Allotment Gardening: An Organic Guide for Beginners

Allotment Gardening is a practical guide to growing your own fruit and vegetables organically. Aimed at those who have not had an allotment before, or are new to growing their own, it is packed with advice from choosing and planning your allotment through to harvesting and storing your produce. In Part One, Susan Berger discusses the basics, from tools, planning and clearing the site, to soil, crop rotation, planting and protecting plants. She also looks at design, growing techniques from feeding and mulching to saving seed and supporting plants and how to prevent and cope with common problems. A gardener's calendar, with detailed activities for each month, completes the section. Part Two gives detailed instructions on the cultivation of individual fruit, vegetables, flowers and herbs, along with recommendations for particular varieties, chosen for their flavour. Ideas for companion planting, and tips on storage and use of herbs are also included.Each fruit and vegetable entry features an easy recipe to help you make the most of your fresh produce: simple soups from pea to pumpkin, unusual ways of serving vegetables, from Frizzled Brussel Sprouts to Roasted Beetroot with Thyme more exotic dishes, from Sauteed Kohl Rabi to an earthy Ribollita and easy recipes for puddings and jams. Illustrated with line drawings and over 30 full colour photographs, Allotment Gardening also includes a directory of organic seed suppliers and useful organizations.