The Half-hour Allotment

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Time management for allotments - Rated
This is an excellent complimentary book to go alongside a "how to allotment" book. Most people taking a plot nowadays don't have as much time to devote to it as they would like. This gives some excellent ideas for managing the differences between aspirations and reality. Not an everyday reference book, but readable and useful all the same.

the best investment a new plotholder can make - Rated
We had an allotment previously for five years which we had to give up for various reasons - not least the amount of work involved. We now have a new plot and even with all our previous experience - or perhaps because of it- I have found this book an invaluable resource. I know we want to get it right from the start this time and I have a pretty good idea where we went wrong last time, but even so seeing it all explained so clearly and in such a well structured way as it is in this book has really given me a lot of confidence in the systems we're putting in place and the information I need to do it.

Yes, the bit about using plug plants is a bit controversial but eminently sensible arguments are given for doing so. If you don't want to follow every word of advice in the book of course you don't have to - but at least you're asked to think through the decisions you're making in terms of effort put in and what you'll get back. We've put gooseberries in which aren't recommended but we love them and are happy to put in a bit more effort for that particular crop.

Thank you! I cannot recommend this book highly enough to a new or returning plotholder.

The Half Hour Allotment - Rated
I couldn't get on with this book. Why take on a plot if you don't have time to enjoy it. Much of it was just pictures of common vegetables with obvious annotations. I'm glad I read it at the library as I certainly wouldn't buy it

Best gardening book I've read in ages - Rated
I liked this book lots. It's full of practical advice, principally for allotment holders, but the ideas can be applied to your garden.
Some of it so obvious you think 'why didn't I do this before?'
The crux of the book is that you dedicate 30 mins, 5 days a week to your allotment/garden, with weekends off. Or you dedicate the same time, 2.5 hours at weekends.
It advises that you plan what you do with your time, and you grow high value crops, as opposed to the run of the mill variety you can get in your local shops.
I've been gardening for years, but haven't done much with fruit and veg, so this year I'm applying what I've read. So far, the results have been encouraging with far less guilt, stress and strains.
Almost anyone can find 30 mins, and on a regular basis it can make a big impact on almost any plot.
Great book.

Different ideas but I like it - Rated
Most modern veg gardening books tend to go over the same stuff and offer the same old advice but this one looks at things from a different angle. It gives good basic information for new growers and plenty of encouragement but some of the advice (buying plants as opposed to sowing seed yourself for instance) is fairly unusuall and it shows the pros and cons of both the old and their new methods.
Interesting, even though I don't agree with a few of their ideas