Fantastic consistency in the way information is presented throughout makes this book all the more accessible, from techniques and plots to a veg-by-veg growing guide that won't let you down.

Get this book and grow your own vegetables. The money you could have spent on half the knowledge at three times the price can go towards some seeds!


A how-to manual for a complete beginner.   September 30, 2004
 141 out of 142 found this review helpful

I have just entered the world of gardening and have decided that growing vegetables is the way forward. I have found this book invaluable in that it gives basic information on every aspect (planning, preparing soil, sowing seeds, compost etc) of growing your own vegetables without being patronising. Maybe all you pro gardeners out there already know all this, but I would think that with so much information in this book, it would be useful even for experienced gardeners.
If you are going to buy one book for your vegetable patch or allotment, make it this one.


Comprehensive, readable, reassuring, sensible   February 14, 2004
 176 out of 177 found this review helpful

This is the ONLY book you need to grow vegetables of any sort. Don't bother with glossy, uninformative coffee table books, rely on this. I've been growing veg for 15 years and I always find something here I didn't know. Her experience is very wide, the information totally reliable and clear. I particularly like the VSR guide - Value for Space Rating - which gives an assessment of the return you'll get when you dedicate sometimes limited space to growing whatever crop she's describing. Ms Larkom also includes an indication of how difficult various crops are, tells you when to harvest them, makes recommendations about which ones have the best flavour and includes cooking tips! I can't imagine there's anything missing, but I'm still eagerly awaiting her new book.


Invaluable   February 6, 2004
 62 out of 63 found this review helpful

Admirably clear and extremely practical this is the definitive veg book for gardners of any level of expertise. Nicely written, Larkom neither patronises nor assumes excessive knowledge achieving a nice balance between information and usability.


Outstanding   February 3, 2004
 37 out of 41 found this review helpful

This is the best of the 3 Joy Larkcom books I've read, all of them are head & shoulders above the rest. Don't grow veg. without it.