Product Description

The only way to be sure of the quality of fruit and vegetables is to grow it personally and allotments provide a perfect opportunity for producing organically-grown fresh fruit, vegetables and flowers. The increasing popularity of allotments is testament to a growing consumer awareness of how chemically enhanced produce in our diet adversely affects our health and well-being. This book offers practical information and tips on all aspects of allotment gardening. Beginning with the basics, the book gives advice on planning and laying out a new plot, improving the soil and sowing from seed. A comprehensive directory of vegetables, herbs and fruit gives useful information on which varieties to plant and their cultivation, while a chapter on pests and diseases gives advice on protecting plants without using chemicals. Interspersed throughout are practical projects and tips for the allotment gardener.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #35370 in Books
• Published on: 2002-05-14
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 96 pages

Review
With today's concerns about pesticides and what we eat, organic gardening is taking off and nowhere more so than on allotments. Undergoing a revival in popularity, there are now over a million people involved on a regular basis and there are gardening columns in both newspapers and magazines dedicated to the subject. Caroline Foley's guide to "Practical Allotment Gardening" offers knowledgeable and inspirational advice for new and veteran gardeners alike. How to assess a new site and prepare it for cultivation, soil preparation and green manures, vegetable and fruit directories, propagation, harvesting and storage, are all covered. Accompanied by Clive Nichols' excellent photographs, the book also shows how attractive allotments can be whilst still maintaining their primary purpose of food production. The inclusion of sweet peas to attract pollinators, the planting of calendulas or tagetes to deter pests, add colour, scent and vibrancy to a plot making it a pleasant place to both work and relax. For the small annual fee, the enjoyment gained from allotments is rewarded a hundredfold. New friendships, a new hobby, fresh produce and a place to work off all the tensions of the day - what more can you ask for? - Lucy Watson

About the Author
Caroline Foley is a freelance gardening writer, having written for The Guardian, Country Living and Gardens illustrated, with a gardening column in her local paper. She has taken practical gardening and garden design courses at the English Gardening School and has run her own courses on aspects of gardening. She lives in Islington, London.

Customer Reviews

Allotment Gardening
This book was given to me as a gift when I first took on an allotment. A lovely, inspiring book. Full of practical suggestions and ideas. I now garden three allotments and still keep re-reading this book.

Information Underload
I was disappointed with the limited content of this book. It may be of value to some beginners as the information is kept to the bare essentials and is well set out but some large photographs occupy a good proportion of of a very slim volume and are neither inspiring or informative. If you have a rudimentary knowledge of gardening I would advise you to look elswhere. One in the RHS series may be a better option. Organic Gardening, that I bought at the same time, is well organised, very informative, has helpful diagrams and is not overpopulated with unnecessary photographs.

Ideal book for new allotment holder..
I purchased several books to help me with my new allotment, and found this was the most helpful by far. Particularly good on how to lay out an 'ideal' plot, plus a good mixture of interesting ideas and practical advice. Heartily recommended!