Jeavons and Cox put out a new book this year called: The Sustainable
Vegetable Garden. The book is 117 pages and is useful for both
beginning and experienced gardeners.
I have my usual criticism of Jeavons books so lets get them out
of the way first.
1. This material in this book works best in temperate areas
and does not have a discussion of when or where these methods
fit. Desert areas, plains, and tundra regions may need
different methods. Also, the availability of water is
often a big factor and isn't adequately addressed.
2. From a diversity and wholistic standpoint these methods
are just one tool and not sustainable by themselves. A
discussion of this might help someone design more appropriately.
For example, the use of animals, trees, perennials, and
integration with natural areas was not considered.
3. The book is really about one sustainable(?) technique which
fits small gardens. It provides a simple cookbook approach.
The methods are also labor intensive and not for everyone.
Once we get a clear picture of when to use Jeavons Biointensive
methods the book becomes a fun read and useful tool. The outline
of the book goes something like this:
Thinking about sustainable food.
Preliminary garden thoughts.
Choosing plants.
Preparing the bed.
Feeding compost.
Seedlings.
Planning and Planting.
Growing compost.
Growing calories.
Companion planting.
Garden health.
Next years seeds.
Compared to the average garden book this is a big step toward
sustainable thinking and is highly recommended. The emphasis
on record keeping and sample charts looks useful as does
the discussion on growing your own compost.
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Jeff Owens ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) Zone 7, http://www.teleport.com/~kowens
Underground house, solar energy, reduced consumption, no TV
