BOOKS

Amateur Gardening Planter's Guide
edited by A G L Hellyer published by Collingridge (1966)
Good concise information set out in logical sections.

How to Store your Garden Produce
by Piers Warren published by Green Books (2003)
Good and concise therefore easy to use.

Practical Gardening and Food Production in Pictures
by Richard Sudell published by Odhams (prewar).
A bit like Mrs Beetons for all aspects of gardening and with an excellent section on allotments.

The A B C of Vegetable Gardening
by W E Sherwell-Cooper published by Hodder & Stoughton (1947).
Good concise yet comprehensive information.

The Allotment Cookbook
by Kathryn Hawkins published by New Holland (2007)
More an ideas book than actual recipes. However, it does give excellent advice about harvesting and storing your crops. Well set out in alphabetical order.

The Allotment Keepers Handbook
by Jane Perrone published by Atlantic (2007)
This a good book for a beginner. It is comprehensive, very easy to read and well represents the 'allotment ethos'. In fact, the more I read it, the more I like it.

The Allotment Specialist
by A & G Bridgewater published by New Holland (2007)
This is excellent as a quick reference book. After some basic general information, each group of vegetables is set out on a page giving general detail on soil requirements, sowing and planting, plant care, harvesting and troubleshooting. The standardised layout is a real boon.