There is a certain practical, home-spun charm to a food garden that can't be found in an ornamental water garden, a perennial border bed, or a spring bulb garden. In fact, no form of gardening has more heart-felt appeal than growing your own fresh foods. Nourishing your family and friends by serving them fresh, healthful foods grown with your own hands is an experience that rewards the soul in a truly unique way. Growing Great Vegetables is well suited both for beginning vegetable gardeners seeking basic information, and for experienced gardeners looking for the most up-to-date information on vegetable gardening techniques and plant species. Readers will first learn all about planning and creating a full-featured, sustainable vegetable garden. Next, they'll learn how to plant and care for all the most popular varieties of vegetables, and how to combat weeds, common pests and diseases to ensure a bountiful harvest. Finally, they'll learn proper harvest methods for bringing foods from garden to table.