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Niki Jabbour's Veggie Garden Remix: 238 New Plants to Shake Up Your Garden and Add Variety, Flavor, and Fun
2019 American Horticultural Society Book Award Winner 2019 GardenComm Media Awards Gold Medal Winner Best-selling author Niki Jabbour invites you to shake up your vegetable garden with an intriguing array of 224 plants from around the world. With her lively “Like this? Then try this!” approach, Jabbour encourages you to start with what you know and expand your repertoire to try related plants, many of which are delicacies in other cultures. Jabbour presents detailed growing information for each plant, along with fun facts and plant history. Be prepared to have your mind expanded and catch Jabbour’s contagious enthusiasm for experimentation and fun in the garden.
603 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 6, 2018
39 people are currently reading
232 people want to read
About the author
Niki Jabbour
10 books40 followersNiki Jabbour is the author of the best-selling, award winning book, The Year Round Vegetable Gardener (American Horticultural Society Book Award), Groundbreaking Food Gardens & Veggie Garden Remix (All published by Storey Publishing). Niki writes for a wide variety of magazines and newspapers, including Fine Gardening, Horticulture, Garden Making and Birds & Blooms. She speaks at garden shows, events and venues across North America. Niki is also the award-winning host of the long-running show The Weekend Gardener on News 95.7 FM (www.news957.com) that airs Sundays 10 to noon Atlantic time, April through October. Niki is a founding member of the award-winning website, www.SavvyGardening.com (2017 Gold Award for Best Overall Garden Blog & Best Digital Media from the Association for Garden Communicators).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
July 15, 2019
I am trying to expand both my gardening and culinary skills and the author introduced me to some interesting new produce. I especially enjoyed learning about the vegetables and herbs from India since I am taking a cooking class from that region of the world. Nice professional photos and good researched text.
September 14, 2017
Will be posting my thoughts nearer to publication time.
April 26, 2018
This is an excellent book, one of the sort I should probably stop reading.
*my brain* "Whoa, look how cool that is! I should grow that! I can cook that! That would fit in that unused corner..."
*rational brain* "Maybe we should focus on the some of the other 40 species we're trying to grow-"
*rest of brain* "nah, lets go put in another order for plants!"
*my brain* "Whoa, look how cool that is! I should grow that! I can cook that! That would fit in that unused corner..."
*rational brain* "Maybe we should focus on the some of the other 40 species we're trying to grow-"
*rest of brain* "nah, lets go put in another order for plants!"
September 10, 2017
A how-to book for gardeners that encourages people to chose a more diverse range of vegetables. Jabbour opens with a sweet story describing how she herself began to explore beyond 'traditional' veggies: she planted a snake gourd, believing it to be inedible but useful for decorating once dried. Instead her mother-in-law recognized the small, young version of the gourd as a vegetable she hadn't eaten since her childhood in Lebanon, and promptly cooked a long-lost stew.
The book is organized by chapters comparing each exotic to a more standard example. Enjoy growing tomatoes? Why not try a Cape gooseberry! Tired of snap beans? What about growing your own chickpeas or edamame! A fan of cucumbers? What about the cucamelon! Each plant or varietal gets its own section with lots of photos and Jabbour's tips from her own experience growing them.
My one complaint about the book is that Jabbour doesn't list preferred Garden Zones for any of the featured plants. She does give 'days to maturity', which is helpful, but I've got to assume climate also make a difference when choosing what to grow. But other than that it's a fun, useful book for anyone who likes trying new things.
I read this as an ARC via NetGalley.
The book is organized by chapters comparing each exotic to a more standard example. Enjoy growing tomatoes? Why not try a Cape gooseberry! Tired of snap beans? What about growing your own chickpeas or edamame! A fan of cucumbers? What about the cucamelon! Each plant or varietal gets its own section with lots of photos and Jabbour's tips from her own experience growing them.
My one complaint about the book is that Jabbour doesn't list preferred Garden Zones for any of the featured plants. She does give 'days to maturity', which is helpful, but I've got to assume climate also make a difference when choosing what to grow. But other than that it's a fun, useful book for anyone who likes trying new things.
I read this as an ARC via NetGalley.
April 17, 2019
Do you like growing or eating food? Do you wonder about some of the stranger foods that show up on grocery store shelves or seed racks? Or are you a gardener who is in a rut? Then this is a great book for you to read. The author grows a lot of unusual foods and honestly describes how to grow them and what they taste like. As a result I'm already putting in four different kinds of cucumbers and a Honeynut squash with more new veggies coming soon. I like the way she groups them as "If you like... then try..." taking the reader from the familiar to the unknown. And she doesn't exclude unusual varieties of familiar foods.
I've lived and eaten around the world, but was only familiar with a few of what's included in here. It's good reading and a fascinating introduction into the wider world of food crops that most of us can grow in our gardens.
I've lived and eaten around the world, but was only familiar with a few of what's included in here. It's good reading and a fascinating introduction into the wider world of food crops that most of us can grow in our gardens.
May 1, 2018
this was a fun idea for a gardening book, with just the right mix of geekiness, practical advice, and sense of humor. as a veg-based chef, foodie, and gardener, there wasn't a lot in here for me personally that i wasn't aware of, and only one thing i hadn't heard of before and was interested in possibly growing. fun times!
October 25, 2017
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader
Niki Jabbour is a familiar name to people who love gardening (or reading about gardening). This is her newest book, which offers a fun and useful look at heirloom varieties and alternatives to classic garden crops such as potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, radishes, etc.
There's a whole literal world of heirloom and localized varieties which are mostly not known to American gardeners. Some of them are becoming more available via farmers' markets and CSAs as well as heirloom seed saving groups, many of whom have an almost zealous fervor about spreading and preserving the variety and heritage many of our great grandparents took for granted.
This book, 240 pages, due to be released 6th of February, 2018 from Storey publishing is written in Jabbour's informal, familiar, and informative style. It also has an unusual format. The chapters are arranged around garden standard plants and their lesser known (but often more delicious and nutritious) alternatives: 'if you like tomatoes---why not try this'. There are chapters for tomatoes, cucumbers, summer squash, snap beans, arugula, lettuce, spinach, cabbage, and several others. The 'alternatives' to the usual popular garden staples include information and many luscious full color photos of 238 new plants to try in your home garden.
The photography is straight up gardening heaven. Beautifully photographed and well explained, the photos support the text very well and give great depth to the book. There are also a fair number of pictures of (presumably) Niki's own family garden. I've yet to meet a gardener who doesn't like to see pictures of other people's gardens. (Hint: hers are well organized, healthy, and beautiful).
I like that she takes the time in several places to talk about pollinating insects and planting heirloom varieties for other reasons than just growing exactly the same thing as everyone else. Diversity is so incredibly important and she really 'gets it'.
One quibble I had with the book and text (and it's a small one) is that she generally doesn't talk about suitability for different zones. I get the feeling that was intentional, because it might have been beyond the scope of the book, and that gently forcing the readers to do more support is a good thing... but some broad general guidelines would have been useful, I think.
Anyhow, a beautifully written and photographed book which fills a definite need. I enjoyed the chatty style and the lovely photography.
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.
Niki Jabbour is a familiar name to people who love gardening (or reading about gardening). This is her newest book, which offers a fun and useful look at heirloom varieties and alternatives to classic garden crops such as potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, radishes, etc.
There's a whole literal world of heirloom and localized varieties which are mostly not known to American gardeners. Some of them are becoming more available via farmers' markets and CSAs as well as heirloom seed saving groups, many of whom have an almost zealous fervor about spreading and preserving the variety and heritage many of our great grandparents took for granted.
This book, 240 pages, due to be released 6th of February, 2018 from Storey publishing is written in Jabbour's informal, familiar, and informative style. It also has an unusual format. The chapters are arranged around garden standard plants and their lesser known (but often more delicious and nutritious) alternatives: 'if you like tomatoes---why not try this'. There are chapters for tomatoes, cucumbers, summer squash, snap beans, arugula, lettuce, spinach, cabbage, and several others. The 'alternatives' to the usual popular garden staples include information and many luscious full color photos of 238 new plants to try in your home garden.
