How To Grow Greens

An illustrated gardener's guide to the different varieties of greens, their history and cooking uses.This is an illustrated gardener's directory of the different varieties of green vegetables, their history and cooking uses. It offers step-by-step instructions for preparing the soil, sowing, thinning seedlings, compost harvesting and storing green vegetables. It includes detailed guidance on cultivating each type of vegetable, including planting times, planting depth and distance, and when to harvest. There are helpful hints on how to avoid pests and diseases, and what to do when problems occur. Greens, or leaf vegetables, are highly nutritious, contributing essential vitamins and minerals to your diet, and are particularly healthy and flavoursome if home-grown and eaten soon after harvesting. The main types of greens are described and illustrated here, with useful information about the different varieties, their history and cultivation requirements. This practical directory describes how to grow and care for each type of vegetable, and how to harvest and store them. There are suggestions for when and where to plant the greens, and how to deal with any pests and diseases that may occur. This book provides reliable information for the gardener who wants an at-a-glance reminder of what to do when in the vegetable plot.Richard Bird has contributed to numerous publications and has been magazine editor for Focus on Plants, The Hardy Plant, Alpine Gardening and the Alpine Garden Society's magazine Bulletin. He is also a full-time author on gardens and plants and has written more than 30 books.