I've had a few of these books and they are a "MUST HAVE IN MY OPINION!" if you want to learn about the Plants and Care of Them! People have "BORROWED THEM FROM ME" from time to time and the result is "I DON'T SEEM TO GET THEM RETURNED!" So, I buy another one from eBay! But I'm a pensioner now and "I'VE CLOSED THE LENDING LIBRARY!" Easy to understand, Well structured, I'm not lending it out anymore!
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Nice quality 'used' book. A tiny bit dog-eared but content is what matters. It's a very useful book which outlines the growing stages of a huge variation of popular - and a few rarer - vegetables & how to spot & treat issues such as disease. I highly recommend this descriptive book.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
After doing ornamentals, I'm starting with vegetables and fruits this spring . This book is very useful as it provides me all the information I need, in a format that is very easy to understand and follow, very user friendly. Planting vegetables as portrayed in this book does not seem a daunting endeavour at all. I look forward to an enjoyable vegetable planting and harvesting guided all the way by this book.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Is this book perfect? - No. Is it the best value guide for vegetable growing? - Yes. Let's start with the faults:- 1. When published in 1985 it was called "The Vegetable Expert", and despite the change of title in the 90s there is not enough about how to grow herbs. If herbs are your thing you need another book. 2. Since it was first revised it has always been slow to drop old varieties and bring in new ones. As a result not all varieties listed can be found in the catalogues. 3. Its origin in pbi Publications means that it has always given emphasis to chemical treatments and relatively little on alternative methods. Over the years many of their recommended chemicals have been withdrawn from sale and this has left the book a bit unbalanced. As a result of 2. and 3. above it may be important to you to have the latest version. The picture on eBay can be misleading as some sellers use stock photos (they normally tell you this). If you want the most up-to-date version read the description carefully. If it has the word "New" in the title it is older than one without it! At last - what's good about the book:- I have a shelf of books but still regularly use my 1985 copy. The simple, clear layout of Chapter 2 (the A to Z section of vegetables) makes it child's play to find what you need. Each entry gives all the essentials in clearly titled sections on Plant Facts, Soil Facts, Looking after the Crop, Harvesting, Varieties, Troubles and In the Kitchen. The chapters on Getting Started, Vegetable Troubles and Looking After the Crop are fine for more general reading. I seldom use the Rarities and Shop-Bought Vegetables chapters but I'm sure that some will find them useful, although it's a matter of opinion whether everything is in the correct chapter. Supplement this book with one on modern, reduced-chemical, techniques and you will know all the essentials for growing good vegetables even if, like me, you don't always put them into practice.Read full review
As with all Dr Hessayon books this one is very informative, full of information, easily understood and simple to use. Highly Recommend this Author: all his books are fantastic.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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