The photography is straight up gardening heaven. Beautifully photographed and well explained, the photos support the text very well and give great depth to the book. There are also a fair number of pictures of (presumably) Niki's own family garden. I've yet to meet a gardener who doesn't like to see pictures of other people's gardens. (Hint: hers are well organized, healthy, and beautiful).
I like that she takes the time in several places to talk about pollinating insects and planting heirloom varieties for other reasons than just growing exactly the same thing as everyone else. Diversity is so incredibly important and she really 'gets it'.
One quibble I had with the book and text (and it's a small one) is that she generally doesn't talk about suitability for different zones. I get the feeling that was intentional, because it might have been beyond the scope of the book, and that gently forcing the readers to do more support is a good thing... but some broad general guidelines would have been useful, I think.
Anyhow, a beautifully written and photographed book which fills a definite need. I enjoyed the chatty style and the lovely photography.
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.
February 23, 2018
I first heard about this book and the author from the podcast I listen to “Living Homegrown” and I knew I had to get the book! I mean how could you not with such fascinating names and varieties of edibles I had never heard of! But this was more than just another garden plant picture book with minuscule information, this was a plethora of plant knowledge and use which I greatly appreciated! If I’m going to add another gardening book to my shelf, then it needs to earn its shelf space and this book certainly has!
This book has captivating pictures and useful information. I appreciate that she includes great pictures of almost all the varieties she mentions. And my favorite parts were when she shared a little bit of cultural information about the plant, how it’s prepared in that culture and how she likes to use and prepare it. That’s the biggest challenge for me. Okay, so I can grow it but then what do I do? I am not an experimental chef. I’m a basic cook the familiar foods chef but I would love to branch out especially into other cultures preparations or just learn ideas from others and this book definitely helps in that area. That really was what kept me reading, engaged and excited. Sure its fun to dream of garden planning but my time is limited and if I’m going to spend time growing it I need to know how to get the most out of it which means understanding how to bring it to the table. I also appreciate that she also teaches you the best way to grow the items. This book is a plethora of information and should be on every gardeners shelf!
The only improvements I would say this book could have would be to make sure each item mentioned had an accompany picture, growing guide or what she found worked for her, a cultural story and/or use, and a recipe of some sort for each. But really, she did a great job with this book and it was well worth the time reading it in its entirety. Now I look forward to my spring garden and to reading her other books!
Recommend for:
Gardeners
People who are interested in other cultural foods
This book has captivating pictures and useful information. I appreciate that she includes great pictures of almost all the varieties she mentions. And my favorite parts were when she shared a little bit of cultural information about the plant, how it’s prepared in that culture and how she likes to use and prepare it. That’s the biggest challenge for me. Okay, so I can grow it but then what do I do? I am not an experimental chef. I’m a basic cook the familiar foods chef but I would love to branch out especially into other cultures preparations or just learn ideas from others and this book definitely helps in that area. That really was what kept me reading, engaged and excited. Sure its fun to dream of garden planning but my time is limited and if I’m going to spend time growing it I need to know how to get the most out of it which means understanding how to bring it to the table. I also appreciate that she also teaches you the best way to grow the items. This book is a plethora of information and should be on every gardeners shelf!
The only improvements I would say this book could have would be to make sure each item mentioned had an accompany picture, growing guide or what she found worked for her, a cultural story and/or use, and a recipe of some sort for each. But really, she did a great job with this book and it was well worth the time reading it in its entirety. Now I look forward to my spring garden and to reading her other books!
Recommend for:
Gardeners
People who are interested in other cultural foods
Read
March 14, 2021Niki Jabbour is a national treasure - I love how she's helping Canadians grow year-round gardens, unlocking the mysteries of how to extend seasons and keep growing through the long winter and bitter early spring.
Gardening has become such a lifeline this year, so I've just been taking every book I can find on gardening out of the library. When I searched Niki's name, this was one of only two books I could find. (The rest are e-books, and I'm not yet equipped for this!) I've also read "Groundbreaking Gardens" and loved it. The beneficial insect and cocktail gardens are on my "to do" list!
