Product Description

This practical and inspirational handbook is aimed at the new generation of gardeners who want to enjoy the taste and health benefits of growing their own food, but who have little time to spare. Expert advice and innovative techniques show you how to grow the right quantities of the fruit and vegetables you love, and enjoy the satisfactions of tending an allotment or vegetable garden without becoming a slave to your plot. Tested by fruit-grower Will Sibley and author Lia Leendertz on their own allotments, these methods will enable you to get the best results in half an hour per day, or even less.

The book covers all aspects of allotmenteering and vegetable gardening, including the practicalities of obtaining and maintaining a site, choosing what to grow, designing the plot and advanced projects such as building paths and shelters. A section on harvesting, storing and cooking shows you what to do when your crop is ripe and ready.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #65248 in Books
• Published on: 2006-05-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 160 pages

Review
I would recommend this book to anyone who is tempted to take on an allotment, whether they are short of time to spend on it or not. . . good value for money and will be referred to again and again. (Gardens Illustrated )

Full of ideas for how to cut down the time you need to spend on your plot while still aiming for top-class results. (Pippa Greenwood Daily Mirror )

Easy to follow and eminently practical. (BBC Countryfile )

Cleanslate, 2006
Great for the first time allotmenteer.

About the Author
Lia Leendertz studied horticulture at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh, and writes for various publications including the Guardian and The Garden.

Customer Reviews

Best gardening book I've read in ages
I liked this book lots. It's full of practical advice, principally for allotment holders, but the ideas can be applied to your garden.
Some of it so obvious you think 'why didn't I do this before?'
The crux of the book is that you dedicate 30 mins, 5 days a week to your allotment/garden, with weekends off. Or you dedicate the same time, 2.5 hours at weekends.
It advises that you plan what you do with your time, and you grow high value crops, as opposed to the run of the mill variety you can get in your local shops.
I've been gardening for years, but haven't done much with fruit and veg, so this year I'm applying what I've read. So far, the results have been encouraging with far less guilt, stress and strains.
Almost anyone can find 30 mins, and on a regular basis it can make a big impact on almost any plot.
Great book.

Different ideas but I like it
Most modern veg gardening books tend to go over the same stuff and offer the same old advice but this one looks at things from a different angle. It gives good basic information for new growers and plenty of encouragement but some of the advice (buying plants as opposed to sowing seed yourself for instance) is fairly unusuall and it shows the pros and cons of both the old and their new methods.
Interesting, even though I don't agree with a few of their ideas

Anyone can cram enough time into their week to grow vegetables!
So many people take an allotment plot on with great intentions - then realise the commitment and aren't able to keep it up. This book provides all the information that could be needed to manage your plot in minimum time. This means it's not necessarily for everyone - those who are able to spend long days on their plot may not feel that it's applicable to them. But I'd suggest that the book still contains plenty of hints, tips and advice on how to get the best from your plot.