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The Vegetable and Herb Expert: The World's Best-selling Book on Vegetables & Herbs (Expert Series) Paperback – 7 April 1997
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Whether you are a first-time allotment holder or an ‘old-hand’, the Vegetable & Herb Expert will shown you:
- How to get started.
- Where to grow your vegetables, and how.
- What types and varieties to grow.
- Looking after your plants.
- Grow your own herbs.
- Deal with pests and diseases.
- Print length144 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherExpert
- Publication date7 April 1997
- Dimensions18.34 x 0.91 x 23.8 cm
- ISBN-100903505460
- ISBN-13978-0903505468
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About the Author
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
You can save money by growing your own it has been estimated that an expenditure of £1 on seeds, fertilisers, canes etc. yields a crop worth about £9 at shop prices. But saving money is not the main motive for many it is just a bonus from a hobby which provides a special thrill from growing and then eating your own.
Most of the basic principles of vegetable growing have been with us for hundreds of years, but the subject doesn t stand still. There have been several important developments since the earlier edition of this book appeared. Interest in herbs continues to expand and specially-bred baby vegetables have made their appearance in seed catalogues. Until recently growing vegetables nearly always meant long rows of plants, but now the idea of growing in pots, raised beds and even in the flower bed and shrub border has taken root.
Product details
- Publisher : Expert
- Publication date : 7 April 1997
- Edition : 2nd
- Language : English
- Print length : 144 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0903505460
- ISBN-13 : 978-0903505468
- Item weight : 431 g
- Dimensions : 18.34 x 0.91 x 23.8 cm
- Best Sellers Rank: 37,127 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- 44 in Vegetable Gardening
- 117 in Interior Design & Decoration (Books)
- Customer reviews:
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find this gardening book to be a valuable resource, providing good information and tips for every gardener. Moreover, the guide is easy to understand, with clear instructions on when to plant vegetables, and features lots of pictures showing plants. Additionally, customers consider the book well worth the money and enjoy reading it, with one customer noting it's particularly suitable for curious beginners.
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Customers find the book provides excellent information for gardeners, guiding them through basics and offering many tips.
"...However the same book which I have had for many years has been very useful." Read more
"...There's planting and harvesting charts, spacing info etc etc and lots on pests and diseases with clearly drawn examples - although the odd photo..." Read more
"...I would think his book is the best choice for a beginner, avoid the pricier more 'photographic' books, to start with anyway...." Read more
"...but great if you are not new to gardening! a little off putting, but ok. :)" Read more
Customers find the book easy to understand and read, with clear instructions on when to plant and care for vegetables and herbs.
"I love this book, so well laid out and easy to understand...." Read more
"...The advice is really clearly laid out but still manages to cover vast amounts of material...." Read more
"...The diagrams in the book are clear enough to understand. I refer to it regularly, and find it very helpful...." Read more
"...It contains completely relevant information presented in an accessible way...." Read more
Customers find the book well worth the money and very pleased with it.
"...Good price and will be with you for years to come." Read more
"...I refer to it regularly, and find it very helpful. Great value for money, no problem recommending." Read more
"...It is an extremely competent & good value veg gardening book, however." Read more
"Good value for money, almost pristine condition, very lnformative ." Read more
Customers appreciate the book's illustrations, which are nicely laid out with lots of pictures showing plants.
"I love this book, so well laid out and easy to understand...." Read more
"...this book is marvellous - helpful illustrations,easy to follow layout & packed with information on cultivation, preperation, eating, protecting from..." Read more
"...It is very well illustrated and starts off explaining how to prepare your plot and how to rotate a crop each year...." Read more
"...The illustrations and photographs are good, and there is detailed information about varieties, planting, harvesting, and pests and diseases...." Read more
Customers find the book enjoyable to read, with one mentioning it's a great all-round read for the curious beginner.
