are being inspired to grow a little of what they eat at home. But while starting your own kitchen garden may seem like a daunting task at first, Grow & Cook makes it easy. Award-winning author and gardener, Mark Diacono, has distilled years of knowledge into this pocket-sized book. Whether you are new to gardening and only have a small window box or you are much more experienced with the space to experiment, this user-friendly handbook will inspire and help you. Mark is here to show you that there are plenty of options for everyone and lots of exciting new varieties to discover. Each variety in the book includes a wealth of information on when to sow, growing tips, potential problems, harvesting and plenty more. There are hundreds of varieties to pick from that can be grown and then used in your kitchen. Mark separates the growing guides into three groups: * Vegetables * Fruit & Nuts * Herbs & Spices Whatever you choose to grow should suit your lifestyle. You might prefer something tough and sturdy that doesn't need too much love or time commitment, or you might get pleasure from the steady graft of looking after your veg patch. Whichever your circumstances, your kitchen garden should bring you joy both in the growing process and then in the kitchen. Grow & Cook is the essential pocket guide for modern gardeners.

Greens are highly nutritious, contributing essential vitamins and minerals to the diet, and they are particularly tasty if they are home-grown and eaten soon after harvesting. In this book, the main types of greens are described and illustrated, with useful information about the different varieties that can be grown, their history, cultivation requirements and cooking uses. There are step-by-step instructions for planting greens, as well as keeping them in tip-top condition by dealing with pests and diseases. A must for novices and experienced growers alike, the book is ideal for anyone who wants to experiment with new varieties.

There are few things more rewarding than growing your own food: come springtime, even non-gardeners can be found in their gardens trying their hands on a few tried and true vegetable plants, whether it's a simple tomato plan on the patio or a container of basil in the kitchen window. In a sea of information, how are beginner gardeners to know what advice to follow? Growers are hungry for accurate and expert advice - just the thing that Fine Gardening Easy-to-Grow Vegetables provides. This book is a true beginner's guide to growing vegetables easily and productively and contains great tips and techniques for even practiced gardeners. These surprisingly easy basics will have your garden filled to the brim with tomatoes, squash, peppers and so many more favourites. Split into 7 chapters, the book shows readers how to plan a vegetable garden and get the most out of their plants. Chapters or Tomatoes, Peppers & Other Vines, Root Vegetables, Squash, Greens and Herbs provide all of the information a reader needs to get growing. A robust Vegetable Index and the appendix offer readers excellent charts and growing information.

A new approach to foraging Roger Phillips is the legendary godfather of foraging. Drawing upon decades of experience, his knowledge of wild food is unrivalled and in this richly illustrated book he shares some of his most recently gathered wisdom, collected from around the world. Roger reveals the edible and therapeutic secrets of our fields, woodlands and flower beds, and suggests tips for sourcing delicious morsels growing throughout the countryside and in our gardens. He also describes the native habitat and history of many fascinating plants and fungi, both common and unusual: from the camas bulbs eaten by the Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest, to the Italian and Spanish favourite, Caesar's amanita; from hostas, the familiar garden foliage consumed as a succulent vegetable in Japan, to the newly popular Australian citrus fruits. The Worldwide Forager is divided into four sections: mushrooms and fungi; flowers, leaves and herbs; fruit and nuts; and roots and tubers, and Roger uses each one to provide a wide range of ideas for making your meals more colourful, delicious and sustainable.

Whatever the size of your garden or allotment, you can grow your own vegetables. Even if you only have a balcony or a small paved area outside your kitchen, you can grow more than you ever thought possible in pots, containers and raised beds. Experienced vegetable grower John Harrison takes you through the entire vegetable year so that, for all the main vegetables, you'll know exactly when you should sow your seeds, dig your plot and harvest your crops. Choose the most appropriate vegetables for your particular soil and select the right position so that they flourish. Discover how to make your own compost and organic fertilisers, as well as the best methods of controlling pests. Find out how to extend the season by buying or building your own cloches and cold frames. Put an end to worries that your shop-bought vegetables contain chemical residues or to concerns about the air miles such vegetables have flown en route to your table!

When it comes to fresh vegetables, nothing comes close to growing your own - but where to start? For those of us that crave the crisp taste of home-grown tomatoes, peppers, courgettes and more but lack the crucial experience and know-how, it can be difficult to make those first steps to transform a barren patch into a luscious kitchen garden - even for experienced gardeners, the move from decorative gardening to practical vegetable growing can prove tricky. Gardeners' World: First Time Veg Grower can help you make that journey, with simple and practical expert advice from the moment you first don your wellies right up until you're harvesting your own crops. With step-by-step guides and clear colour illustrations helping you to get the most out of your plot all year round, this compact guide is an essential addition to any gardener's shelf. From preparing your ground to sowing, nurturing and maintaining your plants, let the practiced hands at the UK's best-selling gardening magazine help you create the vegetable patch of your dreams.

History may be written by the victors, but as Wolfgang Schivelbusch argues, it is the losers who often have the last word. Focusing on three case studies - the American South after the Civil War, France after defeat by Prussia in 1871, and Germany following the First World War - Schivelbusch reveals the complex psychological and cultural responses of vanquished nations to the experience of military defeat.

