The New Self-Sufficient Gardener

by John Seymour

John Seymour's classic guide gives you the knowledge and expertise to create your own self-sufficient garden and produce what you need. Whatever the size of your space, discover how to garden organically and maximise your harvest, without the need for radical changes to your lifestyle.

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction, Food, Nature, Reference, Sustainability, Agriculture

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

John Seymour was an idealist - he had a vision of a better world where people aren't alienated from their labours. As a young man, he travelled all over Africa and fought in Burma in World War II. Returning penniless to England, he lived in a trolley bus and on a Dutch sailing barge before settling on a five-acre smallholding in Suffolk to lead a self-sufficient life. He continued this lifestyle with his companion Angela Ashe on the banks of the River Barrow in County Wexford, Ireland. The two had built up the smallholding from scratch over 19 years. In his last years John, Angela and William Sutherland had been running courses in self-sufficiency from their home at Killowen, New Ross. The courses were taken by students from all over the world, who come to Killowen to learn about his lifestyle and philosophies at first hand.

He was the author of over 40 books, including the best-selling The Complete Book of Self-Sufficiency, and he had made numerous films and radio programmes. Most of his later writing and public campaigning had been devoted to country matters, self-sufficiency and the environment.

In the last 18 months, he was back on his beloved Pembrokeshire farm with his daughter Ann, telling stories to his grandchildren and writing rhyming poetry, with an acerbic wit that was his last weapon against what he saw as our destructive era.

Reviews

[Barbara Radisavljevic · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another garden book I refer to when I'm planning a garden or trouble-shooting garden problems. It covers everything from making deep beds, propping up climbing or vining plants, hints for each individual fruit, vegetable, or herb, various propagation methods, greenhouse gardening, and even preserving the harvest. It has beautiful color illustrations of the fruits and vegetables at the beginning of the book, and this is followed by illustrations of the same garden layout at various times of the year, with ideas for what to do in the garden during each season.

This is one of the few books that illustrate all parts of the vegetables, including the roots. It's one of the most lavishly illustrated garden books with no photographs I own. The drawings are detailed and practical and show you how to do things much better than text alone ever could. The book content ends with a chapter on miscellaneous topics, such as raising fowl, rabbits, and bees, using garden sheds, maintaining tools, and using the provided information on climate zones. If I could only own one garden book, this would be it.

[Serialbookstarter:Marla · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite gardening book! It’s a constantly ongoing reread. The illustrations are perfection. If you’re interested in having a nostalgic garden reminiscent of times gone by find a copy of this book. I thrifted this one years and years ago.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love John Seymour. I actually have "The New Self-Sufficient Gardener." I checked it out from the library first, but then made the leap and bought it because I liked it so much. He gives a lot of tips for cooler climates, which I appreciated. One of my favorite parts of this book is the section where it talks about the garden during the different seasons. It has lovely illustrations and a lot of information for people that want to grow for self-sufficiency, rather than just to have a few tasty tomatoes in the summer. Probably my favorite gardening book!

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best (and perhaps only) introduction to gardening you'll ever need. John Seymour is practical, funny, kind, and seriously gifted with a green thumb. The illustrations are also beautiful.

[Erin Whittier · Rating 3 out of 5]

good, quick reference book for most plants. my problem with it is that a) it is too brief at times where elaboration is appreciated, and b) i find that you have to search around for the same answer. (((eg: when reading about a specific disease in some types of plants, i didn't understand much about it, and had to look at other plants and piece together an incredibly brief description from 3 separate entries.))

i otherwise find this to be a useful guide, but certainly not a gardener's bible. (perhaps more like cliff notes to the gardener's bible, whichever that might be)

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a new homeowner with a ridiculously (and wonderfully) huge garden and an old-fashioned sense of values this book greatly appealed to me and my new husband. (It's been a big, amazing year...) We wanted to learn from our land and our fore-gardeners to really connect with the 1850s house that we live in and the kinds of ways that people not only survived but thrived when it was built. It's good to be self-sufficient!

[Emma Mc carthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very practical down to earth book written in simple language,full of good solid info,wonderful illustrations, bit big to keep in the shed but perfect for winter evening when deciding on seed orders!

[Nece · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic book! Definitely a reference book to be consulted often. The illustrations are particularly helpful. Writing is good and helpful even to the new gardener.

[Sherri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I jam packed old-school book to add your gardening bookshelf. Great drawings and know how.

[Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

IMHO: The best source for gardening.

