Drawing directly from his experience as an acclaimed climate-change gardener, and of setting up a kitchen garden from scratch for River Cottage, Mark explains the practical aspects of organic growing, introduces us to a whole world of vegetables we may not have previously considered, and does away with alienating gardening jargon once and for all. Mark begins with a catalogue of vegetables that will grow in this country, explaining for each their benefits, what varieties to go for, dos and don'ts, and popular culinary uses. He then invites us to create a wish list of foods, and shows us his own list from his early gardening days. Next, he explains how to turn this wish list into a coherent kitchen garden plan appropriate for our space, whether it be a patch of acidic soil, a roof-top garden or an allotment, whether we put on our wellies in every free moment or are 'time-poor' gardeners. Then he puts all the theory into practice, showing us how to look after nutrients in the soil, how to resist pests and diseases, and how to make our garden sustainable and organic. In clear, concise sections we learn about seed trays, supporting plants with climbing structures, mulching, composting, companion planting, irrigation and promoting pollination, and there are additional tables showing sowing and harvesting times, plant sizes, and alternative varieties of plants for different sites. About thirty recipes and a directory of useful addresses finish the book, and the handbook is complemented by bright colour photography throughout. Practical and inspiring, with a textured hard cover and an introduction by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Veg Patch is destined to join Handbooks No. 1, 2 and 3 as an indispensible household reference.
 Trade In this Item for up to £0.55
Trade in Veg Patch: River Cottage Handbook No.4 for an Amazon.co.uk gift card of up to £0.55, which you can then spend on millions of items across the site. Trade-in values may vary (terms apply). Special Offer until June 30, 2013: Receive an additional £5 promotional Gift Card, when you trade-in at least £10 worth of books. Learn more
|
Book Description
Special Offers and Product Promotions
-
Seasonal Offer:
This title is part of our Seasonal Offers promotion.
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Product Description
Review
'My team at River Cottage really know how to find and cook good, fresh food. Together we are creating a series of handbooks crammed with expert information. They will be passionate, but practical so that you can have a really useful book to hand whenever you feel the urge to forage, preserve, bake, grow or cook' Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
About the Author
A smallholder, environmental consultant and writer, Mark Diacono is known for his commitment to sustainable, ethically produced food. He has become synonymous with climate change growing, an approach to producing food that takes sustainable advantage of the new conditions; Otter Farm, his smallholding in East Devon, has become famous as home to the UK's first olive grove, as well as orchards of almonds, peaches and apricots. Mark also works closely with the River Cottage team, and has recently planted a kitchen garden at the River Cottage stores in Axminster.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
77 of 77 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
As a newcomer to growing veg, my favourite thing about this book is that for once I don't feel overwhelmed by dense text, and am not left feeling inept because I don't understand the jargon! The author Mark Diacono has done a great job of writing a book that is truly accessible for first timers, and at the same time is an informative and thought provoking resource for old hands.
As the other reviewers have mentioned, Diacono's sense of humour is a rare gem in a book like this, and his passion and enthusiasm made me want to get out in my garden immediately and start a veg patch. I particularly like the 'How to eat' section on each vegetable - the ideas are simple but really original and definitely gave me lots of new ideas for cooking veg that I already know well, and great tips for the ones that I don't.
As someone who lives in a city and has a small patio garden rather than a true 'veg patch' I particularly like the section on growing in limited space in pots and tyre stacks etc. This is a really handy section that gives all the key information at a glance and it reassured me that growing veg isn't just for those with plenty of outdoor space.
I would definitely recommened this book - as well as being fun to read and a great resource, it looks beautiful and the photography is lovely too.
As the other reviewers have mentioned, Diacono's sense of humour is a rare gem in a book like this, and his passion and enthusiasm made me want to get out in my garden immediately and start a veg patch. I particularly like the 'How to eat' section on each vegetable - the ideas are simple but really original and definitely gave me lots of new ideas for cooking veg that I already know well, and great tips for the ones that I don't.
As someone who lives in a city and has a small patio garden rather than a true 'veg patch' I particularly like the section on growing in limited space in pots and tyre stacks etc. This is a really handy section that gives all the key information at a glance and it reassured me that growing veg isn't just for those with plenty of outdoor space.
I would definitely recommened this book - as well as being fun to read and a great resource, it looks beautiful and the photography is lovely too.
