Allotment Gardening For Dummies

Allotment Gardening For Dummies is a lively, hands-on guide to getting the most out of your allotment. Whether you're interested in eating fresh, saving money, getting exercise or enjoying wholesome family fun, this is the guide for you. The step-by-step advice takes you through all the stages in the process, from securing an allotment and preparing your plot, to choosing what to grow and enjoying the benefits of abundant fresh food and a sociable and healthy hobby. With over 50 handy line drawings, plus information on how to grow organic and advice on storing and cooking the food you grow, this guide really does have it all! Allotment Gardening For Dummies includes: Part 1: Getting to Grips with Allotment Gardening Chapter 1: What Are Allotments All About? Chapter 2: Getting hold of an Allotment Chapter 3: Getting Started Part 2: Preparing for Allotment Success Chapter 4: Deciding What to Grow, When Chapter 5: Preparing Your Plot Chapter 6: Keeping Your Soil Healthy Chapter 7: Keeping Your Plants Healthy Chapter 8: Growing Organic Part 3: Growing a Few of Your Favourite Vegetables Chapter 9: Going Underground Chapter 10: The Staples Chapter 11: Growing Leafy Greens Chapter 12: Planting Peas, Beans and Other Pods Chapter 13: Growing More Exotic Veg Part 4: Extending Your Allotment Repetoire Chapter 14: Growing Wholesome Herbs Chapter 15: Growing Fruitful Fruit Chapter 16: Nurturing Flowers on an Allotment Part 5: Getting the Most Out of Your Allotment Chapter 17: Involving Children Around the Allotment Chapter 18: Hobnobbing with Allotment Society Chapter 19: Growing Giant Veg Part 6: The Part of Tens Chapter Chapter 20: Ten Common Accidents and How to Prevent Them Chapter 21: Ten Ways to Revive a Flagging Allotment

Introduction 1 Part I: Getting to Grips with Allotment Gardening 7 Chapter 1: Discovering What Allotments Are All About 9 Chapter 2: Getting Hold of an Allotment 17 Part II: Preparing for Allotment Success 25 Chapter 3: Getting Started 27 Chapter 4: Deciding What to Grow and When 43 Chapter 5: Preparing Your Plot 57 Chapter 6: Keeping Your Soil Healthy 77 Chapter 7: Keeping Your Plants Healthy 97 Chapter 8: Growing Organic 125 Part III: Growing Your Favourite Vegetables 139 Chapter 9: Going Underground with Root Vegetables 141 Chapter 10: Exploring More Root Vegetables 161 Chapter 11: Bringing Home the Brassicas 175 Chapter 12: Growing Wholesome Herbs 195 Chapter 13: Cultivating Everyday Essentials 215 Chapter 14: Growing Leafy Greens 245 Chapter 15: Planting Beans, Peas and Other Odds and Pods 265 Chapter 16: Growing More Unusual Veg 285 Part IV: Extending Your Allotment Repertoire 307 Chapter 17: Growing Fruitful Fruit 309 Chapter 18: Nurturing Flowers on an Allotment 339 Part V: Getting the Most Out of Your Allotment 355 Chapter 19: Involving Children on the Allotment 357 Chapter 20: Hobnobbing with Allotment Society 371 Chapter 21: Entering the World of Giants 379 Part VI: The Part of Tens 395 Chapter 22: Ten Common Mistakes to Avoid 397 Chapter 23: Ten Ways to Revive a Flagging Allotment 405 Index 411