[Karissa Groharing · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been really helpful as a first year gardener. I bought it off Amazon on a whim and I'm glad I did. It's easy to look up what I need help with using the index, and the illustrations make it interesting to even just flip through. I've already learned a lot from this book.

[Mary Marsell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es la obra original y la auténtica Biblia para cualquiera que pretenda tener un huerto. Excelente. Para tener cerca siempre que quieres consultar las mejores técnicas e ideas para plantar y cosechar.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this. Great quick reference guide and provided natural solutions to common issues. My mom also bought a copy after flipping through it. Especially helpful with fruit trees!

[Justin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing special. Not sure who is correct Seymour with his "double digging" or the "no till" people (who I generally agree with), or possibly a mixture of both.

[Katarina Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Seymour sets out to write a book about self-sufficiency in the home garden he leaves no stone un-turned. I would recommend this book for someone with a foundation in gardening although he does address the basics such as soil structure, plot layouts and compost creation. The book is straight-forward but contains a depth of information that beginners might find overwhelming.

What makes this reference different from others I've read is the attention Seymour pays to aspects of self-sufficiency beyond the vegetable garden. He addresses the care and butchering of an assortment of domesticated animals such as chickens, ducks, rabbits and pigeons. Beekeeping is also introduced, encouraging the gardener to establish their own colony. Those wishing to establish gardens in the city are severely limited in the animals they can keep but it's useful information to have in a guide since animals are critical to truly independent eating.

Overall, the book is a valuable addition to any gardening library. Two elements that detracted from it for me was the US/European focus (something a Canadian gardener simply has to live with in most cases) and the prevalence of pest control methods that are dated (homemade pesticides that may now be illegal). The final page of the book addresses these changes so the reader is aware but another, more recent gardening guide would likely be able to provide updated, and more environmentally-friendly, pest-control recommendations.

[Eric Moote · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall: Immediately useful and has a ton of information which would make this a valuable book to have on hand.

Although I am not a "self-sufficient" gardener, I do like to garden and love to eat food grown in my backyard. This book would help any hobby gardener immediately, regardless of the season. It's year-round information and tactics for upping your yield and growth.

I would recommend this to: hobby gardeners like me.

[Bob Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very practical and informative, well written with wonderfully useful pictures and some fine vegetable illustrations. I refer to this cherished book in every season of the year for necessary tasks and other planning. This should be the book you buy if you want to start gardening to feed your family and improving your diet. It really could change your life which really may be necessary when Monsanto controls the food supply.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book! It's a great guide to getting started growing your own food. The only thing it lacks is specific climate info, so I have to read it in conjunction with the New Western Garden Book to make sure I can actually grow the things I'm looking at. Not that I currently have a yard (or even a window box) but someday soon I fully intend to get one and grow food in it.

[Stephanie MacDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! This book is AMAZING! If you are like me, a beginning gardener, you will be blown away at the wealth of information in this book. Easy to understand and really gets you motivated to literally go get your hands dirty! Very well organized; you will walk away learning something new every time you pick up this book. I highly recommend it to ALL-we all need to become more self-sufficient.

[Jenna Anderson]

It’s weird for me to read all these gardening books while having no actual garden. But I liked this one. The author has a lot of information to share about gardening in a way that doesn’t require total dependency on capitalism.

I’ll come back to it when I actually get my hands on some dirt, but it could be a contender for my generalized gardening reference book.

[Amelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best of the general gardening books I read in this fall's garden-related reading. It's a lot like Backyard Homestead but older and with more of a British angle. It seems to be quite thorough and detailed and has lots of nice botanical drawings.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author conveys a doable program for the DIY person.Outlining the steps one should take as the year progresses through the seasonal changes. Great read for all whose aspirations often out grow the smallest home garden.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book. When my first copy was ruined in a flood, one of the first things I did was order a new copy off Amazon. Good information for gardening, seed saving, composting, and making your land work for you.

[Tinamarie Bianchino-Sexton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I repeatedly return to this book, year after year. I have owned it for quite some time....like over 20 years. My copy is from 1979, with the most beautifully illustrated and detailed info on gardening on our great Gaia. LOVE!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extemely thorough, though geared for gardening in the U.K.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

awesome illustrations, and excellent information

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

For planning the yard.

[Germà · Rating 3 out of 5]

Molt útil i complet per als urbanites que volen iniciar-se en el món de l'horticultura.

[Karie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm sure this book is great and informative for the experienced gardener, but this novice found it totally overwhelming.

[Renee Wilkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations and really easy to follow projects. This is a tried-and-true guide to gardening from pruning to growing good soil. I refer to it still when I have questions in the garden.