Review
------
[Review of hardcover edition:] A comprehensive
reference book on edible s... information on hundreds of
edible s accompanied by more than 1,800 color photographs.
(Viveka Neveln American Gardener)
[Review of hardcover edition:] Solid gardening tips and tempting
recipes... enough to teach even experienced gardeners new
tricks... excellent index. (Diane M. Calabrese American Reference
Books Annual)
[Review of hardcover edition:] A well-organized overview that
examiners each cultivar in depth... visually pleasing... the
in of some very diverse expert gardeners. (Backhome
Magazine)
[Review of hardcover edition:] Good value for money ... very
helpful. (Mary Fran McQuade Beach Metro Community News
2006-11-28)
[Review of hardcover edition:] By far the most comprehensive book
on the subject. A must-have for those growing edible crops ...
Easy to use. (Connie Krochmal Bee Culture)
[Review of hardcover edition:] For the edible landscape, the best
title by far is Vegetables, s and Fruit... everything you
need to know to grow, harvest, and use garden produce. (Connie
Krochmal BellaOnline 2006-03-25)
[Review of hardcover edition:] Not only how to grow, but also how
to harvest, preserve and use 70 vegetables... a comprehensive,
quick-read encyclopedia. (Suzanne Hively Cleveland Plain Dealer
2006-03-02)
[Review of hardcover edition:] Whether you utilize it to learn
how to use soapwort to treat skin conditions such as eczema or
for the recipe for curried parsnip soup, it is valuable to novice
and experienced horticulturists alike. Written by a trio of
garden experts, this is a must-have resource for any gardener or
chef. (Tricia Landry Wallace Country Accents)
[Review of hardcover edition:] This comprehensive garden book
goes beyond the dirt, offering tips on growing, harvesting,
preserving and cooking. (Desert News 2009-02-22)
[Review of hardcover edition:] Bright color photos, clean layout,
and handy hints make this hefty garden bible a treasure, and it's
a great deal. (Dee Cherrie Ashman Diversions)
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About the Author
----------------
Matthew Biggs lectures at the Royal Horticultural Society. He is
the author of Matthew Biggs' Complete Book of Vegetables.
Jekka McVicar has won several top awards from the Royal
Horticultural Society. She is the author of Jekka's
Cookbook.
Bob Flowerdew is an author and a lecturer for the Royal
Horticultural Society.
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Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
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Introduction
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A flourishing, productive garden, containing vegetables, s,
and fruit s, is a testament to diligent, imaginative
gardening and a promise of a delicious harvest to come. The range
of color, texture, scent, and flavor offered by these s is
unrivaled, and there is space in any garden -- even in a window
box -- for a selection of edible and useful s.
Vegetables, s, and fruit have always been essential to
humanity. They are the basis of the food chain -- even for
meat-eaters -- and are a vital component in creating tempting,
palatable meals, as well as providing unique flavoring and
aromas. All are -giving, providing essential s and
minerals for a balanced diet, and many s have the added
dimension of being used medicinally.
Vegetables and s can be widely defined. Vegetables are those
s where a part, such as the leaf, stem, or root, can be used
for food. s, similarly, are those s that are used for
food, medicine, scent, or flavor. Fruits tend to be the sweet,
juicy parts of the s, containing the seed. There is
considerable overlap between the three types of -- one
further distinction is that fruits are generally sweet, or used
in sweet dishes, while vegetables are savory, although this is by
no means clear-cut.
For centuries throughout the world, productive gardens have been
the focal point of family and community survival. Our earliest
diet as hunter-gatherers must have included a wide range of
, fruits, nuts, roots, leaves, and any moving thing we could
catch. Gradually, over millennia, we learned which s could
be eaten and how to prepare them -- as with the discovery that
eddoes were edible only after washing several times and cooking
to remove the injurious calcium oxalate crystals. Fruit trees and
bushes sprang up at the camp sites of nomadic people and were
waiting for them when they returned, growing prolifically on
their fertile waste heaps. Vegetables and s were collected
from the surrounding countryside, and gradually were
domesticated. Cultivated wheat and barley have been found dating
from 8000 to 7000 B.C., and peas from 6500 B.C., while rice was
recorded as a ste in China by 2800 B.C.
