The Kitchen Garden

This is my second must-have book for growing things myself (see Fruit by the same author). I HAD to buy this book after checking it out of my library!! I normally won't buy a book for more than $5, preferring to wait (years, if I have to) for the price to go down, but this book is worth having NOW! I have been gardening seriously for 3 years, and read everything I can from the library and online to help me be successful - this book has it all!!! First, the pictures....WOW!! They are beautiful and detailed! But THE BEST part of this book has to be The Kitchen Garden Calendar. It takes the guess-work out of planting and growing! I find myself turning to this calendar almost every day, to help me plan and time my seedlings and garden work. The calendar is broken up into months, with each month having sections like "Top Tasks", and "Sow or Plant", and "Jobs for...". Also included are special sections placed where you might think of doing them, like "Wage war on weeds" in June, and "Make your own compost bin" in September. There is also a Crop Planner section in the last 200 or so pages, that lists everything you could ever want to grow with mini calendars and tips, and in the very back, a What's Wrong section, with pictures, to help you tackle the inevitable troubles of growing. This book is like an encyclopedia, and I never put it away!! I think it is perfect for a beginner, and oh-so-valuable for experienced gardeners. It has given me confidence to grow anything I want to, and made it exciting and fun instead of mysterious. It has also helped me organize my gardening jobs and planting, so I am working more efficiently. Did I mention I LOVE this book!? :-D If you want to grow your own food and are looking for books to help you, start with THIS book -- you may not need to buy any other!

Love this book! Found it at my local library when researching starting a garden. Loved it so much I had to buy it. It will be helpfully for years to come! Great for new gardeners (me) but I feel it could be useful for even experienced gardeners. Single page synopsis of individual plants make it easy for a quick reference. Monthly to do lists make the hard work of gardening more manageable. In Perth explanations of commonly used garden techniques and tools make it beginner friendly. Recommend this to anyone with a garden!

I originally came across this book at the library and as I was waiting for the meeting to start I began to flip through this book and INSTANTLY LOVED IT. I loved it so much that I pulled out my kindle to look it up on Amazon, right then. Found it was available and could get it the next day so I bought it with ONE CLICK without hesitation! Extremely worth the purchase. I really love the monthly breakdown and all the next steps..... The tell-all of what needs to be done...... When to do what. I had been saying/thinking I could really use some help with WHAT I NEED TO BE DOING (as I'm new to gardening) and THIS BOOK, Oh it is definitely clue-ing me in! One of my favorite all-time finds.

I first borrowed this book from my local library, but soon realized It was something I needed to have near me all the time, so I bought a copy. It is a delightful, beautifully illustrated book that tells everything a beginner needs to know. Growing your own food throughout the year gives a sense of achievement, as well as the knowledge that you are eating fresh, untainted fruit and vegetables. I now have a new, enjoyable hobby!

this is a great book divided into months, with gardening suggestions for the edible garden. great photographs, great presentation, nice print, and lots of wonderful information. i am a master gardener and have just begun to grow some vegetables. edible gardening is easy, but the basics must be followed to get great results. this book provides more than the basics and for those of you who like to garden; it will be one of your favorites. the book seems very up-to-date and offers crop planning and trouble shooting advice. each vegetable is photographed with tips on how to grow and how to harvest. there is a section on fruits, lots of tables and inset graphics. i think i like the layout of the book, just as much as i like the information. very easy to read and follow with lots of small boxes to look at , for those of us who don't like to read a textbook.

I love the fact that it covers a wide range of different vegetables and explains so well. It’s easy to follow.

This provided me with an excellent breakdown of what to plant when and a list of chores to do in my garden each month for the most productive garden I can achieve. If you just buy one book to help with your gardening, this is the one.

The book itself is very well done. I appreciate the month-by-month format with j formation and direction for tasks and problems to look for each month. My issue, and the reason for only 3 stars, is the condition of the book. At first glance, it was pristine; however, as soon as I opened it, the cover detached from the spine, leaving the pages loose!I attempted to resecure it with some spray adhesive, but that was only temporary. I’m really unhappy with the quality of the book, but thrilled by the information in the book.

I liked this book overall. I have self taught gardening knowledge, but piecemeal know-how doesn’t put things together for “when” in a garden year and this book is clearly laid out to help you work though that. It’s got useful pictures and a lot of quick information that you don’t have to bog through long paragraphs to find. What I found frustrating was the vague mentions of northern climates and seasonal differences (and I am definitely in a very northern garden area) yet all the information geared towards a more moderate or warmer climate. I appreciate the knowledge and tips, but I’m still left wondering how they translate for my garden. Knowing exactly what zone or season or climate the book is geared for would have helped (and may have stopped me from buying the book because it’s not very practical for me). Although it tries to be general there’s no mistaking the fact that I simply cannot plant, dig-over or cover any of my garden beds at the start of a year like the author suggests in his garden calendar. So it would be nice if there were sections or information boxes on how all this can transfer over to my garden. If you have a garden or want a kitchen garden all year round—and can spread compost or manure on your gardens in January and dig over organic material in February—then this book has a ton of information geared for your garden climate.

Arrived a little later, but most likely due to the mail service in Norway. Exactly as advertised. Happy with the book.

Really Helpful and easy to use

great book

ok