Book Recommendation - Mastering the Art of Vegetable Gardening

Matt Mattus' Mastering the Art of Vegetable Gardening (Cool Springs Press, 2018) is another attractive gardening book about growing vegetables,  and  it one that I will be adding  to my recommended booklist.

This is a good book for new gardeners who may not be familiar with many of the details of cultivating vegetables or even with the names of commonly grown varieties. Mattus  divides his attention between how to grow different types of vegetables and summarizes the distinguishing characteristics of common cultivars along with a few less popular varieties. He does not overwhelm the gardner with information because his focus is on the practical: how and when to plant, weed and water; what are the pests and  practical responses to them. Mattus is not necessarily committed to organic practices, but  his use of commercial fertilizers and pesticides is judicious.  

Although chapter headings are entitled by common vegetable names, e.g.,  "Onions, Leeks & Garlic" and "Asparagus, Rhubarb, and Artichokes," the chapters actually appear  in alphbetical order according to the genus of the vegetable groups. This arrangement only becomes clear within a chapter where the principal species within a genus are identified: onion (allium cepa) and leeks (allium porrum). The result is that a new gardener initially may  scan through the pages (not a bad thing to do really) to find peppers or,  in desperation, go to the index  to find the page reference for her favorite vegetable. In short, if you know a new gardener who is wondering about what to plant and how to grow it (as well as liking books)  Mastering the Art of Vegetable Growing would make a thoughtful gift.

In case you're wondering, Matt Mattus, a resident of Worcester, MA, is a trustee of the Tower Hill Botanic Garden (Boyston, MA), a past president of the American Rock Garden Society and authors the blog, Growing With Plants.

And remember...

"Growing your food is like printing your own money." - Ron Finley