59 of 60 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
If you already have any of the River Cottage handbooks you'll know they are of a high standard, but this one I really loved because it has a bit of a sense of humour too.
Diacono has such an engaging way of writing. On growing cucumbers: "a revelation of cool crunch" and asparagus: "I suffer from what food writer Simon Hopkinson calls asparagus fever". And he makes having a veg patch sound so enjoyable: "If you've got better things to do at 8 o'clock on a mid-June evening than pop freshly shelled peas into your mouth as you amble round your vibrant plot with a glass of what you fancy, then life must be pretty special."
About half the book is an A-Z of possible crops, with tons of good growing advice, variety recommendations, and cooking tips. The rest is about planning your patch, then how to dig and maintain it; then about fifty pages of recipes including delights such as Baby Pea Salad and Pumpkin Meringue Pie.
(NB that the book just covers vegetables, so you will have to wait for next time for apples, berries etc. Though he does slightly break the rules and include tomatoes etc. As you'd hope.)
Diacono somehow manages to balance the need for concise advice, never over-doing it, with some lovely, inspiring, funny help. (He advises leaving a couple of leeks to flower just because of their beauty. I'm converted to the idea of trying to grow salsify, just on the basis of his evangelising. And he explains how Bugs Bunny always comes to be nibbling a carrot...)
An enjoyable, motivating book. And really cheap for what it is, especially considering it's so encyclopedic,and that it does have lovely pictures and a really good hardback binding that opens really nice and flat. A good little size that would be okay to take to the allotment too.... Read more ›
Diacono has such an engaging way of writing. On growing cucumbers: "a revelation of cool crunch" and asparagus: "I suffer from what food writer Simon Hopkinson calls asparagus fever". And he makes having a veg patch sound so enjoyable: "If you've got better things to do at 8 o'clock on a mid-June evening than pop freshly shelled peas into your mouth as you amble round your vibrant plot with a glass of what you fancy, then life must be pretty special."
About half the book is an A-Z of possible crops, with tons of good growing advice, variety recommendations, and cooking tips. The rest is about planning your patch, then how to dig and maintain it; then about fifty pages of recipes including delights such as Baby Pea Salad and Pumpkin Meringue Pie.
(NB that the book just covers vegetables, so you will have to wait for next time for apples, berries etc. Though he does slightly break the rules and include tomatoes etc. As you'd hope.)
Diacono somehow manages to balance the need for concise advice, never over-doing it, with some lovely, inspiring, funny help. (He advises leaving a couple of leeks to flower just because of their beauty. I'm converted to the idea of trying to grow salsify, just on the basis of his evangelising. And he explains how Bugs Bunny always comes to be nibbling a carrot...)
An enjoyable, motivating book. And really cheap for what it is, especially considering it's so encyclopedic,and that it does have lovely pictures and a really good hardback binding that opens really nice and flat. A good little size that would be okay to take to the allotment too.... Read more ›
30 of 31 people found the following review helpful
By S. Woolger
Format:Hardcover
Being a great fan of the River Cottage Handbook series and a regular reader of the authors' excellent blogs at [], I knew this latest read from the Fearnley-Whittingstall stable would be a gem.
With an allotment sized back garden sporting a vast collection of weeds and having nonexistent horticultural skills I was grateful when this missing link arrived on my doormat.
As mentioned by the previous reviewer, Diaconos writing style makes you want to get out and start planting, written with humour and great knowledge this excellent book takes you from planning to planting to plate.
I've bought a variety of books that try and achieve what Diacono has, many are twice the size and twice the price, but this one will take pride of place in my armoury as go forth into battle against my impenetrable weed patch.
Wish me luck, now where are my wellies!!
With an allotment sized back garden sporting a vast collection of weeds and having nonexistent horticultural skills I was grateful when this missing link arrived on my doormat.
As mentioned by the previous reviewer, Diaconos writing style makes you want to get out and start planting, written with humour and great knowledge this excellent book takes you from planning to planting to plate.
I've bought a variety of books that try and achieve what Diacono has, many are twice the size and twice the price, but this one will take pride of place in my armoury as go forth into battle against my impenetrable weed patch.
Wish me luck, now where are my wellies!!
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
By Chris Yates
Format:Hardcover
What a wonderful read.
