Weeds are plants growing in the wrong place. Here's how to recognize, prevent, eradicate - or learn to live with - your unwelcome guests. Get to the root of any weed problem with Ken Thompson. With his blend of witty, down-to-earth advice and solid scientific practice, Ken explains how weeds populate your pots, paving, beds and borders and shows how to prevent them taking over - or opt for complete eradication. A 'rogue's gallery' helps you separate the true thugs from the more benign pests, and reveals how to integrate some weeds into a garden ecosystem. With eco-friendly solutions for environmentally responsible gardeners, this is the practical and achievable guide to winning the war against weeds.
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When it comes to waging war against weeds, this could well be the strongest weapon in your armoury --Amateur Gardening, March 21, 2009
Entertaining --Country Living, July 1, 2009
The witty and accesible text will encourage both the novice and the more experienced gardener to tackle the weeds in their garden. --Organic Garden and Home, June 1, 2009
Entertaining --Country Living, July 1, 2009
The witty and accesible text will encourage both the novice and the more experienced gardener to tackle the weeds in their garden. --Organic Garden and Home, June 1, 2009
About the Author
Ken Thompson is a plant ecologist and senior lecturer at the University of Sheffield. He writes regularly for gardening magazines, promoting the science behind gardening to the general reader. His previous books include An Ear to The Ground, No Nettles Required and Compost.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 17 people found the following review helpful
By JN
Format:Hardcover
Whilst this book is good for beginners, covering the standard weed varieties and the best means of eradication, it is not that extensive in its coverage. I bought the book to identify weeds which I have running riot, but I do not recognise; none of which were in this book. Therefore I am still in the dark as to what they are and how to deal with them. If you are looking for an extensive catalogue of weed varieties, this is not the book for you. If you are looking for a guide to dealing with MOST of the common weeds, then this book will be fine.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By E. Cooper
Format:Hardcover
'The Book of Weeds' follows a pattern that will be familiar to anyone who has read a book on weeds - it tries to define what a weed is, then goes through techniques for keeping them under control or eradicating them and then goes on to describe some of the worst offenders. Unusually, it covers aquatic and pond weeds as well as terrestrial ones.
Ken Thompson's experience and entertaining writing style come out most strongly in the first section - defining what makes a weed a weed and how plants spread, with snippets of his own struggles with weeds in his back garden. He explains why it is all but impossible to rid yourself of some weeds, especially dandelions and other weeds that spread by wind-borne seeds.
He touches on plant fashions, seedling identification, green manures and coming to terms with your weeds.
The Rogues' Gallery shows you some of the most common weeds, which means that you're likely to be able to identify the ones in your garden without wading through photos of every plant that is a weed in the British Isles. The high quality photos have enabled me to identify a couple of my weeds that I wasn't sure about, for example.
For each rogue weed, there is information about why it is so weedy, details of how to eradicate it and interesting snippets of information or humour. I like the page on bindweed: "All bindweeds have attractive flowers, but is it best to admire them in someone else's garden."
At the back of the book there is a short list of useful addresses and books, and a decent index. Throughout, Ken Thompson's scientific background comes to the fore and all the plants are referenced by their Latin names as well as their common ones.
All-in-all, this would be a nice book to have on your bookshelf.... Read more ›
Ken Thompson's experience and entertaining writing style come out most strongly in the first section - defining what makes a weed a weed and how plants spread, with snippets of his own struggles with weeds in his back garden. He explains why it is all but impossible to rid yourself of some weeds, especially dandelions and other weeds that spread by wind-borne seeds.
He touches on plant fashions, seedling identification, green manures and coming to terms with your weeds.
The Rogues' Gallery shows you some of the most common weeds, which means that you're likely to be able to identify the ones in your garden without wading through photos of every plant that is a weed in the British Isles. The high quality photos have enabled me to identify a couple of my weeds that I wasn't sure about, for example.
For each rogue weed, there is information about why it is so weedy, details of how to eradicate it and interesting snippets of information or humour. I like the page on bindweed: "All bindweeds have attractive flowers, but is it best to admire them in someone else's garden."
At the back of the book there is a short list of useful addresses and books, and a decent index. Throughout, Ken Thompson's scientific background comes to the fore and all the plants are referenced by their Latin names as well as their common ones.
All-in-all, this would be a nice book to have on your bookshelf.... Read more ›
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I was always hanging back with weeding, in case I pulled a good plant. Well that is my excuse for a weedy garden.
This book clarifies what is a weed, and what is not. Also, I find the best elimination is not always to pull it out. Sometimes this makes things worse.
Good illustrations and clear text
This book clarifies what is a weed, and what is not. Also, I find the best elimination is not always to pull it out. Sometimes this makes things worse.
Good illustrations and clear text
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By maureen
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
A very comprehensive book on weeds! It shows and gives a good description of the common garden weeds and how to either love them or get rid of them!! A useful tool for the amateur gardener.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Gaius Calvus
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This little book has pictures and descriptions of the most common weeds in Britain: those annoying little plants whose names you really ought to know, but have never quite got round to learning. The author also makes suggestions for dealing with them. Some of his solutions are a bit trite, but he does point out which ones you can eat. Be warned - some of them are delicious.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
The reason I purchased this book was for really useful tips for eradicating problem perenial weeds. Unfortunately the book did not come up to expectations. Nothing new was given with regard to eliminating bindweed or deep rooted weeds.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Interesting book but not very helpful about dealing with weeds. More about how to live with them. Only common weeds too.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
best weeds
Why did i choose this book, why would i think that it would interest me -- i have no idea but interest me it did. Read more
Published on 27 Jun 2010 by Talons2000
3.0 out of 5 stars
book of weeds
Well laid out, and clear. I wish it was a little more comprehensive, I was looking for details on a specific weed in my garden, but unfortunately this was not included. Read more
Published on 1 Jun 2009 by L. Thomson
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