With domestication came early selection of s for beneficial
characteristics such as yield, disease resistance, and ease of
germination. These were the first cultivated varieties, or
"cultivars." This selection has continued extensively and by the
eighteenth century in Europe, seed selection had become a fine
art in the hands of skilled gardeners. Gregor Mendel's work with
peas in 1855 -- 1864 in his monastery garden at Brno in Moravia
yielded one of the most significant discoveries, leading to the
development of hybrids and scientific selection. Most development
has centered on the major food crops. Minor crops, such as sea
kale, have changed very little, apart from the selection of a few
cultivars. Others, like many fruits, are similar to their wild
relatives, but have ier, sweeter edible parts. s have in
general had less intensive work done on selection; many of the
most popular and useful s are the same as or closely related
to s found in the wild.
Food s have spread around the world in waves, from the
Roman Empire, which took fruits such as peaches, plums, grapes,
and figs from the Mediterranean and North Africa to northern
Europe, to the exportation of s such as potatoes and maize
from the New World in the fifteenth century. In between,
monasteries guarded fruits, vegetables, and s for their own
use and for their medicinal value. During the famine and winter
dearth of the Middle Ages and beyond, the commonplace scurvy and
deficiencies would have seemed to many people almost
miraculously cured by monks' potions containing little more than
preserved fruits, vegetables, or s full of ents and
C. In 1597John Gerard wrote his all, detailing
numerous s and their uses, and giving practical advice on
how to use them. Productive gardening developed on several
levels. The rich became collectors and used the latest
technology to overwinter exotic s in hothouses and stove
houses. Doctors followed on in the traditions of the monasteries
and had physic gardens of medicinal s. Villagers had cottage
gardens filled with fruit trees and bushes, undered with
vegetables and s.
In the twentieth century, the expense of labor and decrease in
the a of land available meant that productive gardening
declined. Home food production revived during World War II, but
the availability of ready-made foods afterward again hit edible
gardening at home. The later years of the century saw a reaction
against the blandness and cost of mass-produced food. There was
also an increasing awareness of the infinite variety of s,
and their use in alism, cosmetics, and cooking all over the
world.
The wider realization that we had polluted our environment and
destroyed much of the ecology of our farms, countryside, and
gardens was to bring about a real revolution. A mass revulsion
against -based methods was mirrored in the rise of
production and the slowly improving availability of
better foods. Vegetarianism also increased as many people turned
away from meat, in part because of factory farming. These trends
mean that there is an increased demand for fruits and vegetables,
often ally produced or with a fuller flavor, and grocery
stores now offer a huge range all year round.
But there is also a move by people toward growing their own. The
benefits, ecology, and economy of gardening appeal to a
greener generation. An increased awareness of alternative
medicine, including alism and aromatherapy, have revived
interest in a range of s. With food processors, juicers, and
freezers, it is easier than ever to store and preserve what we
harvest. In addition, the genetic richness represented by the
huge range of food s has been recognized and organizations
such as the Henry Doubleday Research Association in the U.K.,
Seed Savers in the U.S., and Seed Savers International are
working to safeguard and make available the old and rare
varieties.
The availability of different gardening techniques also offers
great rtunities at home. Dwarfing fruit rootstocks, varieties
that store well or resist disease, glass or plastic cover, and
controlled heating in greenhouses give us the rtunity to grow
a huge variety of crops, even in a small garden. The earlier and
later seasons, combined with gardening under cover, also mean
that we can be ing and harvesting for a larger proportion of
the year.
This book is intended to guide the reader in choosing which
vegetables, s, and fruit to grow, and then in producing a
crop successfully. The vegetable and sections are arranged
alphabetically by the botanical Latin name. The fruit section is
grouped into five chapters covering different types of fruit
s -- Orchard Fruits; Soft, Bush, and Cane Fruits; Tender
Fruits; Shrub and Flower Garden Fruits; and Nuts -- according to
how they are usually grown in temperate gardens.
Under each , after a brief introduction covering origins
and history, the most useful and recommended varieties are given,
followed by details of cultivation, including propagation,
growing under glass and in containers, a maintenance ,
pruning and training (if needed), dealing with pests and
diseases, companion ing, and harvesting and storing.
Information and ideas are given for using the , including
recipes and medicinal and cosmetic uses. If any part of the
is toxic or harmful in any way, a detailed warning is given. If
the is of particular ornamental or wildlife value in the
garden, this is indicated. Hardy, half-hardy, and tender s
are covered, with detailed growing guidelines for the best
results in a temperate climate. The fruit and vegetable sections
cover some of the more exotic tropical and subtropical crops that
can, with va
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