"This a great all-round read for the curious beginner. I found it very interesting, and informative on many levels...." Read more
"...More information than most books on veg. Entertaining as well as helpful." Read more
"...of vegetables, although the herb section is brief, It's good enough to get a good idea from and you can just use your common sense from other..." Read more
"...It’s great if you have all the enthusiasm and none of the experience" Read more
Top reviews from United Kingdom
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- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 November 2024Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseBought for a friend for Christmas, so I have no idea how useful it will be to them. However the same book which I have had for many years has been very useful.
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 June 2025Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseStill my go-to after sooo many years.
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 March 2024Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseI love this book, so well laid out and easy to understand. Bought it again recently to give to a friend just starting out on their vegetable gardening journey
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 May 2009Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseThis is such a useful book for the vegetable grower - I would strongly recommend purchase whether you have a few pots in the back garden or an allotment plot. The advice is really clearly laid out but still manages to cover vast amounts of material. There's planting and harvesting charts, spacing info etc etc and lots on pests and diseases with clearly drawn examples - although the odd photo here wouldn't go amiss. I agree with a previous reviewer that to call it a 'herb expert' book too is stretching it a bit but if you want it for veg I can't fault it. Good price and will be with you for years to come.
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 29 February 2024Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseAbsolutely love the book, but very disappointed at the price (£17 more expensive than any where else, astronomical hiking, could have bought 3 of the same books for less than the price I paid, quite shamefull Amazon,?????
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 September 2013Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseOK, so the good doctor still hasn't entered the metric age, and he may still talk about how they do things on 'the continent' but this book is packed with clear understandable advice on vegetable growing. I would think his book is the best choice for a beginner, avoid the pricier more 'photographic' books, to start with anyway. The diagrams in the book are clear enough to understand. I refer to it regularly, and find it very helpful. Great value for money, no problem recommending.
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 November 2022Format: PaperbackVerified Purchasewell, it's alright, except that I am only 10 (nearly 11) and am interested in growing my own food, so I am a complete beginner. So, all it comes across as is just a book with pictures of mouldy veg. So, if you are a parent, then do not give this book to your child, as it will put them off veg. - but great if you are not new to gardening! a little off putting, but ok. :)
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 30 April 2013Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseThis is a great book for learning about vegetable growing and for ongoing reference. It contains completely relevant information presented in an accessible way. It is not overwhelming nor long winded and contains lots of communicative pictures and diagrams. (My only complaint is that the 2011 edition still uses ONLY feet and inches. Irrespective of peoples' likes and dislikes the UK is metric and younger people are taught in metric. The Royal Horticultural Society uses metric, making this book difficult for study reference on plant spacings. I cannot understand why it has not been updated by the publisher (Transworld/Random House).
Top reviews from other countries
- Happy in KingstonReviewed in Canada on 7 September 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars The Vegetable & Herb Expert
Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseThis book is amazing. It has so much information.
- janetmyersReviewed in Germany on 15 December 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars Now what to grow?
Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseGreat little book for both armature and professional gardeners
-
alfamasReviewed in Spain on 29 March 2015
4.0 out of 5 stars Manual práctico.
Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseDespués de un vistazo superficial encuentro una feliz profusión de datos que me ayudan de acuerdo con mis necesidades. El que quiera aprender horticultura encuentra en este manual una referencia rápida práctica y fácil de usar. He comprado la edición de segunda mano inglesa porque las ediciones de 2ª mano españolas están a precios de usura.
- JoanneReviewed in the United States on 13 November 2013
5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous line of books and very well written!
Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseAll the books in this line are fabulous. The quality of pictures are very helpful. I have other books and I will continue to get more. It has helped me in figuring out problems that I have had with the vegetables we have grown.
- AnonReviewed in Germany on 12 January 2013
5.0 out of 5 stars super
Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseThis is a nice book for the English speakers. There are a lot of references out there but this is technical enough, as well as concise enough, to be very useful. It is designed to address the UK climate but still valuable for a European grower.