Grow a Year's Worth of Food for Your Family Do something good for your loved ones by learning how to plant a garden that will yield wholesome, organic fruits and vegetables in surprisingly less space than you would think. Melissa K. Norris, fifth-generation homesteader and host of the popular Pioneering Today podcast, walks you through each step of the process, including how to decide which food crops are best for your area and family plan your garden to maximize the space you have protect your garden from common pests and diseases naturally determine when your fruits and vegetables are ready to be harvested improve soil health with simple techniques like crop rotation and backyard composting Sharing the same practices and techniques from her homestead, Melissa shows you how easy it can be to raise a year's worth of produce at home. Simple-to-follow charts, worksheets, and photographs are provided throughout to help you through every phase of the gardening process. You can enjoy good eating and greater well-being for you and your family.

Transform your home into a simple farmhouse--no matter where you live--with this beautiful guide to slow living. Country girl and popular blogger Lisa Bass shares her favorite hearty recipes, handmade projects, and tips for natural living that she uses in her own from-scratch life. Slow down and enjoy the simplicity of a country lifestyle with recipes and projects such as: Natural Kitchen: rosemary lemon foaming dish soap, stonewashed linen apron, market tote Handmade Decor: pillow covers from reclaimed materials, dipped beeswax candles, linen ruffle throw blanket Natural Body: chamomile body butter, lavender calendula salve, relaxing bath soak and body mist Natural Laundry: essential oil spot remover, wool dryer balls, lavender linen spray Natural Cleaning: orange dusting spray, glass cleaner Farmhouse Cooking: cast iron sourdough cinnamon roll, orange cream kefir smoothie, roasted red pepper and tomato soup Gardening: windowsill herb garden, cut flower garden, essential oil pest spray

This is a guide to planning a kitchen garden and cultivating a wide range of fruits, vegetables and herbs, from sowing and planting through to harvesting and storage. It also describes the different cultivation needs of various crops, including the training and pruning of fruit trees, and routine husbandry, such as weeding, feeding, mulching and the prevention and control of pests and diseases.

The ultimate guide for all keen gardeners and allotmenteers - The Allotment Almanac by BBC Radio 2 gardener Terry Walton gives key advice on what to do each month, key crops, main tasks and top tips of varieties and is shot through with distilled hard-won experience. Entertaining and informative, you won't need anything else! 'The perfect companion for any allotmenteer, and with Terry Walton, you can't go wrong. His friendly advice will guide you each month, with exactly what you should do on your plot' -- English Garden 'This super little book... for all keen gardeners, especially allotmenteers, who will appreciate the tales but also get some useful tips' -- Kitchen Garden 'What a lovely little book. Takes you through month by month and really well illustrated. Really pleased with it' -- ***** Reader review 'The only companion you will need in the allotment' -- ***** Reader review 'A VERY good book, written from the heart, by a knowledgeable gardener' -- ***** Reader review 'A must-have for gardeners' -- ***** Reader review 'As you read this book you feel Terry at your side chatting to you as if on the plot together - a real joy' -- ***** Reader review **************************************************************************************** From a gardener who has been working on his allotment for over 50 years, this is a brilliant guide to organic vegetable growing and allotment life in general. Month-by-month BBC Radio 2 gardener Terry Walton give us invaluable advice on: - things to do each month - what to watch out for - key crops for the month - top variety tips In addition to this, he peppers this with tales of life on his allotment, creating a charming and heart-warming guide. Taking the gardening reader by the hand and leading them through the gardening year, Terry is the perfect companion, giving technical help, quick tips, reassurance, and plenty of entertainment along the way. What are you waiting for?

Vegetable gardening is happening every-where in cities and suburbs, in farms and schools, in community gardens and at the White House. And it s happening in houses and apartments, on balconies and porches, and anywhere else people can find the space.

Small-Space Vegetable Gardens explains the basics of growing a bounty of edibles in a minimal amount of space. Andrea Bellamy, author of the award-winning blog Heavy Petal, shares all the knowledge she s gained from years of gardening small: how to find and assess a space, and how to plan and build a garden. Bellamy also highlights the top sixty edible plants and offers complete information on how to sow, grow, and harvest them.

This hardworking and enthusiastic guide teaches gardeners how to take advantage of the space they have whether it s a balcony, a patio, a plot in a community garden, or even a small yard to create the food garden of their dreams."

"If you've been looking to be inspired by nature and everything your garden gives you, you'll be enriched by the tips and wisdom presented in this book." --Garden Design Magazine There has never been a better time to dedicate yourself to a life enriched by nature. In A Year at Brandywine Cottage, David Culp inspires you to find that connection in the comfort of your own backyard. Organized seasonally, A Year at Brandywine Cottage is filled with fresh ideas and trusted advice on flower gardening, growing vegetables and herbs, creating simple floral arrangements, and cooking seasonally with home-grown produce. You'll find suggested tasks for each month, including advice on when to plant and harvest, how to weed and water, and what to plant for year-round beauty. Packed with glorious photography by Rob Cardillo and brimming with practical tips, A Year at Brandywine Cottage is your guide to living your best life in--and out--of the garden.