Vegetable gardening for dummies

This practical guide teaches readers how to grow vegetables at home and then put the harvest to use. It is written for anyone with a plot of any size, from experienced gardeners to people who have never grown a plant, and it takes dietary needs into account.

The book follows the gardening year in order. It starts with choosing the right spot and laying out the garden, then moves to getting the soil into good condition. From there it covers deciding which vegetables to grow, sowing seeds properly, and looking after the plants as they develop.

Later chapters cover knowing when each vegetable is ready to pick and the best ways to eat it. Advice on preserving home-grown food is included, so a good crop does not go to waste. The book also gives environmentally friendly methods for dealing with garden pests.

This is the second edition of a title in the For Dummies series. Its author, Charlie Nardozzi, is senior horticulturist and spokesperson for the National Gardening Association and has appeared as a gardening expert on HGTV and the Discovery Channel. The tone is friendly and hands-on, and the advice is organised so a beginner can follow it from first planting to the table.