The Best Allotment Books To Dig In To
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Looking for some great allotment books? Here are my tried and tested favourites to dig in to.
Sometimes when it’s really wet and windy outside – maybe sleeting a bit – the last thing I want to do is go outside and work on my allotment or garden. Especially in the depths of winter when there aren’t so many jobs to be done.
Well, I still try and put those inclement days to good use. I curl up on the sofa with a nice cup of tea (or hot chocolate if I’m feeling a bit decadent) and get stuck into the stack of favourite allotment books. There’s nothing quite like a spot of forward planning to get me excited about the start of the new growing season.
The Best Allotment Books
If you’re one of the 250,000 allotment holders in the UK, or are looking for some sustainable garden ideas, then lean into this selection of allotment books. These are all tried and tested book that I’ve used to draw inspiration for our own allotment.
Use the quick links to jump to each section, or keep scrolling for the full post:
- Homegrown Revolution by James Wong
- Organic Gardening The Natural No-Dig Way by Charles Dowding
- The Vegetable Grower’s Handbook By Huw Richards
- Step By Step Veg Patch By Lucy Chamberlain
- The Half-Hour Allotment By Lia Leendertz
Homegrown Revolution By James Wong
Available at BookShop.org / Amazon
This is probably our favourite allotment book. My partner is obsessed (obsessed!) with this book. He bought it years ago and even now it’s still dusted off from our bookshelf regularly.
Why do we love it? Well, James Wong is on a mission to prove that growing your own can be more exciting than just planting potatoes, sprouts and swedes. James reasons that as it’s often cheaper to buy this type of produce at your local shop, it puts people off of growing their own vegetables.
Instead, James provides advice on plants that you can eat that you might not have known were edible, or might be too expensive to regularly buy, but are easily grown in the UK. The result is that you can turn your allotment or garden into “a living larder of superfoods and exotic delicacies”.
With step-by-step guides on how to grow things like daylilies, sea buckthorn, dahlia yams, quince, Calamondin lime, and more, alongside tips and recipes to incorporate these into your cooking it’s pretty exciting to think about what you can grow. On James’s advice, we’ve tried hostas, and can confirm these are great in a stir fry!
Organic Gardening The No-Dig Way By Charles Dowding
Available at BookShop.org / Amazon
Another dog-eared long-standing allotment book favourite of ours, Charles Dowding’s book is well worth a read for anyone looking to tend their gardening more organically.
In the book, Charles thoroughly explains the concept and ideas behind no-dig gardening and its practical applications. This includes using slightly raised beds, what to plant, and how best to avoid pests and diseases.
Charles’s method is all about respecting and encouraging life as much as you can, chiefly by spreading good compost or manure. And against popular wisdom, Charles says there’s no need to dig it in. Spreading it on top and letting the worms take it from there means you don’t harm the soil structure or plants.
My partner is a convert to this method of gardening. After all, once you start reading the book you realise that it makes good sense not to let nature take its course. The other advantage is that it helps to reduce the need to weed – the holy grail of every allotment gardener!
The Vegetable Grower’s Handbook By Huw Richards
Available at BookShop.org / Amazon
A newer allotment book favourite that we’ve recently added to our collection is The Vegetable Grower’s Handbook by Huw Richards.
Huw really knows his stuff about vegetable gardening. The book is packed full of top tips and step-by-step guides, to help maximise your yield, without compromising on time, effort or money. Plus you can follow Huw on YouTube to get even more growing inspiration.
It’s perfect for beginners as it talks you through all the basics (without patronising you). It also introduces you to the ideas of permaculture and no-dig gardening in a way that isn’t overwhelming for beginners.
Step By Step Veg Patch By Lucy Chamberlain
Available at BookShop.org / Amazon
If your allotment plot is small, or you’re growing in a small garden, then Lucy Chamberlain’s book is for you.
With heaps of advice and step-by-step illustrated guides from an experienced gardener, Lucy shows you how to plan your space effectively and grow more than 50 types of fruits and vegetables.
Before jumping into growing, Lucy thoroughly covers all the prep work you need to know to maximise your chance of growing success. Plus, there’s a handy calendar on when to plant your seeds, to help keep you organised.
The Half-Hour Allotment By Lia Leendertz
Available at BookShop.org / Amazon
Finally, are you trying to manage your allotment whilst balancing a busy life? It’s certainly something we’ve struggled with. Thankfully experienced allotment gardener Lia Leendertz is here to help.
This seriously useful book shows you how to manage your allotment and enjoy fresh vegetables throughout the year, with just 30 minutes of your time a day, and weekends off.
It’s perhaps not as comprehensive as new gardeners might need it to be – as it doesn’t cover the very basics that you might not know when you’re just starting out. However, if you have some gardening knowledge, and are looking for ideas on where it’s most important to invest your limited time, then this is the one for you.
Any other favourite allotment books? Do share!
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