This is much more than a guide to growing your own and works on so many levels; i've found myself dipping into "veg patch" on more than one occasion simply to enjoy Marks writing, his infectious enthusiasm for his subject matter or to try one of the many delicious recipes.
Marks demystifies his subject and writes from the refreshing perspective of someone relatively new to growing who seems to want to let you in on a secret; "it's compellingly, wonderfully simple."
Veg Patch is practical, logical, well presented and laid out and no doubt will work for me as a long term reference but more than that this book has infected me, a long term city dweller, with a desire to make some life affirming changes and realise the pleasures that come from growing your own food.
For that alone this book is well worth the price.
This is much more than a guide to growing your own and works on so many levels; i've found myself dipping into "veg patch" on more than one occasion simply to enjoy Marks writing, his infectious enthusiasm for his subject matter or to try one of the many delicious recipes.
Marks demystifies his subject and writes from the refreshing perspective of someone relatively new to growing who seems to want to let you in on a secret; "it's compellingly, wonderfully simple."
Veg Patch is practical, logical, well presented and laid out and no doubt will work for me as a long term reference but more than that this book has infected me, a long term city dweller, with a desire to make some life affirming changes and realise the pleasures that come from growing your own food.
For that alone this book is well worth the price.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
As a novice veggie gardener what I really needed was someone knowledgeable who would stand by my shoulder and say things like "Now you'd be better off putting your beans over there...." or "Time to get your potatoes in..." To have all this PLUS a virtual adviser telling me how to cook my bounteous harvest is exactly what I get from this book.
It's informative, concise and a great size for putting in my coat pocket while outside. Couple this with a great price and you have a winner.
So if you, like me, have contented yourself to date with two courgette plants in a grow bag or a pot of chilis on the kitchen windowsill but would like to do more - go on! Take the plunge and get growing!
Angie
It's informative, concise and a great size for putting in my coat pocket while outside. Couple this with a great price and you have a winner.
So if you, like me, have contented yourself to date with two courgette plants in a grow bag or a pot of chilis on the kitchen windowsill but would like to do more - go on! Take the plunge and get growing!
Angie
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see the review
5.0 out of 5 stars
Was this review helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Still referring to it 4 years on
Of all the books and magazines I've had about growing food in the garden, this is the one I come back to every year, loan to friends, thumb through with grubby fingers when looking... Read more
Published 3 months ago by wombat
3.0 out of 5 stars
Another gardening book
Hundreds like it on the market already. Unless you can get it cheap, don't worry yourselves about it. Some good tips.
Published 4 months ago by angelofthesouth
5.0 out of 5 stars
nice book
very nice we got as a present for a friend who fancyed doing a some home gardening and he loved it good size and looks great nice colours and nice information inside
Published 4 months ago by rebecca murray / brian murray
5.0 out of 5 stars
excellent
it gives you the basic knowledge of planting,seasons and rotation and once you understand that you can then understand everything else this book has to offer
Published 4 months ago by Mr Stephen Rivers
5.0 out of 5 stars
5*
Great book for a beginner with a new allotment.Full of idea and simple tips.Cant wait to get digging.Would recommend 5*
Published 5 months ago by Mrs. Susan Fink The Academy
2.0 out of 5 stars
regurgitating same old same old
Another example of a book with recipes similar to other River Cottage books. There is some new material, but not enough to justify the cost of the book.
Published 5 months ago by Brian Malyon
5.0 out of 5 stars
Essential info for gardeners
This book follows the thinking behind the RIVER COTTAGE television series.
It provides practical information for the keen veg gardener and if you wish to grow for food rather... Read more
It provides practical information for the keen veg gardener and if you wish to grow for food rather... Read more
Published 7 months ago by jrw1969
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great for a new veg gardener
I love this book, I've been growing veg for a few years now and still regularly refer to it. The table of sowing, planting out and harvesting times is really useful, the detailed... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Jojomay
5.0 out of 5 stars
best book for starters
I bought this book after reading other comments. The book was better than I thought and very diverse in different variety of veg. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Mr. A. Jones
5.0 out of 5 stars
veg patch
Very quick delivery.Easy to use and really useful.Excellent instructions.No my husband can start to dig my raised beds ready for next year.
Published 18 months ago by becky
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
![[Start the discussion]](http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/02/x-locale/communities/discussion_boards/start-new-discussion-sec._V192198663_.gif){kind=small}
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