This book is really fun and inspiring, and its writing style does just enough to entice you to seek out the seeds and set you up for success.
After reading this, I'm keen to try ground cherries, which grow well in my area, a dry, rocky landscape. I'm also keen to try Sungold cherry tomatoes, which Niki recommends in another recent article. Black Zebra should also be on my list - I love shopping for tomatoes. It's almost overwhelming.
Same with peppers - I had a really terrible harvest last year, so I'm hoping this year goes a little better. Cucamelons are so intriguing, and same with the Indian cucumbers, Poona Kheera and Sikkim. I mean, they look like cucumbers that are w-a-y overripe, but I love the idea of clear, less bitter cucumbers.
I'm curious to try chickpeas, not necessarily for growing the actual veggie, but for the aesthetics of it.
And of course, I love squash. And I'm lucky to live in an area where there's a farm stand that's just as nuts for squash as I am. This will be the year to try a ton of different types and save the seeds of my favourites for my own garden next year.
And for greens, wow, she's got a ton of suggestions. Mizuna, mibuna, Tokyo bekana, mache, amaranth, sweet potato leaf and kale. These are all now all on my list! Tatsoi sounds divine and I'm so curious to try piracicaba and spigariello liscia. And gai lan. I can't believe I've never thought to grow this - I love ordering it.
Gardening has become such a lifeline this year, so I've just been taking every book I can find on gardening out of the library. When I searched Niki's name, this was one of only two books I could find. (The rest are e-books, and I'm not yet equipped for this!) I've also read "Groundbreaking Gardens" and loved it. The beneficial insect and cocktail gardens are on my "to do" list!
This book is really fun and inspiring, and its writing style does just enough to entice you to seek out the seeds and set you up for success.
After reading this, I'm keen to try ground cherries, which grow well in my area, a dry, rocky landscape. I'm also keen to try Sungold cherry tomatoes, which Niki recommends in another recent article. Black Zebra should also be on my list - I love shopping for tomatoes. It's almost overwhelming.
Same with peppers - I had a really terrible harvest last year, so I'm hoping this year goes a little better. Cucamelons are so intriguing, and same with the Indian cucumbers, Poona Kheera and Sikkim. I mean, they look like cucumbers that are w-a-y overripe, but I love the idea of clear, less bitter cucumbers.
I'm curious to try chickpeas, not necessarily for growing the actual veggie, but for the aesthetics of it.
And of course, I love squash. And I'm lucky to live in an area where there's a farm stand that's just as nuts for squash as I am. This will be the year to try a ton of different types and save the seeds of my favourites for my own garden next year.
And for greens, wow, she's got a ton of suggestions. Mizuna, mibuna, Tokyo bekana, mache, amaranth, sweet potato leaf and kale. These are all now all on my list! Tatsoi sounds divine and I'm so curious to try piracicaba and spigariello liscia. And gai lan. I can't believe I've never thought to grow this - I love ordering it.
July 8, 2023
There are many gardeners out there who are entirely happy with the plants they buy at the garden center. (Which is great! The point of gardening is to have *your* garden.) And then there's the rest of us: the garden weirdos.
Maybe you cross the garden weirdo line when you build a hügelkultur bed. Maybe you cross it when your desire to eliminate peat (seriously, it's SO bad for the planet to use peat!) causes you to make and test 15 different potting soil mixes. Maybe it's when you meet a stranger in a parking lot to exchange an envelope full of cash for some seedlings. Maybe it's when you get the kind of seeds you have to apply for rather than buy.
And I'll be honest: I've done all those things.
This book aims to hasten a gardener's transition to garden weirdohood, and I think it does the job. (I can't say for sure because I became a garden weirdo long before I read this book.) Jabbour is here to tell you (and show you, with gorgeous pictures) all about the cool vegetables you could be growing instead of the same old ones you grow every year. And she's got enough obscure stuff in here that the book is also good for existing garden weirdos; I added a number of plants to my wishlist because of it.
But not as many as I'd like. Niki Jabbour gardens in Nova Scotia and I garden in Southern California; it's possible to find two more different North American climates to garden in, but you'd have to work at it. Jabbour clearly does a great job of pushing the envelope of what she can grow up there, but still, a lot of her advice and a lot of her plants simply won't work in my 10b hardiness zone garden.
Still. This is a great book for garden weirdos, both current and incipient, and I also think it'd be great for short-season gardeners of any stripe.
Maybe you cross the garden weirdo line when you build a hügelkultur bed. Maybe you cross it when your desire to eliminate peat (seriously, it's SO bad for the planet to use peat!) causes you to make and test 15 different potting soil mixes. Maybe it's when you meet a stranger in a parking lot to exchange an envelope full of cash for some seedlings. Maybe it's when you get the kind of seeds you have to apply for rather than buy.
And I'll be honest: I've done all those things.
This book aims to hasten a gardener's transition to garden weirdohood, and I think it does the job. (I can't say for sure because I became a garden weirdo long before I read this book.) Jabbour is here to tell you (and show you, with gorgeous pictures) all about the cool vegetables you could be growing instead of the same old ones you grow every year. And she's got enough obscure stuff in here that the book is also good for existing garden weirdos; I added a number of plants to my wishlist because of it.
But not as many as I'd like. Niki Jabbour gardens in Nova Scotia and I garden in Southern California; it's possible to find two more different North American climates to garden in, but you'd have to work at it. Jabbour clearly does a great job of pushing the envelope of what she can grow up there, but still, a lot of her advice and a lot of her plants simply won't work in my 10b hardiness zone garden.
Still. This is a great book for garden weirdos, both current and incipient, and I also think it'd be great for short-season gardeners of any stripe.
March 1, 2018
It is telling about Niki Jabbour's huge influence in vegetable gardening that her name tops the name of her current book. Niki is a genuine vegetable gardener, and I love this book. I also know Niki and love her too, but that has nothing to do with how I feel about this book. It is a brilliant step in her vegetable gardening canon. The remix presents unique vegetable varieties to enliven your garden of tomatoes, beans, and greens. If you want to stir things up and try something new, you should read this and get some seeds. I've read it a couple of times, and I even found some new varieties I want to try this year along with some I grew in recent years. You should read it.
March 27, 2018
I really enjoyed thumbing through this book, the photos were beautiful and of course I want the snow to disappear already so I can get planting! Overall I found this to be a neat reference book, something to peruse while perusing the seed catalogs in January, to help push you towards trying something new and different. But I don't feel it's a book I would reference again and again (like I do with Niki Jabbour's the Year-Round Vegetable Gardener book), it was not as packed with growing tips and when-to's and the like. I think once you've branched out to these new varieties or types, you will outgrow the book's usefulness. So overall, a great reason to visit your local library!
April 22, 2021
I think I'm just a very practical gardener and as I read more and more of this book, I realized that it was more and more IMpractical for me. I grew (from seed!) 8 different heirloom tomatoes last year and have NO room for anything that may or may not work for our family. The 3 Black Beauty zucchinis bit it after being attacked by borers but the 1 Waltham Butternut squash went to town! So, will I veer from those favorites? Absolutely not. Two years ago I tried the Malabar Spinach. OMG, it was horrible! So, this book was interesting but I do not have the space (or time) to take too many chances.
February 17, 2018
What a colorful and informative garden read! I really liked the variety of plants that were mentioned in this book. I was also pleased that I was familiar with quite a few of them and now I want to try to grow them in my garden even more. This book had wonderful color pictures showing the variety of plants a gardener can choose from (like if you like this plant, then you may really love these selections...). The descriptions of each plant were detailed and easy to read. This is a great reference book for any gardener wanting to try out new things in their gardens. Good read overall!
April 5, 2021
This is a fun book!
Jabbour dives into unique verities of vegetables that can be grown at home. Broken down by vegetable type each chapter recommends similar varieties to plant if you like specific vegetables as well as information on growing and harvesting the plants. While it's certainly not an all-inclusive book, there is information on tomatoes, gourds, and other veggies. There are also some pictures at the start of each chapter and throughout the book, but I would have liked to see more.
Overall an interesting read about adding different kinds of plants to your garden!
Jabbour dives into unique verities of vegetables that can be grown at home. Broken down by vegetable type each chapter recommends similar varieties to plant if you like specific vegetables as well as information on growing and harvesting the plants. While it's certainly not an all-inclusive book, there is information on tomatoes, gourds, and other veggies. There are also some pictures at the start of each chapter and throughout the book, but I would have liked to see more.
Overall an interesting read about adding different kinds of plants to your garden!
December 31, 2018
I enjoyed learning more about different varieties of vegetables and plants that are already in my ornamental garden that are edible. I especially appreciate led tips about ways to extend my growing season with varieties that thrive in hotter/colder weather than their standard counterparts. The pictures are great and the writing style is fun and engaging. I’ll definitely be keeping this handy for annual inspiration and growing tips as I start trying new things in the garden.
February 18, 2020
Y'all, I read every 👏 single 👏 word 👏 of this book. Even the veggies I simply don't have the space to grow or don't work in my garden, I read about anyway because it was just so fascinating! Apart from getting a sense for some really neat varieties out there (some of which will definitely an appearance this year), I learned a lot of great tips and tricks for growing traditional varieties as well. A must-have for anyone who, like me, is an avid heirloom gardener.
September 6, 2021
This is an outstanding resource for the home (or market) gardener. I loved looking at the color photographs, but the author's notes and personal anecdotes made the book entertaining as well as educational. This is the perfect book to read during the winter when you're starting your list for seed orders! I borrowed this from the library, but plan to get my own copy because I will definitely be reaching for it again and again.
Want to read
February 4, 2018This book encourages readers to branch out of the typical garden plants like tomatoes and peppers and into more exotic varieties. This pictures are amazing and there is lots of information here. A great book to refer to again.
* Thank you to Niki Jabbour, Storey Publishing and Netgalley for providing a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
* Thank you to Niki Jabbour, Storey Publishing and Netgalley for providing a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 29, 2017
A comprehensive guide to harvesting vegetables outside of your comfort zone. I really loved all the ideas and easy laid out steps in furthering my plant repertoire. With outstanding photographs and a detailed outline on pollination, this book covers all things gardening.
November 15, 2017
Moms of fussy eaters, growing your own vegetables can help to get those picky eaters experience different vegetables. This book is a wealth of information and fun bits about vegetables and even gardeners will be amazed at the value and originality of this book’s contents.
March 25, 2018
One of the most comprehensive, unique varieties of vegetables I've seen in a long time. You'll want to try some of these curious plants in your garden. It is like walking through a botanical garden with all the photos, fact boxes and why you might like to grow the plant.
March 30, 2018
Nicely written with good illustrations covering some unusual, exotic or often overlooked vegetables gardeners might like to try in place of or along with old favorites. Good information on the conditions the plants require and how to harvest and use them.
May 15, 2018
This book is fantastic! It is jam packed with in-depth info about so many veggies you probably haven’t grown. I love the “like these?”/“try these” comparisons. And to top it off the book is beautiful. If you want to branch out and try new edibles this is a wonderful resource!
June 2, 2018
LOVED this book! I got it from the library, now I MUST own it. You can't just read it and return it....it's the kind of book that will be referred back to time and time again. Perfect for anyone with some gardening experience who is ready to branch out.
February 22, 2019
What a fun book! Offers lots of great ideas for unusual veg and herbs to grow in your home garden. Mine is still tiny this year but I’m tempted by a lot of these fun, lesser-know items. Beautiful photography and great tips make this a useful and inspiring guide.
July 12, 2022
A fascinating book with lots of new ideas for veggies to grow. Did you know that hosts shoots can be eaten like asparagus? Or day lily tubers? Sweet potato leaves? You will get suggestions for lots of interesting veggies if you read this book!
February 14, 2018
Great information about vegetables you may not have been familiar with. Watermelon Radish and Rainbow Lacinato Kale are my picks to try this year.
March 6, 2018
A very interesting book on the different and unusual varieties of vegetables.
April 6, 2018
Great gardening advice and recommendations.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews