10/01/2022
Dowding, a gardener and educator from the UK, lays out the principles and methods of organic, no-dig gardening, which involves building and adding layers of compost onto the ground, rather than digging or tilling into it. The benefits of this process include healthier, more stable soil, fewer weeds, and, of course, no back-breaking digging in hard soil. The first half of the book covers topics ranging from creating no-dig garden beds to composting garden waste to dealing with weeds, while the rest of the title is devoted to a rundown of the basic types of vegetables and their care. This is a rich trove of advice, borne of the author's decades of experience and illustrated with gorgeous, helpful color photographs on nearly every page. The tone is down-to-earth and friendly, and the author points out that he tends to go with what works, rather than following traditional gardening rules. VERDICT While not for absolute beginners, most gardeners, whether or not they are no-dig adherents, will glean useful information from this guide. Buy where vegetable gardening books are in demand.—Eva Mitnick
