Table Of ContentFRUIT
VEG&ETABLE
GARDENING
THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO
SUCCESSFUL GROWING
EDITOR IN CHIEF: MICHAEL POLLOCK
FRUIT &
VEGETABLE
GARDENING
FRUIT &
VEGETABLE
GARDENING
Michael Pollock EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
LONDON, NEW YORK, MUNICH, MELBOURNE, DELHI
CONTRIBUTORS
Jim Arbury Tree Fruits, Grape Vines
Guy Barter Vegetables, Crops
John Edgeley Soft Fruits
Jim England Vegetables, General and Crops
Michael Pollock Growing Fruit and Vegetables,
Culinary Herbs
Project editor Caroline Reed
Project art editor Elaine Hewson
Senior editor Helen Fewster
Senior art editor Joanne Doran
North American consultant Lori Spencer
US editor Margaret Parrish
US senior editor Rebecca Warren
Jacket designer Nicola Powling
Production editor Sean Daly
Production controller Claire Pearson
Managing editor Esther Ripley
Managing art editor Alison Donovan
Art director Peter Luff
Publisher Mary Ling
DK INDIA
Editors Kanarindhana Kathirvel, Nidhilekha Mathur
Assistant editor Neha Ruth Samuel
Senior art editor Balwant Singh
Senior DTP designer Pushpak Tyagi
Managing editor Glenda Fernandes
Managing art editor Navidita Thapa
CTS manager Sunil Sharma
First UK Edition, 2002
Senior editor Annelise Evans
Project art editor Murdo Culver
Photographer Peter Anderson
First American Edition, 2012
Published in the United States by DK Publishing,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014
12 13 14 15 16 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
001–183558–February/2012
Copyright © 2002, 2008, 2012 Dorling Kindersley Ltd.
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright
reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced,
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without the prior written permission of the copyright owners.
Published in Great Britain by Dorling Kindersley Limited.
A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress.
ISBN 978-0-7566-9056-4
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CONTENTS FRUIT 146
Visual index of fruit 148
INTRODUCTION 6
GROWING TREE FRUITS 149
Planning 149 • Tree fruit forms 152
GROWING FRUIT Rootstocks 153 • Grafting tree fruits 154
AND VEGETABLES 8 Pollination 156 • Planting tree fruits 158
Climate and location 10 • Shelter from wind 12 General care 160 • Pruning and training principles 162
Soil types and structure 14 • Essential nutrients 17 Pruning different tree forms 166
Lime and soil acidity 18 • Fertilizers and manures 20
TREE FRUIT CROPS 174
Making compost 24 • Planning your garden 27
Crop rotation 31 • The bed system 32
GROWING SOFT FRUITS 206
Using containers 35 • Soil preparation 37
Planning 206 • Planting soft fruits 208
Mulching 41 • Protected cropping 43
General care 209
Weed control 49 • Keeping your garden healthy 51
Watering and irrigation 53 • Tools and equipment 55 SOFT FRUIT CROPS 211
GRAPE VINES 227
VEGETABLES 58
Planning 227 • Grape vines under cover 228
Vegetable seed 60 • Sowing seed under cover 62 Grape vines outdoors 231
Sowing seed outdoors 66 • Planting out 70
Routine care 72 • Winter storage 73 GROWING TENDER FRUITS 234
Visual index of vegetables 74 CROP PLANNER 238
Brassicas 76
AVERAGE CROP YIELDS 242
Root crops 82
The onion family 89 SEASONAL TASKS 243
Legumes 95 PLANT PROBLEMS 246
Salad crops 101
INDEX 265
Fruiting vegetables 108
Cucurbits 114 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 272
Stem vegetables 120
Leafy vegetables 123 The gardening year
Perennial vegetables 129 Throughout this book, the gardening year is assumed to consist
of 12 seasons, or partial seasons. These correspond to calendar
months, as shown below.
