Breed Your Own Vegetable Varieties: The Gardener's and Farmer's Guide to Plant Breeding and Seed Saving, 2nd Edition

I bought this book a few months ago and have been enjoying it very much. I am a hardcore gardener and for many years now I have been breeding my own roses and have also done some hybridizing with begonias. I had never tried crossing vegetables though. After reading Carol Deepe's neat book though, I've decided that starting next spring I will be making some hybrid crosses with vegetables, for sure. Most people who garden do not really understand the whole process of making crosses, of creating new hybrids. This book explains it very clearly and gardeners will find out that it isn't really difficult at all. Quite simple actually, and with some often remarkable rewards. As explained well in this text, vegetables today are mostly bred just for the market, for things like better shipability. Breeding for taste and other such, is pretty well now left up to the amateur breeders. My point here is that if you want to grow the best vegeatbles, you almost need to start crossing your own. One of the biggest pleasures of creating your own vegetable crosses is that they are YOUR OWN. You can then grow things that no one else is growing, planting seeds that are not for sale anywhere. This can add a huge amount of pleasure to gardening. It just makes it all much more fun. This book is useful, interesting, well written and easy to understand. It would make a great present for anyone who loves to garden and by all means get one for yourself, too. It will easily pay for itself the very first season you own it. A dandy book!

I purchased this because I am interested in both saving seeds and also breeding vegetables. Since the two are closely related I figured I would start with the theory. With this book you could probably do all the seed saving you need, but you would have to use your own brain to figure out the details. As in, this book gives broad overviews of if this plant has this type of flower, then it probably needs to be pollinated this way, etc, but it may or may not give you the exact description for that exact plant. For people who don't want to learn theory to do the act, this may not be the book, but for me it was wonderful. Ashworth's Seed to Seed is referenced several times; I suspect the author intended it to compliment her book. I plan to read it next, now that I understand the theory.Carol Deppe's writing style is certainly unique and I find it very enjoyable. She tells a story to start an idea, explains the concept, then explains how that concept relates to her story. The effect, if you are patient, is to see the thought processes an experienced and educated plant breeder uses to make informed decisions, which can be very helpful to beginners who don't know where to start. However, unless you live in Oregon, you will have to use her examples only as "This is how my thought process should run" and not as "do this exactly" since all of her examples use her own personal experiences.

This is a very practical book for every Gardener to be able to practice seed saving and vegetable breeding to obtain more desirable plants. Many examples are explained. The added sections in this second edition are an outline for how to proceed on personal breeding projects. Classical breeding techniques are covered. Selection and crossing are included as well as when to use each method are discussed in great detail with many examples. It's definitely the gardening book of the decade and more.

I was expecting a general "how to" book, but Deppe's work is beyond just the methods of plant breeding and seed saving--the detailed explanations of why everything works the way it does and how to apply those principles to your own projects is just incredible. We are so very lucky to have a geneticist-turned-gardener who was willing to take the time to write a book and share all of this knowledge with us. This is not "light reading" (though some of her anecdotes made me laugh out loud), so be prepared for a few polynomial expressions and an unfamiliar new vocabulary with words like "monoecious," and "heterozygous." I believe this is why some reviewers found the book frustrating; it takes focus and a dedication to read, reflect and learn. Don't worry though, she walks you through it all and provides excellent examples.For those uncertain about taking the plunge into Breed Your Own Vegetable Varieties, I would suggest reading her book  The Resilient Gardener: Food Production and Self-Reliance in Uncertain Times  first, then jumping into this book.If you have read  How to Grow More Vegetables, Eighth Edition: (and Fruits, Nuts, Berries, Grains, and Other Crops) Than You Ever Thought Possible on Less Land Than You ... (And Fruits, Nuts, Berries, Grains,) , Deppe's books are a great contrast; they'll really get you thinking (and that's what we should be doing, right?).

This book is very useful. I have not read all but will for sure come back to it over and over again.

I really enjoyed this book. It did inspire me to start saving my own seed. I've definitely got the breeding bug

oh jesus come on, I havent' read the bokk yet ok? it's been sitting in my shalef but I'm looking forward to having time for it!

To me, it's really a useful book. It helps me consider so many things about gardenning and open myself to it. About crosses, how pollination works, how flowers itself work, how to create your own hybrids, or select your seeds to have your variety of vegetables, that will do specificly well on your land.Even if written some years, I feel it's still of our times.It mixes Biological informations, technical stuff about plants, and simply "playing around", as the author says, in the garden.

Best than I expecteded