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Gardening For The Zombie Apocalypse
Climate change? Brexit? Screaming brain-biters? Don't lose the plot – this book can help! Irreverent, straightforward and useful, it shows even complete beginners how to grow enough of their own food to survive when Armageddon arrives and imports collapse – or even if they don't.
A grow-your-own guide for the generation who'd rather eat compost than watch Gardeners' World, it tells you how to sow and grow 20 key crops, whether you have two pots, a patio or a whole allotment to play with. It takes you through what seeds, tools and other kit you'll need, teaches you how to plan and plant your site for maximum nutrition, and suggests gardening projects to get underway while civilization still stands, from growing dinner in a dustbin to a juice bar on a balcony – all while sticking a garden fork in the eye of the undead. Gardening for the Zombie Apocalypse: surviving has never been so much fun.
A grow-your-own guide for the generation who'd rather eat compost than watch Gardeners' World, it tells you how to sow and grow 20 key crops, whether you have two pots, a patio or a whole allotment to play with. It takes you through what seeds, tools and other kit you'll need, teaches you how to plan and plant your site for maximum nutrition, and suggests gardening projects to get underway while civilization still stands, from growing dinner in a dustbin to a juice bar on a balcony – all while sticking a garden fork in the eye of the undead. Gardening for the Zombie Apocalypse: surviving has never been so much fun.
- GenresNonfictionGardening
223 pages, Paperback
Published October 3, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 6, 2020
Useful and fun!! :)
January 12, 2021
A necessary (and quite funny) handbook for those who has no idea about how to grow food. I feel safe now.
December 28, 2023
I read it for my year long book challenge; prompt: A book from a genre you have never read before
Funny and thought-provoking. I liked it.
Funny and thought-provoking. I liked it.
July 9, 2021
Hit and miss with its zombie-schtick humour, I would nonetheless be totally behind any book that gets more people growing food for themselves on balconies and in back gardens.
The best parts of the book provide a detailed breakdown of growing inatructions, including seasonality, care instructions, soil acidity, common pests and nutritional yield. The latter is especially interesting, and reflects the challenges we all face with food security due to global overpopulation and climate change (rather than the zombie apocalypse). If we are going to dig for victory-slash-survival, then we are going to need to plant a lot of spuds.
Like the pea weevil, however, readers might be highly selective in what they mine out of this book. I fundamentally disagree with the advice that advocates slug pellets, for instance, as an essential means of keeping these pests at bay. In my view it is wholly and unforgiveably irresponsible for a book with a premise on sustainability to advise the use of poisons that will kill and harm birdlife. Why not explain how birds themselves can be attracted to gardens, and to the good of the wider ecosystem as well as the garden, to keep pests more manageable. The totalitarian warmongering schtick of the zombies comes unstuck at this point, with its expectations that crops must be 100÷ intact for human use. A liveable planet is going to need more that humans on it, including birds and (yes, even) slugs.
I originally gave this a 4 for originality and the fact it made me smile, as well as ideas for home composting. It's a treasury with much to inspire as well as to inforn, but on reflection its advice on pesticides, and questionable selection of veggies for its top 20 (after reading it, who of its target audience of presumably beginner gardeners is ever going to want to try peas...), I think it loses an extra mark. A curates egg, if you can avoid the more poisonous parts.
The best parts of the book provide a detailed breakdown of growing inatructions, including seasonality, care instructions, soil acidity, common pests and nutritional yield. The latter is especially interesting, and reflects the challenges we all face with food security due to global overpopulation and climate change (rather than the zombie apocalypse). If we are going to dig for victory-slash-survival, then we are going to need to plant a lot of spuds.
Like the pea weevil, however, readers might be highly selective in what they mine out of this book. I fundamentally disagree with the advice that advocates slug pellets, for instance, as an essential means of keeping these pests at bay. In my view it is wholly and unforgiveably irresponsible for a book with a premise on sustainability to advise the use of poisons that will kill and harm birdlife. Why not explain how birds themselves can be attracted to gardens, and to the good of the wider ecosystem as well as the garden, to keep pests more manageable. The totalitarian warmongering schtick of the zombies comes unstuck at this point, with its expectations that crops must be 100÷ intact for human use. A liveable planet is going to need more that humans on it, including birds and (yes, even) slugs.
I originally gave this a 4 for originality and the fact it made me smile, as well as ideas for home composting. It's a treasury with much to inspire as well as to inforn, but on reflection its advice on pesticides, and questionable selection of veggies for its top 20 (after reading it, who of its target audience of presumably beginner gardeners is ever going to want to try peas...), I think it loses an extra mark. A curates egg, if you can avoid the more poisonous parts.
March 22, 2022
Quirky take on a gardening book. Sometimes flippant, sometimes played straight in the style of Max Brooks’ zombie survival guide. But all the zombie/survivalist dressing is a way of couching a completely practical book on gardening to grow food from writers with years of experience. As it discusses growing in a range of situations it suits my interest in balcony gardening. Which reminds me - I must get this year’s seed potatoes out into their grow bags soon.
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July 18, 2022Actually decent gardening advice.
December 17, 2019
Artig, lærerik, og aller viktigst av alt, lett å bruke. Denne boka ser kanskje ut som en vitsebok, men i likhet med "Bad-ass dude chow-down cookbook" eller hva de nå heter er det en god introduksjon til amatører som vil begynne å dyrke egne grønnsaker i hagen sin.
Boka går nøye gjennom hvordan man setter opp en liten hageplett til dyrking, hvordan man sjekker jordas ph-verdi, næringssammensetning, hvordan man gjødner riktig for hver plante, hvordan man roterer avlinger, hva hver enkelt plante trenger, og hvordan man oppbevarer dem over vinteren og våren. Som den påpeker er total selvforsynthet bare en fetisjdrøm for de aller fleste -særlig de som ikke har en stor gruppe mennesker på et stort område med flere husdyr- samtidig som man likevel kan ta visse steg for å både spare penger og forbedre den fysiske og mentale helsa si ved å jobbe utendørs med noe som krever møysomhet og omsorg for å overleve. Og ingenting smaker så godt som noe man har dyrket selv.
Boka går nøye gjennom hvordan man setter opp en liten hageplett til dyrking, hvordan man sjekker jordas ph-verdi, næringssammensetning, hvordan man gjødner riktig for hver plante, hvordan man roterer avlinger, hva hver enkelt plante trenger, og hvordan man oppbevarer dem over vinteren og våren. Som den påpeker er total selvforsynthet bare en fetisjdrøm for de aller fleste -særlig de som ikke har en stor gruppe mennesker på et stort område med flere husdyr- samtidig som man likevel kan ta visse steg for å både spare penger og forbedre den fysiske og mentale helsa si ved å jobbe utendørs med noe som krever møysomhet og omsorg for å overleve. Og ingenting smaker så godt som noe man har dyrket selv.
March 22, 2020
Great title and great premise which gave me a few laughs, although it did wear a bit thin.
There's quite a lot of useful information here, including the top 20 plants to grow in an apocalypse (in the UK). Beginner gardeners will appreciate detailed information on things like how not to over- or under- water. I have to agree that you need chemicals to stop slugs - though I'm not sure where the slug pellets are coming from in an apocalypse. I disagree with using glyphosate to kill weeds as it's a probable carcinogen (WHO).
Southern-hemisphere readers beware: this book uses months rather than seasons, ie "January" instead of "mid winter" etc, and talks about "north-facing" sites getting the most shade.
I'd recommend this as a fun and highly accessible introduction to growing your own food.
P.S. After recent fights in the aisles over toilet paper, this book clearly needs a chapter about apocalypse alternatives. My vote is for peppermint geranium leaves.
There's quite a lot of useful information here, including the top 20 plants to grow in an apocalypse (in the UK). Beginner gardeners will appreciate detailed information on things like how not to over- or under- water. I have to agree that you need chemicals to stop slugs - though I'm not sure where the slug pellets are coming from in an apocalypse. I disagree with using glyphosate to kill weeds as it's a probable carcinogen (WHO).
Southern-hemisphere readers beware: this book uses months rather than seasons, ie "January" instead of "mid winter" etc, and talks about "north-facing" sites getting the most shade.
I'd recommend this as a fun and highly accessible introduction to growing your own food.
P.S. After recent fights in the aisles over toilet paper, this book clearly needs a chapter about apocalypse alternatives. My vote is for peppermint geranium leaves.
May 22, 2025
This book is absolutely fantastic for a novice gardener like myself. It was fun and informative, and I have already added a few hints/tips/tricks to my repertoire and garden to-do list.
Its definitely a resource I will refer back too. Even with the zombie references.
Where it loses a star for me - is the lack of herbs (surely needed to add flavour to post - apocalyptic meals), as well as recipes for the proposed veg to eat.
However, an amusing way to teach much needed gardening skills to a group of people who may otherwise not be that interested.
Its definitely a resource I will refer back too. Even with the zombie references.
Where it loses a star for me - is the lack of herbs (surely needed to add flavour to post - apocalyptic meals), as well as recipes for the proposed veg to eat.
However, an amusing way to teach much needed gardening skills to a group of people who may otherwise not be that interested.
March 22, 2020
The gag maybe gets a little old before the book is done, however this is still a really solid guide to how to garden from a-z for both the total novice and the experienced gardener.
Right now this seemed like the perfect book to read, and it certainly has a good few tips to get you through.
Right now this seemed like the perfect book to read, and it certainly has a good few tips to get you through.
April 18, 2020
Not the kind of book you read page by page but fun none the less. 3.5.
April 14, 2022
Brilliant gardening tips and funny as well.
August 20, 2022
This book is so full of good information, presented with humour AND scientific research.
July 2, 2024
A funny approach to gardening for self-sufficiency in the UK.
February 20, 2026
Very enjoyable book with an interesting take on gardening and zombie apocalypse. doubt ill ever need the information for that specific scenario but was fun to think about.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews