Dig for Victory

Book excerpt: Most British people have heard of Dig for Victory and recognise the iconic logo of a boot pushing a spade into the soil. Despite victory being in sight by 1945, the government knew that food supplies were perilous and shipping still desperately needed for the raw materials of war. These famous guides showed people fighting on 'the Home Front' exactly what to do each month to put wholesome food on the family's table from their gardens and allotments. In Dig for Victory: Monthly Growing Guides author John Harrison shares twelve growing guides from the time. Together with his commentary written as a gardener rather than a historian, he clearly explains what's changed and why in modern gardening practice, which is less than you might expect in 80 years. He also provides context for readers as to the background of each guide based in part on research but most importantly the experiences and accounts of those who were there.