I've checked out most vegetable gardening books at the local library and used the extension service materials, but this is the best general guide I've seen. Each vegetable and common herb gets its own page with how to plant, maintaing harvest and treat common problems. There are organic methods side by side with nonorganic methods to let the reader choose instance by instance. Each page has an illustration or actual photograph. Where appropriate information on growing in different hardiness zones is included. There are also step by step instructions on planing, preparing the ground, sowing and planting, making your garden grow (watering, feedings, weeding, pests diseases, harvest and storage, and lastly pages for each vegetable as grouped into sections such as herbs, root and stem crops etc. I checked this out from the library but decided to buy it after realzing how useful it will be in my house as a reference.