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The Vegetable Gardener's Bible: Discover Ed's High-Yield W-O-R-D System for All North American Gardening Regions
Discover the last W.O.R.D. in vegetable gardening with Ed Smith's amazing gardening system. By integrating four principles -- Wide beds, Organic methods, Raised beds, and Deep beds -- Smith reinvents vegetable gardening, making it possible for everyone to have the best, most successful garden ever. By following this complete system you cultivate deep, powerful soil that nourishes plants and discourages pests and disease. The result is fewer weeds, healthier plants, and lots of great-tasting vegetables. Plus, you'll enjoy gardening as you never have before. The Vegetable Gardener's Bible -- the last W.O.R.D. in vegetable gardening.
Praise for the book:
"this book will answer all your questions as well as put you on the path to an abundant harvest. As a bonus, anecdotes and stories make this informative book fun to read." - New York Newsday
Praise for the book:
"this book will answer all your questions as well as put you on the path to an abundant harvest. As a bonus, anecdotes and stories make this informative book fun to read." - New York Newsday
320 pages, Paperback
First published February 15, 2000
About the author
Edward C. Smith
16 books8 followersEdward C. Smith tends a garden of over 1,500 square feet filled with raspberries, blueberries, flowers, herbs, and nearly 100 varieties of vegetables, including some heirlooms, in his home state of Vermont.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
March 25, 2021
What a treasure trove!
January 21, 2019
I don't usually rate (what I consider) reference books but this one was such a joy to read. I picked it up at a friend's house and before I knew it had read it cover-to-cover and was running around exictedly pointing out sections that were especially exciting. It will be more useful to folks in the northeast than elsewhere in the country.
January 28, 2019
So much information, explained very well and the layout is easy to follow. The perfect book for a novice like me, and I will be buying a copy for my own little library!
August 15, 2015
The big problem reading a gardening DIY book is adapting it to your own garden. This book is about gardening in Vermont. It snows in Vermont. The soils are different in Vermont.
Making allowances for that there is a lot to learn in this book. It is primarily for the serious gardener who wants to have lots of vegetables.
The ideas of wide raised beds with or without edgings is interesting. Mixing plants instead of rows is interesting. The downsides of tilling is thought provoking. The section on soil will be valuable to me. The ideas on repelling squash bugs are definitely on the 'To Do' list.
The best part of the book is the large section going through various vegetables with growing tips. It explains some of the problems I've had in the past.
Some of the methods given will not work in the Ozarks. Others will be valuable when adjusted to warm to hot weather and gravelly soil.
This is a good book for even more casual gardeners to browse through. Nothing beats fresh vegetables from the garden and this book will help get them to your table.
Making allowances for that there is a lot to learn in this book. It is primarily for the serious gardener who wants to have lots of vegetables.
The ideas of wide raised beds with or without edgings is interesting. Mixing plants instead of rows is interesting. The downsides of tilling is thought provoking. The section on soil will be valuable to me. The ideas on repelling squash bugs are definitely on the 'To Do' list.
The best part of the book is the large section going through various vegetables with growing tips. It explains some of the problems I've had in the past.
Some of the methods given will not work in the Ozarks. Others will be valuable when adjusted to warm to hot weather and gravelly soil.
This is a good book for even more casual gardeners to browse through. Nothing beats fresh vegetables from the garden and this book will help get them to your table.
May 2, 2008
I did not read everything in this book, but it is a fantastic book for getting a start on a garden.
October 27, 2019
A bit fluffy, but good for what it is (a basic introduction to North American vegetable gardening). Could be improved with:
- Some discussion of greenhousing
- Why crop rotations are useful (basic nutrient cycles/needs)
The section on choosing the right tools was a great addition.
- Some discussion of greenhousing
- Why crop rotations are useful (basic nutrient cycles/needs)
The section on choosing the right tools was a great addition.
April 21, 2021
As a gardening novice, this is a good resource although some of the information is a tad outdated.
March 8, 2023
An outstanding resource for any gardener, new or old. I will certainly be purchasing this after I return it to the library as I expand my garden.
October 13, 2017
So when I first started my vegetable garden at my new place in 2009, I did it in accordance with what I remembered from gardening as a kid. The results were pretty middle-of-the-road. My mom got me this book, so I started taking it on the train with me after I planted this year.
Not only did it teach me some things I should be doing along the way, but it challenged many beliefs I had and taught me the right way. By way of example, here are some long-held beliefs that I'll be shedding thanks to this book:
1) Raised beds are great, but you need to coat the bottoms with landscape fabric.
Nope. Raised beds should be double-dug, so they extend down below the bottom edges of the frames.
2) Zucchini should be picked when they approach the size of Derek Jeter's bat.
Nope. They're best when small.
3) Rototilling new beds and turning in compost is the best way of preparing a new bed.
Nope. You're killing all the worms.
This year's harvest was already light-years ahead of where it should have been, had I stuck to all my outdated folk wisdom. Really, though, I'm looking forward to next year when I can use everything I've learned to start fresh and have the best vegetable garden ever.
Not only did it teach me some things I should be doing along the way, but it challenged many beliefs I had and taught me the right way. By way of example, here are some long-held beliefs that I'll be shedding thanks to this book:
1) Raised beds are great, but you need to coat the bottoms with landscape fabric.
Nope. Raised beds should be double-dug, so they extend down below the bottom edges of the frames.
2) Zucchini should be picked when they approach the size of Derek Jeter's bat.
Nope. They're best when small.
3) Rototilling new beds and turning in compost is the best way of preparing a new bed.
Nope. You're killing all the worms.
This year's harvest was already light-years ahead of where it should have been, had I stuck to all my outdated folk wisdom. Really, though, I'm looking forward to next year when I can use everything I've learned to start fresh and have the best vegetable garden ever.
September 14, 2012
This is my total go-to book for quick referencing issues that crop up in my garden. I have lots of gardening books, but when it comes to needing the info, this book delivers all the answers. Highly recommend for the beginner and seasoned gardener alike!
July 28, 2020
The Vegetable Gardner’s Bible is one of the best gardening books I’ve read.
What I learned
―wide deep raised beds make the best gardens
―roots need space to grow
―raised beds equals less compacted soil
―leaves make better mulch
What I learned
―wide deep raised beds make the best gardens
―roots need space to grow
―raised beds equals less compacted soil
―leaves make better mulch
August 17, 2018
I grew a thriving garden in my first year gardening thanks to much of the advice in this book. If you had to buy just one gardening book, this is the one I’d go for.
August 25, 2015
So much valuable information! A must-have for vegetable gardeners.
February 14, 2019
A solid five stars. What a great book for beginner and intermediate gardeners! I like that he is up to date on so many techniques. His overview of what to do about bugs is particularly good, as you don't want to hurt your beneficial insect friends at the same time you're having a war with your vine borers or white fly. (The only thing he missed saying here that I've heard in good advice is that if you're going to cave to your frustration and sprinkle some sort of organic powder to control insect crawling pests, do it at sunset and wash it off at dawn with a hose set on spray. That way, bees and butterflies won't be landing right on it, as they aren't nocturnal.)
A very few negatives: He does talk about zone 4 gardening a bit, as he lives there, but I wasn't troubled by that, as zone 4 gardeners have issues I can't even begin to compare mine. (oh, the pain of not being able to grow eggplant or huge tomatoes unless you have a greenhouse!) Also, it was just a friendly sort of chit-chat, a sentence here and there. When a gardener chitchats in a book, s/he has to be a likeable person on the page, and this fellow is, so it worked fine for me.
Similarly, he only touched a couple times on gardening in climates like Phoenix and San Diego's, but that has such an odd set of rules, you really need local resources to do it well. Local TV stations are pretty good about keeping you up to date on when to do what in those climes. Still, what he says about soil, pests, and vegetable types still applies.
Compost tea has pretty much been debunked by research (just use the compost itself--the benefit is identical and you won't waste all that time making the tea), but that may have happened subsequent to when he wrote this.
Also, it's too heavy a book to take into the garden. The upside to that is there is plenty to read on a cold winter night.
That's nitpicky though and doesn't erase my five-star impression of this book. It's pretty, it's stuffed full of facts, it talks about vegetables not everyone grows but I do (mache, claytonia, scorzanera, for instance) and I wish more people did, in addition to the ones everybody does grow. The prose is... sprightly, I guess I'd call it. The book cheered me up in February, and though I got it from the library, I'll definitely consider buying it for myself as well.
A very few negatives: He does talk about zone 4 gardening a bit, as he lives there, but I wasn't troubled by that, as zone 4 gardeners have issues I can't even begin to compare mine. (oh, the pain of not being able to grow eggplant or huge tomatoes unless you have a greenhouse!) Also, it was just a friendly sort of chit-chat, a sentence here and there. When a gardener chitchats in a book, s/he has to be a likeable person on the page, and this fellow is, so it worked fine for me.
Similarly, he only touched a couple times on gardening in climates like Phoenix and San Diego's, but that has such an odd set of rules, you really need local resources to do it well. Local TV stations are pretty good about keeping you up to date on when to do what in those climes. Still, what he says about soil, pests, and vegetable types still applies.
Compost tea has pretty much been debunked by research (just use the compost itself--the benefit is identical and you won't waste all that time making the tea), but that may have happened subsequent to when he wrote this.
Also, it's too heavy a book to take into the garden. The upside to that is there is plenty to read on a cold winter night.
That's nitpicky though and doesn't erase my five-star impression of this book. It's pretty, it's stuffed full of facts, it talks about vegetables not everyone grows but I do (mache, claytonia, scorzanera, for instance) and I wish more people did, in addition to the ones everybody does grow. The prose is... sprightly, I guess I'd call it. The book cheered me up in February, and though I got it from the library, I'll definitely consider buying it for myself as well.
November 6, 2019
I found this gem at the local used bookstore the other day. Last night I started reading (skimming is more accurate) and made it all the way to the end. To me - a novice gardener at best - it was a treasure trove of great advice, a reference I plan to use regularly.
Chapter 1:
- His argument for wide, deep raised beds, reviewing size, angles, and the centrality of sunshine.
- He includes a section on what tools you'll use and how to pick good ones. (Extra good!)
- How to cut a perfect right angle.
- Extended section on how to prepare and build raised beds.
Chapter 2:
- How to plan the garden
- Picking your seeds, and what to plant
- Section on plant families and what plants are "friends" or "adversaries"
- Crop rotations and sample beds
Chapter 3:
- Starting seedlings indoors, how to
- Cold frames and greenhouses
- Sowing seedlings outdoors
Chapter 4:
- Strategies for keeping out the weeds; tools and how to maintain them.
- Mulching and ways to step up the weed-killing approaches
- How to fertilize
- The importance of watering and how to gauge the right amount for both seedlings and mature plants
- Tools for watering and irrigation strategies
Chapter 5:
- When to harvest
- How to store your harvest
Chapter 6:
- Understanding the minerals in the soil and how to know which nutrients your plants need
- Testing your soil, pH ideals, and changing the acidity of the soil.
- Worms and rototilling
Chapter 7:
- What is compost and how to make your own
- Browns and greens in your compost pile and getting started
- How to diagnose compost troubles and their solutions
Chapter 8:
- Natural pests - bugs, slugs, and animals - how to deter them
- Common diseases and some solutions
Part 3 includes a plant directory with specific details on tons of veggies and herbs.
All-in-all, a great resource for gardening. My only wish was a little more for warmer climates. Smith gardens in Vermont where snow and cold are the big weather worry. Here in central California, it's obviously different. But most of his suggestions were still helpful/applicable.
Chapter 1:
- His argument for wide, deep raised beds, reviewing size, angles, and the centrality of sunshine.
- He includes a section on what tools you'll use and how to pick good ones. (Extra good!)
- How to cut a perfect right angle.
- Extended section on how to prepare and build raised beds.
Chapter 2:
- How to plan the garden
- Picking your seeds, and what to plant
- Section on plant families and what plants are "friends" or "adversaries"
- Crop rotations and sample beds
Chapter 3:
- Starting seedlings indoors, how to
- Cold frames and greenhouses
- Sowing seedlings outdoors
Chapter 4:
- Strategies for keeping out the weeds; tools and how to maintain them.
- Mulching and ways to step up the weed-killing approaches
- How to fertilize
- The importance of watering and how to gauge the right amount for both seedlings and mature plants
- Tools for watering and irrigation strategies
Chapter 5:
- When to harvest
- How to store your harvest
Chapter 6:
- Understanding the minerals in the soil and how to know which nutrients your plants need
- Testing your soil, pH ideals, and changing the acidity of the soil.
- Worms and rototilling
Chapter 7:
- What is compost and how to make your own
- Browns and greens in your compost pile and getting started
- How to diagnose compost troubles and their solutions
Chapter 8:
- Natural pests - bugs, slugs, and animals - how to deter them
- Common diseases and some solutions
Part 3 includes a plant directory with specific details on tons of veggies and herbs.
All-in-all, a great resource for gardening. My only wish was a little more for warmer climates. Smith gardens in Vermont where snow and cold are the big weather worry. Here in central California, it's obviously different. But most of his suggestions were still helpful/applicable.
May 28, 2020
This book is a must have for a beginner gardener. As I would read about something I am growing I would cringe seeing that I had already made errors. Moving forward it makes sense to read about the plant before planting it, eager beaver mistake. I highly recommend this book if only for the breakdown in the back of all the vegetables. No they are not all covered but all the popular ones and some I’ve never heard of. This book also touches on setting up gardens, soil, and a variety of things other than the plants themselves. Worth every penny and I’m sure this will eventually be covered with dirt and I co tongue to research and make notes. I highly recommend this book.
May 9, 2021
If I were looking for a new gardening system, I would probably have liked this book better, but much of it was how-to for his system. What I really liked was the section on the plants themselves because he included watering patterns for sowing, flowering, and harvest periods, what to or not to rotate the plant with, nutrient requirements, light requirements, and pH requirements all in a nice box for each plant. I'm hoping to use the information to try to figure out where to plant what. It's a book I may have to buy if I can find it at a used book sale.
December 4, 2017
One of my favorite gardening books. Well organized with useful sections on things like composting. Sections have nice tables with things like companion plants, good insects and bad insects. There are nice pictures of bugs and plant diseases. There is also a plant by plant section with a nice table containing both sowing and growing information. A great reference and one I will buy (unlike the dozens of other gardening books I've read).
January 4, 2018
I read this knowing almost nothing about gardening. This book covers a variety of topics, including planning the garden, making beds, starting seeds, plant nutrition, plant diseases, and composting. There's a big reference towards the end about vegetables and herbs. I wish all of it were a little better structured, and there were still some gaps for me as a newcomer, but overall it seems like a good overview and reference.
November 4, 2019
Such a useful reference guide. Useful for both preparing your garden bed, and caring for individual plants. Also contains a beneficial versus problem bug section, and encourages natural and permaculture concepts. I love the individual veggie and herb sections, which are helpful with specific plant needs. He also has tips for harvest, storage and use! I'll definitely need to be adding this to my collection.
May 27, 2021
I've had this gardening book for years, maybe since around 2005 or so, and absolutely love how this is laid out. It is such an easy reference book to find what you need to know about how to plant and care for each vegetable you choose for your garden. It is definitely a keeper. I've used this book every winter to plan out my spring gardens over the years. My copy is very used, wrinkled and dirty, probably cause I take it out to the garden with me.
March 27, 2022
This book is loaded with information, not just for raised garden beds, but for gardening all the vegetables I might want to grow. It hasn't left my kitchen table since I bought it since I am constantly referencing it. This book covers almost everything from seed to harvest! I found the photos and illustrations really helpful. This book also has a lot of charts that make information easy to understand. I'd highly recommend this for the beginner gardener!
June 11, 2024
I got this book as a textbook for an introductory home vegetable gardening course, and I can surely say that I will keep this book in my home forever! This book is incredibly approachable and thorough. It answers almost any gardening question you could think of, and it gave such an accessible and exciting introduction to gardening. It offers practical, realistic solutions and pieces of advice for gardeners of any level. I can’t wait to start a garden now.
May 4, 2018
This is a great reference for beginners or experienced alike. I learned a few things even though I've been a gardener over 40 years - since my parents made me dig/water/weed as a kid. Plentiful photographs and illustrations but I found the recommended varieties the most valuable. This book won't work as well for a balcony or small-space garden, but there is a lot of very useful information.
April 10, 2019
I wouldn’t go into this book expecting a recipe to follow for success. Instead it reads more of a guide where the author presents the setup and then gives you the tools to succeed and how to deal with setbacks. I believe new gardeners should read this book for the wealth of knowledge within, on almost every aspect of gardening, just don’t expect to be given exact plans to follow.
November 29, 2019
I just finished the 10th anniversary edition. Very easy to understand. The author explains the basics of home vegetable growing without the use of confusing graphs and charts. Vegetable gardening books by John Jeavon and Eliot Coleman are more detailed but aimed toward organic farmers that grow vegetables for profit.
January 19, 2020
Best overall book I've read about vegetable gardening. It discusses a little bit of everything. The author's teachings are not really 'controversial' like many books; it is more mainstream. Although the author does teach an environmentally friendly/organic method. The last section that has profiles for about 40 or 50 plants is very helpful.
February 27, 2018
Simply a great book. Not only aspects of Edwards style of gardening, but tips that you can adjust for yourself depending on where you live. I've used this as a reference tool for 10 years and it has served me well. Just the "friends and foes" section alone is worth it.
March 8, 2018
Zoals de titel al zegt; gericht op de Noord-Amerikaanse regio, dus veel is hier niet toepasbaar. Boek was verder wel prima. 2 sterren zodat ik weet dat ik deze niet weer als naslagwerk hoef te gebruiken.
June 29, 2018
Mt friend recommended this book to me and said her garden turned out amazing. I don’t yet know if what he said works, since I’m starting my first garden, but the book was very easy to read and explained the concepts clearly.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews