Charles Dowding's Skills for Growing

by Charles Dowding

A second "gardening course in a book" from master gardener Charles Dowding: 18 lessons, and over 900 photos with detailed captions

Grow creatively, learn new skills, save time, enjoy growing success!

Includes detailed information on:

how to create planting plans: succession and interplanting plant propagation spacing, picking methods, and watering using covers for both warmth and pest protection. how to grow herbs and perennial vegetables how to grow in containers how to multisow Charles Dowding explains the skills and understandings you need, the essentials of gardening success, whether the space you are gardening is large or small. His approach sometimes diverges from the mainstream because he assays and develops new or lesser-known methods, for easier and better results.

Lessons

Skills and Knowledge Fully Use your Time and Space: how to maximise growth, efficiently Sketch Out the Year: examples of plans and successions for three beds Succession and Rotation: How to plan for and succeed with new plantings throughout summer and into autumn, what can follow what Winter Gardening: Growing and preparing for winter, and harvesting during the hungry gap Perennial Vegetables and Raspberries A growing manual of 12 perennial food plants, Herbs: How to sow, harvest and maintain annuals and perennials, from basil and coriander to sage and thyme Seeds and Sowing: How to source, buy and save seeds, with illustrations of seed saving Propagation Skills: The biggest lesson, packed with information on this important subject Multisowing: Inter-sowing is a form of companion planting, because seedlings like 'nurse plants' nearby, and plants generally like being close to other plants: why and how, many examples, a big timesaver and garden filler! Close Spacings: How and when to do it and why this works so well within reason; details for many vegetables Wider Spacings: Many examples and explanations, see the results from small plants to harvests Planting Methods: Sowing direct, ways to transplant and how to do it quickly Picking Skills: When to pick for different vegetables, seasons, plant growth and harvest requirements Picking Skills(2): More on picking, including discussions and examples of cutting, Small-space Growing: Vegetables in containers, sacks, vertical and one bed Early Cropping and Covers: Using fleece and mesh, their relative values and effects in different seasons Water, Frost, Moon, Energy: How to water, what you need to know about frost and some of my "secrets" of lateral thinking, plus action

Note that this is a companion, not a sequel to No Dig Gardening, Course 1. Reading the first course book is not a prerequisite for using this book to garden better!

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction, Reference

240 pages, Hardcover

Published February 3, 2022

About the author

Charles Dowding has been pioneering organic, no dig gardening since 1982, when he began growing vegetables on a 6,000m² plot in Somerset, UK. From the beginning, his no dig methods delivered healthy, abundant crops, with fewer weeds and no need for synthetic inputs. At the time, nobody else was growing commercially at this scale without digging, and Charles has been refining the approach ever since.

Today, he shares the simplicity and power of no dig gardening with a global audience, through his books, courses, YouTube videos, social media, and regular travels to connect with growers around the world.

Charles published his first book, Organic Gardening, in 2007, and has since written 14 more. His most recent titles include New Energies for Gardening (April 2025) and Compost (September 2024). He also produces an annual Calendar of Sowing Dates, packed with practical tips based on his trials and growing experience.

From his 1,600m² Homeacres market garden in Somerset, Charles continues to experiment with crops and methods – comparing dig and no dig plots, testing new varieties, and refining techniques. The garden yields around £35,000 of produce annually and serves as a living example of how low-input, soil-first methods can lead to healthy plants and sustainable harvests.

Charles is passionate about helping others find joy and success in growing food, and believes that no dig is not just a method, but a mindset.

Reviews

[BoopBetty4 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charles Dowding’s Skills For Growing: Sowing, Spacing, Planting, Picking, Watering, and More by Charles Dowding is a must-read if you are interested in gardening, or even if you are an accomplished gardener. There is a wealth of information here, and the book is filled with informational pictures. You will learn many things here, from planning your garden to harvest. You will even learn more cost-effective ways of gardening which are especially helpful. You will also learn skills to have a winter garden, grow in containers and so much more. With Dowding's clear and concise writing style, you will be well on your way to having the garden of your dreams.

[SRodeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skills for Growing is a how-to guide on planting and growing crops. It is loaded with knowledge and advice that is easy to read and understand. Charles Dowding has written a bunch of other books of the same nature and has vast experience when it comes to growing, planting, harvesting, time saving, ideas and methods and what's more its sustainable for the environment! there doesn't appear to be a topic in the book that isn't covered.

I’m quickly becoming a big fan of Charles Dowding’s books and I can't wait to immerse myself in this book properly and get to work on the "No dig" methods and reaping the rewards. I had a quick read through already and spotted a bunch of techniques I look forward to trying out. I can see myself working through all of Dowding’s other books over time and improving my own growing techniques

Definitely I recommend this to anyone with an interest in growing their owns fruits and vegetables. What better time to start with everything being so expensive these days.

[Inga · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great starter. My only complaint is picture and captions placement. A picture and description below would have worked much better. I spent extra time undertanding where to look every time

[Grymm Gevierre · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've not read many gardening books in my day, but this one is pretty good. It even has a solid time and cost management bits that can apply to many different aspects of life.
This book has excellent advice for year-round agricultural growth and some great images of Dowding's success over the years, thanks to his hard work. It's not a list of things to do but an updated version and a fresh take on how to grow. Dowding discourages traditional hand-me-down knowledge for a more scientific approach that has given him success in his crops for years. The images shared show how Dowding has created and curated a self-sufficient lifestyle with his tips. My favorite is how to use space efficiently (like growing potatoes while killing perennial weeds). I'll use this book as a reference when starting my home garden!

[Aurora · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent follow up to No Dig. Rather than exploring each vegetable in detail, it’s organized by the skills each gardener needs and takes a deeper dive into each one. I’m excited to put it into practice this year!

[Leventak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charles Dowding’s writing style in Skills for Growing is very clear and to the point. I found that makes the book easy to follow and understand, even from a relative beginners perspective like me. The pictures make everything even more easy to follow, too.

I’m not exactly a novice, but definitely no expert in the gardening field (pardon the pun) and I was looking for something in middle ground (sorry again) to help me to further my knowledge and skills. I found this book to be perfect for me. I’ve read the complete book now, and I feel it is something I can go back and refer to as and when needed. Dowding shares his a wealth of knowledge with the reader, which will enable me to not only grow my own produce but my confidence too. I’d recommend this book to anyone with a keen interest in gardening at any level.

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the authors natural and easy approach to growing vegetables. With this day by day step-by-step guide and YouTube videos I thought I may have half a chance. I knew I would love gardening but seem to never get anything to grow but now that I have this book and have subscribe to his YouTube channel I already have plans coming up. He even tells you what types of weeds to get rid of what can be compost it’s so much more. Thank you so much for this great easy book on growing the magical garden I never thought I would have. I know this sounds like a commercial but I am so serious I love this book and wish I would’ve had this 10 years ago. I want to say thank you to the author and ask him where has he been all of my life? I highly recommend this book if you have had trouble in the past growing a garden and don’t know which weeds to pick… If any then you definitely need to read this book by Charles Dowding. you will not be disappointed. I know I definitely was not.

[Grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Valuable tips from the expert gardener

British author Charles Dowding is a champion expert on gardening and this book comes out at a particularly appropriate time as we daily observe the clouds of climate change, water shortages, heat and cold waves, and stronger storms that threaten our sustainability. His ten books to date include ORGANIC GARDENING, and NO DIG (both books surveying his No Dig growing method that unlocks natural soil fertility by unleashing the full power of beneficial soil microbes, maintaining a well-aerated environment that facilitates deep absorption of rainwater and promotes healthy plant growth), GARDENING MYTHS, HOW TO GROW WINTER VEGETABLES, SALAD LEAVES FOR AL SEASONS, HOW TO CREATE A VEGETABLE GARDEN, and this new book - an excellent collection of color photographs and concise and precise tips on gardening. Dowding places before us easy to follow instructions for sowing (and saving) seeds, how to space plants, watering wisely and economically, and more, each phase accompanied by illustrative color photographs of the process described. This book belongs in the library of all home gardeners and would make a perfect gift for friends who need to be encouraged to participate in sound ecology! Highly recommended.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book

[Swati Tanu · Rating 4 out of 5]

For gardeners of all skill levels, Charles Dowding's Skills for Growing is a thorough manual. The book, which was written by master gardener Charles Dowding, is organised into 18 classes, each of which has over 900 images and in-depth annotations. A "gardening course in a book," the book discusses everything from planting strategies and seed propagation to spacing, picking techniques, and watering. Dowding's occasionally unconventional approach to gardening is one of the book's distinguishing qualities. This book is an invaluable tool for anyone wishing to develop their creativity and pick up new abilities because the author investigates novel or uncommon approaches for quicker and better results.

