8 Gems of Vegetable-Growing Wisdom I Learned From Old Gardening Books – & They’re Just Genius!
Move over TikTok – I found these nuggets of grow-your-own know-how in my collection of vintage gardening books, and they've been so helpful in my veggie patch.
For years, I’ve collected vintage gardening books, scouring thrift stores, flea markets and yard sales in my search for interesting tomes. The gorgeous illustrations, faded covers, poetic words and fancy lettering – even the scent of the old paper pages: these old books have a charm of their own. But, as well as being beautiful, I've discovered they’re also an amazing source of gardening tips that are still incredibly relevant to vegetable growers and gardeners today.
These old books are packed full of the type of gardening wisdom that used to be handed down the generations as family members gardened together side-by-side. So many of us move away from our roots these days, and this sort of inherited knowledge is easily lost along the way – which is why I find vintage books such a rich source of advice and guidance. Dipping into my vintage library is rather like having the voice of a kindly grandparent passing on their gardening wisdom and experience as you grow.
It's the expert tips about growing vegetables that I've found most useful – and I guess, back in the day when everyone grew their own supplies, a decent dinner rested on such expertise. I hope you find these old grow-your-own tips as useful as I have…
1. Water Seedlings From Beneath
'When your seedlings are well through and need watering, hold the box in a bath of water till moisture appears on the surface. Dip it in very gradually or you will disturb the soil.'
The ABC of the Greenhouse by W.E. Shewell-Cooper, published 1947 English Universities Press Ltd
I've tried this out myself with trays of tiny seedlings, and it’s a great way to irrigate seedlings. It drenches the roots without damaging the fragile plants or disturbing their roots. Sadly, I don’t have a vintage zinc bathtub to hand, so I use a large flexible plastic tub. Despite being less aesthetically pleasing, it works like a dream.
2. Twist Plant Ties to Cushion Stems
'The Wrong Method of tying' vs 'The Right Method of Tying'.
The Alphabet of Gardening by T.W. Saunders, published 1926 by W.H.&L. Collingridge
Since I spotted this tip, I always use this clever way of tying when I support plants such as tomatoes or runner beans with a stake. For a start, the twist means the tie stays put rather than sliding around, and this method holds the stem slightly more firmly for better support. But the really clever bit is that the twist acts as a little cushion, protecting the stem from rubbing against the support.
3. Shade Your Tomatoes
‘Strange though it may seem, heat is the great enemy of tomatoes under glass, especially those in a small greenhouse which may become like an oven on a July midday. For this, a little shade is a great help.’
The Vegetable Garden by E.R. Janes, published 1954 Penguin Books
Last summer in my greenhouse, I scorched my poor baby tomato plants to a crisp, so this tip is something I wish I’d read sooner. Burnt brown leaves, shrivelled flowers – it was a sad, sad scene of devastation. Learn from my mistakes and shade your greenhouse if you're growing tomatoes in a hot zone: treat your greenhouse with shading compound spray or fit a temporary fabric shade to protect your little toms from the sun.
4. Ripen Onions Faster
'The ripening of onions is hastened by bending over the tops with the handle of hoe or rake.'
How to Grow and Produce Your Own Food by Charles Boff, published 1946 Odhams Press Ltd
If you're growing onions, you'll know the frustration of waiting for them to ripen, and their tops to naturally fall over and brown before harvesting your crop. This tip is so simple to do, but so effective. It's particularly handy if you’re trying to harvest your crop quickly in order to clear space for another.
5. Encourage Dense Cabbage Hearts
‘A loose cabbage can be encouraged to heart-up by making a vertical cut in the stem and wedging this open with a piece of stick.’
How to Grow and Produce Your Own Food by Charles Boff, published 1946 Odhams Press Ltd
I have to admit that I haven't tried this trick yet, but I will be putting into practice soon in the community veg patch I help out at. We're growing cabbages at the community veg patch I'm involved with, and some are looking decidedly lack-lustre and floppy. This method looks pretty extreme, but it might just be their saving.
6. Banish Carrot Fly
‘When carrots are thinned out, soil should be pressed back around the remaining plants by treading or with the back of the rake. This is to discourage the destructive carrot fly which seeks to lay eggs in loose soil.’
How to Grow and Produce Your Own Food by Charles Boff, published 1946 Odhams Press Ltd
I've been growing carrots for years, and before I read this little gem of gardening expertise, I had no idea that carrot flies laid their eggs in loose soil. It’s a pest I’ve struggled with in the past, so lesson learned.
7. Remove Diseased Leaves Fast
'Whether tomatoes occupy the greenhouse alone or if they have to share it with many other plants, the greatest cleanliness should be practised. Diseased plants should go to the furnace – quickly. Dead leaves should be removed from the house’
The Vegetable Garden by E.R. Janes, published 1954 Penguin Books
Every now and again I give my greenhouse a good clean out, sweeping up the stray potting soil from the paving slabs and turning a jumble of flowerpots into an orderly stack. But the hygiene aspect of immediately removing none-too-healthy leaves from my tomato plants? I didn't once think about the fact that quietly ignoring them was encouraging pests and disease to multiply. And at the end of the season, I was guilty of throwing dead or diseased plants onto the compost heap.
Now I know that a little greenhouse clutter is forgivable, but I need to prioritise keeping my plants tidy.
8. Add Borage to Drinks
‘(Lemon) Balm is used by both our cook and butler. The cook mixes it with other herbs in various ways, and the butler puts it along with borage in summer drinks.’
Garden Herbs by George E. Whitehead, published 1942 by Adam & Charles Black
Sadly I do not have a butler or a cook, but I consider this tip highly relevant to gardening as I do like to make a refreshing drink after a session in the veggie patch on a hot summer's afternoon. I can now vouch that adding lemon balm leaves to a mojito cocktail is a genius idea, as is scattering a few borage flowers on a G&T for a pretty finishing touch.
