Product Description

With hardly any previous veg-growing experience and even less time, when Gardener's World design guru Joe Swift decided to take on a 250 sq metre allotment in north London, some people thought he was mad. But with hard work and dedication, in less than a year Joe created his very own urban oasis and a source of delicious, fresh, organic produce for himself and his family. In this book Joe takes us through every stage of his education as an allotment gardener, from putting his name on the council waiting list to harvesting his first crops. He reveals everything he's learned about acquiring a plot, clearing the site, planning the beds, and planting, nurturing and protecting his fruit and vegetables. All the techniques he has mastered are described and illustrated, step by step. Joe also introduces us to his Veg Heroes like Monty Don and Geoff Hamilton - fellow plot-holders with years of experience and the crops to show for it - who inspired Joe to take up veg growing in the first place. And he shares with us his enjoyment of allotment gardening, the combination of hard work, fresh air and a sense of community that makes his plot such a special place to be. Whether you are an established allotment gardener or are thinking of putting your name down for a plot, Joe's Allotment will provide you with a wealth of advice and inspiration.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9905 in Books
• Published on: 2009-04-02
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 224 pages

About the Author
Joe Swift is a professional garden designer and Gardeners' World presenter. Joe took on the challenge of an allotment for the programme and it has become one of the most popular strands on the show. He co-presented the BBC's coverage of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Open Gardens, and Gardener of the Year. He writes a weekly column for Saturday's Times Magazine. His other books are The Plant Room (2001) and Joe's Urban Garden Handbook (2008).

Customer Reviews

Nice introduction to allotment growing
Joe Swift only got his allotment last year, so when you buy this book, you are getting the wisdom of a single season's vegetable growing. This might make some people horrified; for me, I really like Joe Swift, I think he's friendly, and enthusiastic, and he gets his kids involved, and he's just not fake like a lot of people on TV. He also draws on the experience of other growers throughout the book like his friend Cleve West, Joy Larkcom, veg queen, and Peter Whiting, Garden News' allotmenteer of the year 2007.

It's got a bit at the beginning about starting off - digging, clearing weeds, rules of allotments - and then the main body of the book is what to do in each season. It's a very simple, friendly book, and exactly what you'd expect from him. He just makes you feel like you can get out there and do it, that it's not some kind of complicated art it will take you years to learn.

One problem though, is that it's hard to look things up without resorting to the index, as it's organised chronologically, and even when you do find the page you want, the information isn't organised in sections. So you have to read the whole section to find what you want. And I am only giving 4 stars because of that, as I think most people would want to be able to find info on a particular crop quickly.

But on the other hand, it makes a really motivating read. It's got loads of pictures, which I do think is pretty handy when you are starting off because you can see in stages how he makes a runner bean structure etc.

I think this book will be appealing to beginning allotment growers who find the longer, more comprehensive books like Joy Larkcom's a bit off-putting. I liked it, but I would still rather go for Mark Diacono's Veg Patch, also just out this spring. Joe Swift really describes the experience of having an allotment, though, and that's this book's real strength.

Joe's Allotment
Fabulous book, I bought it for my husband who has had an allotment for a few years, easy to read, jargon free and very informative. Excellent book, you might have guessed I read it myself as well.

Great for beginner allotment owners.
As a new allotment gardener I had purchased other allotment books before this was published, but this is so much better, love Joes chatty style and non scary info on the setting up and growing on an allotment. Its written from the point of view of someone completly new to veg growing and does not talk down to you. Wish it was out earlier before I wasted money on other books. Well done Joe & BBC!!!