The book's logical and simple organisation makes it simple for readers to find the information they require. How to effectively use your time and space in the garden is covered in the first session, "Fully Use your Time and Space." The lectures that follow discuss succession and rotation, winter gardening, perennial raspberries and vegetables, herbs, seeds and sowing, propagation techniques, and multi-swing. The chapter on "Propagation Skills" contains one of the most insightful teachings in the entire book. The author provides readers with a wealth of knowledge on how to propagate plants successfully by going into great detail about this crucial subject. The section on "Multisowing" is extremely interesting because it discusses the advantages of companion planting and inter-sowing and offers numerous instances of how to do it.

A guidebook of 12 perennial food plants is also included in the book, along with comprehensive instructions on container gardening and using covers to keep out pests and stay warm. The book's thorough photographic illustrations make it simple to comprehend the concepts and methods covered. Charles Dowding's Skills for Growing is a great resource for anyone wishing to advance their gardening abilities and succeed in their garden, in general. This book is essential reading for anybody interested in gardening because of the author's distinctive perspective and depth of expertise.

You might like to check out more similar books here.

[Pegboard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gardening made simple! Just what I needed. Charles Dowding's Skills for Growing: Sowing, Spacing, Planting, Picking, Watering, and More is so practical I was awed by his skill. I've always wished to have a green thumb; instead, my children feel sorry for any plant I purchase at the store. Dowding's "No Dig" approach to gardening makes this a really easy hobby to build upon. I also found his ability to grow during cold weather and frost makes this an invaluable book to refer to often. I was amazed at how he could keep the weed population down, allowing him to focus on other areas of his garden. This book inspired me to try again with a better approach.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fabulous guide for growing and cultivating vegetables. It is well documented with hundreds of pictures showing every step of the process and the resulting bounty! The pictures and information help to outline how to prepare, cultivate, and reap a healthy harvest. It even depicts what to do in the winter.
I think this would be a welcome resource guide for anyone who wants to create a thriving vegetable garden. What really makes this a must for me is the many pictures. Pictures always help to show exactly what to do, and this book does not disappoint.

[Leasa Ana Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skill for Growing by Charles Dowding is a gardening book meant to help and teach the reader how to grow his own vegetables in the garden all year around. I liked how the author provided only the essential pieces of information without charging the book with useless words. I liked how it takes you from 0 to the final product so that you can find an answer to any question regarding your garden, from how to prepare the ground, the space needed between seeds and plants, the characteristics and proper time to plant each seed, how to grow strong seedlings, the rotation between vegetables, and many others. I also appreciated the visual support provided by all the pictures and tables that can be found in every chapter.

[Cindy Dyson Eitelman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd read one of his gardening books before--it was where I learned how to do "no-till gardening" and became very addicted to it. In a plot as small as mine (25'x30') it makes a lot of sense, and seems to work well. The main problem I have is that I don't make nearly as much compost as I need (making compost is a lot of work) and so I end up periodically scraping up the mulch between the rows and using it as compost for top-dressing the beds. That also works well, but it is a good bit of work.

But back to this book. He had some new stuff to add to the previous book, and it is very well done. The skills he speaks of are all things I could use a refresher course in, like transplanting, watering, covering the beds, and succession. He's really big on succession. I've never been very successful with it.

Especially useful to me was the section on frost protection and how different families of plants vary in their degree of frost tolerance. But other than that, I didn't learn a lot of new stuff from this book. But I enjoyed it.

[Jennet headstones]

Ekxkxkc

[Nina]

It's almost spring!!!!