How to Grow More Vegetables

The method rests on a handful of linked principles: deeply loosened raised beds, prepared by a technique called double digging; generous use of compost, much of it grown in the garden itself; close spacing of plants so that their leaves shade the soil; thoughtful companion planting; the use of open-pollinated seeds that can be saved; and growing crops for calories and for compost as well as for vegetables, so that a garden can feed people and itself.

Jeavons explains each step in detail, with diagrams, charts of spacing and yields, planting calendars and worksheets for planning a garden or a small farm. The ninth edition adds new material on using less water and making more compost. The book is dense with information and some charts will feel technical to beginners, but the underlying ideas are clear and the results it describes are impressive.

Thorough, practical and quietly visionary, a book many gardeners regard as an essential reference for sustainable growing. It suits readers who enjoy understanding the reasons behind each technique. About 264 pages in the Ten Speed Press paperback, the ninth edition.