CULINARY HERBS 136 early spring: March early fall: September
mid-spring: April mid-fall: October
Growing culinary herbs 138 late spring: May late fall: November
Visual index of culinary herbs 141 early summer: June early winter: December
A–Z of culinary herbs 142 midsummer: July midwinter: January
late summer: August late winter: February
6
INTRODUCTION
Growing your own vegetables, built up an impressive body of
culinary herbs, and fruit brings expertise and knowledge over
a very special satisfaction to the years. This volume sets out
gardening. There are, of course, to continue the tradition by
substantial savings to be made distilling that experience into
in turning a small investment an accessible format for the
on seed or plants into a regular modern gardener.
supply of food for the table, The cultivation of food
whether you grow only a selection crops, more than any other
of choice seasonal crops, such form of gardening, demands
as asparagus, or strive for self- commitment from the
sufficiency. For those concerned gardener. Knowledge of
about additives in commercially Fruits of your labors basic principles, thoughtful
Enjoy the intensity and subtlety of flavor that
produced food, there is the security is possible only with produce freshly picked planning, good preparation,
of knowing exactly how your from the plant. and, above all, time spent in
produce has been grown. The regular care of growing crops,
exceptional pleasure of kitchen gardening lies, are crucial to success. Failure in any of this leads to
however, in the subtlety and freshness of f lavor of disappointing results, and wasted time and money.
crops gathered straight from your garden—a f lavor Those new to kitchen gardening would be wise
that has not been diminished by long transportation, to start on a modest scale, but to plan the garden
storage, or special packaging. so that the area given over to food crops can expand
The decorative qualities of edible crops, whether with your experience. There is no ideal size for a
grown in a dedicated plot or among conventional kitchen garden because it depends on many variable
ornamental plants, are too little appreciated. Colorful factors such as family demand, the garden site, and
blossom smothers fruit trees in spring, handsome personal abilities and preferences. The good news
foliage such as the ferny fronds of carrots or crinkly is that no garden is too small: crops can be grown
leaves of lettuces adorn the summer garden, and in all sorts of containers, including windowboxes.
evergreen herbs and overwintering vegetables are
enhanced by frost. Tree and soft fruits trained along In harmony with nature
walls and fences or over archways can be very Most gardeners have a particular affinity with the
attractive as well as productive. natural environment and fully appreciate the good
sense of maintaining a natural balance of living
Learning from
organisms within the garden and of conserving
experience natural resources. Many take the opportunity to
It is not surprising then that run their kitchen garden entirely on organic lines.
interest in growing fruit and It is not necessary to grow produce that is totally
vegetables is on the increase. free of blemishes or to extract the maximum
Generations of professional possible yield from every plant—as is the case with
gardeners as well as individual commercial cultivation. A reasonable level of pests
backyard growers have and diseases can be tolerated in the garden, and
INTRODUCTION 7
there are means of recycling organic waste and Potager garden, Tintinhull
Orderly lines of well-managed vegetables and flowers for cutting,
of using water wisely. This philosophy is followed abundant and full of promise, have their own special beauty.
throughout the book and you may be inspired to
examine further aspects of gardening organically. The introduction of new cultivars (garden varieties),
Chemical treatments are available for those who often with improved quality or genetic resistance to a
wish to use them, but there is no doubt that the pest or disease, is a great boon to the kitchen gardener.
range is diminishing because of safety regulations To help you choose from the bewildering number of
and commercial considerations. cultivars now available, each crop covered in the text
includes a core list of recommended cultivars. Your
Increasing choice own experience will eventually be the best guide.
The wide range of fruit, vegetables, and culinary The comprehensive information in this text will
herbs described in this book ref lects the modern provide a good grounding for you to develop your
gardener’s interest in growing an increasing variety own style of kitchen gardening. Never forget the
of crops. Most of the crops can be reliably grown principles, keep abreast of new developments, and,
outdoors in temperate climates, although some, above all, take time to enjoy your garden.
such as peppers and peaches, produce better quality
crops for a longer season under cover. The prospect
of climate change, and the popularity of the
greenhouse, however, raise new possibilities; so
tender fruits such as citrus and pineapples are
covered—to fire the imagination.
