Heritage vegetables : the gardener's guide to cultivating diversity

This guide recommends 350 old-fashioned varieties of vegetables that should make gardening more satisfying, and cooking and eating more enjoyable. for human consumption. Modern varieties have been developed for their high yields, bright colours, regular shape and size and their convenience to pack. diversity can result in genetic wipe-out, such as in the case of the Irish potato famine of the 19th century, when all the potatoes came from a similar genetic base and were vulnerable to the same spread of disease. of Diversity, Pressures for Conformity and Saving the Seed. Part Two lists old varieties available today, with the history and origins of vegetables. of modern vegetables, gardeners can maintain genetic diversity, enhance resistance to pests, diseases and climatic change, and ensure the security of food supplies for a sustainable future. The Small Ecological Garden.… (more)