The Beginner's Guide to Growing Heirloom Vegetables: The 100 Easiest-to-Grow, Tastiest-to-Eat Vegetables for Your Garden
*Starred Review* To qualify as an heirloom, nationally recognized gardening writer Iannotti explains, a vegetable plant must be more than 50 years old, “storied or historic,” and open pollinated (no hybrids). Heirlooms are invaluable for their “genetic uniqueness” and because they “have developed natural resistance to pests and diseases.” Heirloom vegetables have been zealously reclaimed of late as gardeners seek to cultivate high-quality produce and recognize just how crucial it is to maintain biological diversity in the edible plant world. So what criteria did Iannotti use to select her 100 favorite heirloom vegetables out of today’s great inventory? Taste. But as her 10 selection categories (aromatic, beautiful, classic, colorful, long season, prolific, spicy, sweet, unusual, and versatile) reveal, there is much more to consider. Each lively vegetable profile includes an analysis of its flavor, notes and tips on growing and harvesting, and pleasingly informative and artistic color photographs. Iannotti also offers “Seed-Saving Basics” to encourage gardeners to safeguard heirloom legacies. Iannotti’s enthusiastic, handsome, and useful guide is, indeed, ideal for beginners, but it will also appeal to experienced gardeners and every cook interested in securing the most luscious and alluring vegetables. --Donna Seaman