The Vegetable Gardener's Bible

February 15, 2010
In this updated, tenth-anniversary edition of his book, Smith, caretaker of a 1500 sq. ft. garden containing almost 100 varieties of vegetables, clearly explains everything novice and experienced gardeners need to know to grow vegetables and herbs using his system of wide, deep, raised beds. He gives detailed instructions on siting, preparing, and planning a vegetable garden, then goes on to cover choosing plant varieties, starting seed, and growing plants. Smith discusses compost creation, companion planting, crop rotation, succession planting, and ecologically friendly methods of dealing with plant diseases and pests. The final third of the book gives specific cultural information (covering all regions of North America), as well as recommended varieties for many vegetables and herbs. Vivid color photographs completely illustrate gardening techniques and the plants he covers. VERDICT While the text is substantially the same as the 1999 edition, with just some minor rearrangement of topics, Smith includes additional vegetables and herbs and has updated the lists of suggested varieties in this highly recommended, comprehensive, easy-to-follow guide to vegetable and herb gardening.Sue O'Brien, Downers Grove P.L., IL

Copyright 2010 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from January 31, 2000
A committed organic gardener, Smith is a proponent of staggered planting in raised, wide and deep beds that provide conductive root systems and produce abundant harvests. He explains his system, from optimum siting and soil preparation (he prefers broad-forking over rototilling or double-digging) to companion planting and compost ("The path to the garden of your dreams leads right through the middle of a compost pile"). For beginners, he takes the mystery out of such subjects as hardening off ("like a little boot camp for vegetables") and deciphering the shorthand used in seed catalogues. An abundance of photographs (most of Smith's own garden) visually bolster the techniques described, while frequent subheads, sidebars and information-packed photo captions make the layout user-friendly. The book concludes with an alphabetically arranged listing of vegetables and herbs in which Smith offers advice on every aspect of cultivation, as well as a selection of the most flavorful varieties. Smith doesn't necessarily break new ground here, but his book is thorough and infused with practical wisdom and a dry Vermont humor that should endear him to readers.