Can anyone recommend a good book?

Ok, I am a complete novice at this gardening malarky. My late dad was a fabulous gardener and grew loads in his greenhouse. Dad also had 5 acres and grew allsorts in the garden - everything from apples and soft fruits to the most gorgeous winter cabbages etc. Unfortunately I do not seem to have inherited his green fingers :( I had a greenhouse a few years ago with disastrous results. I would like to grow tomatoes, courgettes, cucumbers and maybe some chillis and peppers in the greenhouse. I live in Central Scotland so the summers are not great. Does anyone know of a good book they could recommend? I have no idea about heating a greenhouse, when to plant seeds etc. I do know what my dad taught me about growing tomatoes though, but I shall be on here for LOTS of help from you lovely people. Any book recommendations greatly appreciated. I have been to the library and the amount of books is mind boggling!

 

The BBC have released a series of books called 'How to garden', with each book focusing on a different aspect. I've got the 'Gardening in the shade' one (because my back garden is more shady than I'm used to). It seems well written and clear enough.

To be honest though, I'm not sure books are that much help. Obviously they can portray the facts and theories, but I think, for me at least, a combination of lots of practice and lots of help from the knowledgeable folks here about specific points, seems to be the best strategy.

I doubt if anyone is really a natural. Some people seem to be naturals just because they've already made most of the mistakes that you have yet to make. When something goes right, do it again. When it goes wrong, well we know for next time don't we

 

The best ever book you need is here GC
Use the search box at the top or just ask your fellow members, everyone helps each other on here

One book worth getting is the RHS ENCYLOPEDIA OF GARDENING you can get a good second hand copy from AMAZON,
I got a second hand one from 2001 for 50p plus £2.80 pp, it was in pristine condition only ten years out of date
Guess what, none of the plants have changed, they still grow the same height and need the same conditions they needed fifty years ago :-)

The RHS ENCYCLOPEDIA OF FLOWERS IS 1p and £2.80pp only I think you would need to be into serious gardening, as it just tells you everything flowers need but it is mostly indexed in THE LATIN NAMES, then just tells you the height it grows, space it needs etc way above me

The only difference with mine from 2011 is it does not tell you how to lay DECKING and PATIO's

Welcome to Gardeners Corner GC

Jack McHammocklashing

 

Thanks so much for your replies I'll have a browse on Amazon for the recommended books. Jack McHammocklashing, believe me if I could demolish my decking I would............it's lethal stuff when wet

 

Funny you should mention that. At the beginning of last year, when my back garden was still a pile of mud and rubble, I was pondering whether to make decking or a patio so I asked on here. I dug out my old thread:

http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/...n/31003-patio-vs-decking-opions-welcomed.html

The general consensus, both from here and from people I know round here, was that decking is lethal when it gets wet.

I went for a patio in the end. Sometime after that my dad moved house and his new gaff has decking. I can't remember now who in the family it was, but one of them came a cropper on it right proper, having slipped and fell so hard she ended up with internal bruising on her leg and a broken wrist. My dad wont let my son on the decking at all if its even sightly wet.

 

I agree with JWK that the Dr Hessayon series are excellent. They won't tell you how to garden (actually ... there is one in the series on just that) but his one on Vegetables, for example, has facts about each vegetable. Everything you need to refer to for the confidence to do it right. How far apart to plant, how much crop you can expect, what time to sow / plant / harvest. All in one-page-per-vegetable. I have several in the series, and even though I know what I am doing they are the books I refer to most and are the most thumbed. All the fancy books I have got are on the shelf are gathering dust.

Beyond that all the questions you may have will be answered Right Here

 

I had a nasty accident on mine. I slipped and thought I'd bruised my back (according to A&E) then discovered I'd fractured my coccyx at another x-ray 2 weeks later. I was still almost unable to walk a week later so went back (excuse the pun) and was told I needed to stay in hospital as I had other fractured discs 30 years of riding horses and after numerous falls I had never had issues with my back (thanks to regular chiropractor sessions), but one small slip on decking and I was hospitalized for nearly 6 weeks. I also have a lovely big scar cheers to the 2 operations I had. I love it to look at but will never walk on it again. We're in the process of re designing the garden and the decking is for the tip..........I just need to talk hubby into replacing the decking with a rather nice veg patch now It's definitely not nice stuff when wet and I am paranoid now about my nieces and nephews when their playing in my garden, so I understand where your dad is coming from not letting your son play on it.

 

Decking boards are PERFECT for making Raised Beds :thumb: Sorted!

 

Agree with Kristen, do not ditch the decking, the wood is excellent for compost bins, or raised beds etc

Jack McH

 

I usually read those "junk romantic paperback when I travel"

But there was another type of book I ran across just loved, The red tent.
Really absorbing.

 

I never thought about using the decking boards for raised beds, thanks guys - perfect solution My mind is in overdrive now lol

Redstar I started to read The Red Tent after it was suggested to me by a colleague - it certainly wasn't my "cup of tea", but each to their own.