Grow Your Own Magazine

I'm looking for some good books on fruit growing, both trees and bushes. My ideal volume would detail loads of varieties (including rare/vintage/heritage) and give details on how and where to grow, pruning, harvesting, preserving produce etc. I'm happy to buy more than one book to gain all that info though! I've drawn a blank at my local library (which is weird, given that they're pretty good for veg and flowers) so any advice would be appreciated before the clicky finger goes mad at Amazon!

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http://thankyouforthedays.blogspot.com/

Always look on the bright side of life...
I mean - what have you got to lose?
You know, you come from nothing - you're going back to nothing.
What have you lost? Nothing!

I'd always start with Dr Hessayon's Fruit Expert.

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~ What do I think of Western civilisation? I think it would be a very good idea ~ Gandhi

The RHS's The Fruit Garden Displayed is a good basic book on growing, pruning, etc.

valmarg

me too can highly recommend

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The love of gardening is a seed once sown never dies ...

Dr Hessayon is great, but he's been an institution for so long that, personally, I find his books are a bit dated in places.

One I turn to time and again is 'Ultimate Fruit and Nuts'. It's about £40, but it's over an inch thick and I've never found it lacking in an answer to any query. Would be in my top three gardening books without a doubt. Try this link....

green-shopping.co.uk gardening & cultivation 3

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Resistance is fertile

...and Ken Muir's little fruit guide is great too

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Resistance is fertile

The Fruit Manual
By Robert Hogg From 1884 (reprinted)
Cost £40
Isbn Number 1-904078-03-6
Has A Shade Under 800 Pages,
Has 260 Pages
Of Apples With About 10-15 Verieties Per Page
Same Of Pears,plums,
Has Hundreds Of Gooseberry Varieties, Strawberrys Raspberrys,
Almond,currants,figs,grapes,peaches
All With Write Ups On Colour,shape,taste,etc
Covers All Fruit Of The Period And Well Before
Should Be On Amazon
Stew

Came across this

Potted Orchards: Growing Fruit in Small Spaces by Alan F. Simmons

sounds interesting?

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Manda.

"Wouldn't it be nice
For maybe an hour
To not have a care."

The Hessayon books are dated it's true, but I'd still buy a copy as often they're the only books with pictures of the pests and diseases that you might come across. OK so he usually recommends nuking them, but once you've identified what you've got you can then refer to an organic book to discover how to beat them naturally. Most books usually make do with a written description of pests which, when many look very similar, is not always enough.

Thanks everyone

I found the Hogg Fruit Manual that swaine mentioned for just over a tenner, so I've ordered that. I'm also very tempted by the Ultimate Fruit and Nut Guide. I've found a couple of places offereing it for under £30, so I might get that one too in a little while

__________________
http://thankyouforthedays.blogspot.com/

Always look on the bright side of life...
I mean - what have you got to lose?
You know, you come from nothing - you're going back to nothing.
What have you lost? Nothing!

I have the Dr Hessayon book but also use:
Title: Growing Tree Fruits
Author: Bonham Bazeley
ISBN: 000422336-5
It covers most fruits and includes American varieties.

If you want a reference for apples there is one called The Books of Apples. It is produced by/from The Brogdale Trust which has the national collection of about 2000+ varieties of apples

Thanks deadwood, I've added both to my wishlist.

__________________
http://thankyouforthedays.blogspot.com/

Always look on the bright side of life...
I mean - what have you got to lose?
You know, you come from nothing - you're going back to nothing.
What have you lost? Nothing!