From the foremost authority in American gardening comes a must-have handbook for home gardeners who want a productive organic vegetable garden. In their first new book in over two decades, the American Horticultural Society offers indispensable insight into growing a modern edible garden at home, regardless of whether home is in the desert Southwest, the Midwestern plains, or on the shores of New England. Starting with a unique look at the history of vegetable gardening in North America, from indigenous cultures to Victory Gardeners to today's biodiversity-nurturing growers, Essential Guide to Organic Vegetable Gardening then digs into everything you need to know to cultivate a successful and productive vegetable garden without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. Includes advice on: Choosing the best design and planting style for your site, from raised beds and row gardens to matrix plantings and food forestsDeciding which varieties to plant, from heirlooms and ancestral selections to modern hybridsFostering resiliency in the face of weather extremes, invasive pests, and other challengesNurturing the garden as an ecosystem to preserve and protect soil life, pollinators, and other wildlifeConducting at-home soil assessments for compaction, biological activity, texture, and drainageCaring for the garden using natural techniques and products, including pinching, pruning, staking, fertilizing, and pest and disease controlThe new American vegetable garden is a place of beauty and productivity with a diverse selection of edible crops and flowers that create a haven for plants, pollinators, and people as they fill your kitchen with flavor and nutrition.Whether you're a new garden lover or a long-time veggie grower, Essential Guide to Organic Vegetable Gardening has the science-based information you need to overcome today's gardening challenges and cultivate success. Also included in this series are Essential Guide to Perennial Gardening and Essential Guide to Ecological Gardening.