The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible, 2nd Edition Review

The Vegetable Gardeners Bible

Review of The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible, 2nd Edition

As of this writing, there are 596 customer comments and 0 answered questions for The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible, 2nd Edition.  I’ve read the customer feedback, and then condensed the results into this review.  I hope that this helps you when shopping for a gardening book.

Best Fea​tures

  • check Can be ordered as a hardcover, paperback, or on kindle
  • check Good price
  • check Written by an experienced gardener
  • check 8 chapters in the book
  • check The book teaches expert information on growing a garden

Item Specifics

The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible, 2nd Edition is written by Edward C. Smith.  For 30 years, he and his wife, Sylvia, have lived on a land that they cleared on their own, and a house they built themselves.  Over the years they have been growing more than 100 varieties of vegetables, fruits, and herbs in their 2,000 square feet of gardens and containers.  As you read through the book, you will discover Smith’s legendary high-yield W-O-R-D system, which means to have wide rows, organic methods, raised beds, and deep soil.  This gardening book will provide expert information, and will inspire you to grow a garden and enjoy homegrown vegetables.  This book has 352 pages.  You can order this book on kindle, as a hardcover, or as a paperback.

Includes Information on Soil

The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible, 2nd Edition includes information on soil.  Soil is so important when you are trying to grow specific vegetables.  Each veggie requires certain soil nutrients to thrive.  Here is what a customer had to say about the soil information included in this book, “I really like that this book also involves soil and how important it is and how to check it. Moving from another state where some vegetables grew so well to this state where those same plants struggle has been difficult. I’m going to have really invest into the soil this year and I’m grateful that this book explains the steps on what I need to do.”

Organized Well

There is a lot of information in this book and it’s well organized too.  Here is what a customer reported, “Each page includes: the name of the vegetable, information about it, where they like to been sown and grown, seed depth, germination soil temperature, days to germination, when to sow indoors (or not to), when to sow outdoors (or not to), growing pH, growing soil temperature, spacing in beds, watering, light needed, nutrient requirements, rotation considerations, and seed longevity.”

Lacking in Information for Greenhouse Growing

No book on gardening book is perfect and that includes this one.  One customer had this to say, “My only dislike about this book is that certain parts didn’t get more information. Like greenhouse growing. I was hoping there would be more information given on growing and continuing in the greenhouse should I not want to plant outside. If bee’s needed to get inside, how that would all work.”

Veteran Gardeners Give Feedback

There were a lot of positive comments from veteran gardeners.  Here is one of them, “I have been a gardener all of my life, but thanks to “The Vegetable Gardner’s Bible” I have changed some of my practices, i.e. wider and deeper beds. Will definitely initiate a compost pile because of detailed instructions contained in the book.  This book will be my resource for types of soil that each vegetable prefers and my go-to for many other questions. I highly recommend the ‘bible’.”

Good For Beginning Gardeners

Novice gardeners found a lot of good information in this book.  Here is one of the comments from a beginner gardener, “I am a beginner gardener and this book has proven to be very helpful. It covers everything. One past reviewer was dismayed and commented that this writer has taken information from other writers and created this book. Well, if that is the case I am thankful because now I don’t have to buy all those other books. It has great advise and how-to’s from the basics to more advanced.”

Lots of Information

There is a wealth of information in this book.  A customer explains, “This book will teach so many concepts, you’ll be shocked at how much you didn’t know. Plenty of pictures, great information, such as what to plant next to what, and what you can’t plant next to what to have a thriving garden. We had a huge successful garden this past year, a full quarter acre. Helping a friend now do his garden. Get this book, best garden book ever. You will learn tons, and it’s a great reference manual each Spring and Fall.”

Many Photographs

I don’t know about you, but I love pictures.  I want to see photographs when I read a gardening book.  A customer talks about the photography, “This is a beautifully made book with nice color pictures. It has a great section in the back with detailed information about most garden plants. It also has great information about companion gardening and which plants grow best next to which. It also has a section on how to identify common beneficial and harmful pests and what you can do about them.”

Makes a Nice Gift

This book would make a nice gift to newlyweds or anyone who might enjoy gardening.  Here is one of the comments about this book being given as a gift, “My husband and I got this book as a wedding gift and since then we have given it to anyone we know who likes to garden. It’s a complete beginning to end book that is easy to understand and includes everything from building raised beds to pests and how to get rid of them. There is also a complete planting guide for each vegetable- when to plant, how to pick, when to pick, pests to look for and space requirements. This book answers all questions- even for seasoned gardeners. I love this book and will continue to give it as gifts!”

User Friendly

A common opinion from customers was that The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible, 2nd Edition  is a very user friendly book.  A customer explains, “The language is friendly, practical and to the point. I don’t want to have to pick useful bits out of someone’s rambling gardening philosophy, but nor do I want a book so technical I don’t know what I’m looking at or too basic to be useful. This is the perfect balance for me.  I bought this book and literally sat down to read it (tables and side boxes included) cover to (almost) cover in one afternoon. I’m not someone who reads text books that way! I’m a skimmer. But this was so interesting that I wanted to read each section. I learned so much even before setting foot in the soil and didn’t struggle or feel bored by it. You feel like you are getting a private gardening lesson from an expert who really wants you to love it.”

Covers Natural Gardening

If you like natural gardening, chances are good that you will like The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible, 2nd Edition .  A customer had this to say, ” If you don’t like pesticides and want to grow naturally this book is a great source of information that is easy to understand and put to use. I don’t have a large space to garden in, but have managed to get a lot in a little space.”

The Vegetable Gardener's Bible

Pros

  • plus Good for beginners and experts
  • plus Natural methods
  • plus Lots of information

Cons

  • close Lacking in greenhouse information
  • close Some didn’t like the play on words
  • close Limited scope

The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible, 2nd Edition Conclusion

The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible, 2nd Edition is a comprehensive book on gardening that will be a great gift for someone you know or yourself.  It has a lot of photographs along with valuable information on gardening.  Everyone from novice gardeners to expert veteran gardeners commented that this book is filled with something for everyone.

Are the Techniques in The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible, 2nd Edition Applicable to the Tower Garden Multi-Planting System?

Yes, the techniques in The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible, 2nd Edition are applicable to the Tower Garden Multi-Planting System. With its versatile design and stackable planting pods, the tower garden multiplanting system allows for the implementation of a variety of traditional gardening techniques and methods outlined in the book.

Common Questions

Here are some top questions that I found for people considering buying The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible, 2nd Edition.

  • chevron-circle-right Does this gardening book talk about raised beds?  Yes.  In fact, it begins talking about raised beds in the first chapter.  Smith talks about how to properly make a raised bed, how a raised bed works, and other interesting facts about raised beds that will inspire you and teach you about how to have your own raised bed.
  • chevron-circle-right How many chapters are in this book?  There are 8 chapters, and three parts in this book.  There are also 352 pages in the gardening book.
  • chevron-circle-right Has the author written any other books?  Yes, Edward C. Smith has written several other gardening books.  The first book that he wrote is The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible, which he wrote in 2000.  Next, he wrote The Incredible Vegetables From Self-Watering Containers in 2006, and the year after that he published The Vegetable Gardener’s Ultimate A‑Z.   The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible, 2nd Edition came next, which is the book I am reviewing today.  He published that book in 2009.  He then wrote The Vegetable Gardener’s Container Bible in 2011.  All of Smith’s books are very popular, and can be helpful to any gardener.

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