I like to grow veggies. I'm kinda sorta good at it. Some years I have so many zucchinis I throw them on my neighbor's porch and run (they're on to me, though).

Yet sometimes things go terribly wrong. Last year, it was my brandywine tomatoes that seemed as if they were doing just fine, but then they blew into blossom end rot within what seemed like 10 seconds. Then there was the year my Atlantic Giant pumpkin that was supposed to grow to 400 pounds was a whopping 10 (give or take a pound or two). Ugh.

So along comes a new book from Storey Publishing that I'll keep around for reference during the veggie growing season. "The Veggie Gardener's Answer Book" at first glance has "keep it handy" written all over it.

Begin snarky editors note: The book is subtitled "solutions to every problem you'll ever face," which made Craig Sailor and I do a giant jaded eye roll. Seriously? Every problem? We will stop consulting our magic 8 ball immediately. This book has all our answers! (end snarky editors note).

By the way, if I had this book last summer, I would have known that my blossom-end rot was probably the result of a combination of chilly weather and a calcium deficiency. The giant pumpkin that never was? Well, the book really doesn't say anything about that. Sigh. I guess it doesn't have all the answers, despite its subtitle. On a less snarky/skeptical note, the book has great advice for practical problems that many veggie gardeners struggle with. I like, also, that the book is divided into crop-by-crop sections. It's super easy to navigate and a very quick read. Kudos for that.

Book cover here (see, look at the subtitle and smirk):