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Location Info: Near Boston, Dedham, Massachusets
Gardener: Dave
Overall Size: 3 Boxes Large box with trellis 8x4 ft, smaller boxes roughly 4x2
Number of Boxes: 3
Box Material: and Depth: Plastic deck planks 6 inch Garden with Statue of the Virgin Mary
Type of Soil Mix: Mel's Mix
Aisle Width & Materials: Vertical Frames: Main trellis just over 8 ft. set to height of 6 ft., 2 smaller ones, each made of a seven foot garden fence post, a stainless serving tray rack, an angle bracket, wood support, and a piece of wire garden fence.
Grid Material: Large trellis coated construction reienforcement small trellis wire garden fence material
Types of Plants: Italian finger eggplants, shallots, beets, peppers, ochra, spinach, radishes, lettuce, snow peas, tomatoes, bush beans, (butternut squash, zucchini, watermellon...going up!)
Specialty Features: With the extra plants , butternut squash and watermellon, I put them in buckets six feet up on a trellis so that these would grow down. I thought it would be fun to see which plants covered thier trellis first. Those growing up or those growing down.
Contact Info for Visits:
Visiting Restrictions:
Web Site: N/A
Interesting facts about your garden: Aside from some tomatoes in buckets this is the first vegetable garden I have ever built.
How did you get started: I learned about the concept from journeytoforever.org. This is a couple that works in South East Asia promoting square foot gardening among other ideas and methods to help people subsist.
Advice for those starting SFG: Just do it, the rewards are uncountable.
Best thing about SFG: It stimulates my mind and brings peace to my soul and also to the people who have seen my garden.
If this had been available during the great depression and WWll people would not have suffered such bad rationing and shortages of food.This can help many, many people. The poor among us on the planet. And those who would not think they can garden, like the elderly and handicapped. And those who would not...like those who thought gardening beyond thier reach for space reasons.
Worst thing about SFG: Vermiculite is expensive!! The rabbit in my back yard thinks I built this for him.
Deedham, MA
Location Info: Boston is about 72 miles from our home. We live on Cape Cod
Gardener: Elizabeth
Garden Size: 4ft x 50 ft. 1 st box. 2nd box is 3 x 40ft.
Box Material & Depth: We used pressure treated wood. Lined the inside with pond liner to protect the wood preservative from entering the garden. The board sizes are 2" x 12" x 10' and stacked two high. It is put together with wood screws. Every 20' is crossed reinforced with 2 x 4's for inside support
Grid Material: Nylon twine
Soil Mix: 50% peat moss, 25% garden soil, 25% combination of
vermiculite, pearl lite, and cow manure.
Aisle Width & Materials: Aisle width is 3'
Vertical Frames: 3 Vertical Frames made of galvanized steel
for pole beans, and cucumbers.
Types of Plants: Bush beans, pole beans, cucumbers, tomatoes ( various varieties), swiss chard, brussel sprouts, egg plant, celery, nasturtiums, marigolds, onions, garlic, chives, basil, cilantro, thyme, rosemary, beets, yellow squash, green squash, lettuce ( various types ), carrots, peppers (various types), and ginger. The 40ft box is filled mostly with asparagus with the beets and peppers as companions until the asparagus is 3 years old.
Specialty Features: The garden was built 24" high to spare my back. It is also high enough for anyone in a wheelchair to access it. My husband
arranged to have a double faucet installed, tapped into the underwater sprinkler system. I can leave one hose attached to one faucet and still access the other for washing. The object in the back ground is the double faucet. The object in the foreground attached to the side of the box is the base for a swivel retractable hose. (for example, deck or patio gardens, waist or chair height gardens, or handicapped gardens.)
Contact Info for Visits: E-mail: eacollado_comcast.net Please use squarefoot garden for the subject. That way I wont think its spam mail.
Visiting Restrictions: e-mail in advance please.
Interesting facts about your garden: N/A
How did you get started: For 8 years I tried to have a garden and found my plants would not grow and if they did, bugs or weeds took control. Out of frustration and luck I found Mels
book. Now I have a beautiful organic SFG. I share my successful experience with family, friends and co-workers. I get so excited about Square Foot Gardening that I sometimes end up giving my own copy of the book away to anyone interested. The last book I gave to a gentleman that came to put up our shed. He was so excited about the concept, I had to give him my book.
Advice for those starting SFG:
Read the whole book. Flag
the pages that interest you the most; start small and develop the concept well.
Best thing about SFG: It works!
Worst thing about SFG: Waiting for spring to arrive.
Marstons Mills, MA
Gardener:
Leo SFG in Millville Massachusetts
Garden Size:
2 Boexs 10 feet by 4 feet
Box Material & Depth: Red Cedar about 10" deep. SFG in Millville Massachusetts
Grid Material:
Nylon twine SFG in Millville Massachusetts
Soil Mix: Mel's mix ,compost
Aisle Width & Materials:
Aisle width is 2'
Vertical Frames:
2
Types of Plants:
Tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, lettuce, purslane, flowers, beets and beet greens, broccoli, chard, just to name a few.
Specialty Features:
N/A
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it '; document.write( '' ); document.write( addy_text36701 ); document.write( '<\/a>' ); //-->\n This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Phone: 508-615-0800
E-mail or phone in advance please.
If people don't mind my friendly Parson Jack Russell Terrier all gardening interested persons are welcomed.
Web Site:
How did you get started:
Watching TV PBS in the early 80s. Bought the videos
Buy the book !!! And get started, now.
If its Spring Time get going. If its Summer get going. Ifs Fall build the boxes with the perfect soil, plant some hardy mums, winter rye grass (looks pretty in the winter). If its winter build the boxes and dream of Spring Time.
Best thing about SFG:
It's the only way to garden and its fun.
Worst thing about SFG:
SFG is just too easy and fun. Old and new single row gardeners just cant seem to accept the fact that a garden 20% the size of theirs will produce the same amount of food. So, I just letem sweat.
Millville, MA
Location Info: Tupelo, 90 miles SE of Memphis , TN .
Gardener: Rick
Garden Size: 41 s q f t Tupelo MI 2
Box Material & Depth: 4 X 2 X 6 Pine
Grid Material: Wood Slats
Soil Mix:
1Miracle-Gro® Enriched Sphagnum Peat Moss
2. Vermiculite Course
3. Compost
a. Black Kow Manure
b. Black Hen Manure
c. Mushroom
d. Cotton Burr
e. Miracle-Gro Organic Choice Garden Soil
i) Alfalfa Meal
ii) Bat Guano
Aisle Width & Materials: 9 sqft of marble chips and 3 big rocks enclosed in a brick perimeter
Vertical Frames: 2 Electrical conduit trelli (HA , I made that up! )
1. Burpless Cukes
2. Straight-neck Squash
3. Hales Best and Ambrosia Cantaloupe
4. Early Girl Tomatoes
5. Rosemary
6. Dahliettas and Dahlinovas
7. Little Lucy Okra (Red)
8. Marigolds
9. Lilac and Chocolate Bells
10. Chives
11. Oregano
12. Angelonias
13. Sweet Basil
Specialty Features: Marble Chip Rock Garden
Visiting Restrictions: No visits, please.
Interesting facts about your garden: I have a passion to cook and to use fresh ingredients. This is the best way to do both! Now, I am cook ing healthier for me and my family.
Website , then bought book
Buy the book; Plan, plan, plan; S tart small; Decide on what you are growing and stick with it; buy the best soil amendments ; and be sure NOT to forget to ENJOY your garden . Don t worry about what might or might not happen to your garden . It s going to change into something beautiful and wonderful . But so will you. You will change with it. And with that, you can change the world. ENJOY what will happen to YOU !
Best thing about SFG: It has changed my life and my childrens lives for the better!!!
Worst thing about SFG: I must have been living under a rock in my 40 years!
Tupelo MI
Location Info: Near Newark , NJ & New York City. We are near the Montclair/Bloomfield exit of the Garden State Parkway , #151 We live in a suburban neighborhood - somewhat small houses on not-too big lots many large oak and maple trees. Critter challenges include rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks & possibly other burrowers fortunately no woodchuck.
Gardener: Judith
Overall Size: 25 x 5 basically a south-facing border not full sun
Number of Boxes: 3+, plus large pots on our deck. In all, less than 100 sq ft. Amazing what can be done in a small space!
Box Material and Depth: 1x6 redwood
Type of soil mix: Mels mix as best possible. Couldnt locate coarse vermiculite around here. We are working hard on composting.
Aisle Width & Materials: 3-4 wide pine bark mini-nuggets over black weed barrier over thick layer of newspaper. This has worked VERY well: no weeds, dries quickly & easy on the feet.
Vertical Frames: Electrical conduit per the book into the ground w rebars
Grid Material: Ordered it from SFG looks great Inspires me to keep things neat!
Types of Plants: MANY beans, beets, broccoli, Chinese cabbage, carrots, chard, cucumber, kale, lettuce melon, onion, peas, pepper, radish, spinach, tomato, zucchini. Plus many herbs: parsley, sage, rosemary & thyme, dill, basil, cilantro, chives. Also, lots of edible flowers: calendula, nasturtium
Specialty Features: My husband has helped a lot by building the boxes & setting them in place. He also made me two chicken-wire cages (per the SFG book) to help keep away critters at start of season. I have had gardens before in our small border, but SFG is a much better, more productive method. My first box was ready on 4/1/06, and all three were planted by 4/17/06.
A 6 th grade girl down the street has helped a lot with composting.
Contact Info for Visits: E-mail: j.hinds7_verizon.net
Visiting Restrictions: By pre-arrangement, plz; normal garden courtesy expected
Interesting facts about your garden:
How did you get started: We got the original book from library, then got the video & new edition; wanted a better way to garden; eco-concerns re food transportation costs, food quality, etc
Advice for those starting SFG: JUST GET STARTED & HAVE FUN! We dont have full sun because of the trees & I have had pretty good results from seeds described as EARLY.
Best thing about SFG: I like the whole thing! Something is always coming up! It really is true that there is very little weeding! Succession planting is MUCH easier & I intend to keep things growing way into the fall.
Worst thing about SFG: Sometimes, something doesnt work - such as beans not sprouting well due to rainy period or something shaded out. You know it right away & can start again. Its easy to fix mistakes.
Update 9/18/06
I had trouble with so-far unidentified burrowing critters eating my pea and bean seeds. I decided to do an experiment. I made a "seed cage" out of 1/2" hardware cloth. The cage is approx 9" square and 3" high. The hardware cloth folds up from the bottom to make sides, and the back comes up and over to form a lid. It's a little bit of work to make the cage, and of course it can be reused. A pair of tin-snips helps a lot, and it's a good idea to wear work gloves to protect your hands from the sharp points, . I hope you get the picture
I then "planted" the seed cage about 1 1/2" deep in a SFG square - it fit very nicely. I put sprouted pea seeds inside it, filled it with soil & closed the top by bending down the "prongs" of the hardware cloth.
The experiment has two parts:
a) Would the seeds com escape being eaten before germinating? As I expected, no critters got in, and so the answer is YES!!
b) Would the seedlings survive? i.e. would they escape being gnawed down by the critters? The answer is YES!! The seedlings are growing very sturdily up through the cage. (At least so far!)
Update 12/7/06
Square Foot Gardening in my three 4x4 boxes has been lots of fun & very successful this fall & heading into winter. I currently have squares of pea greens, chard, bok choy, blue kale, Russian kale, romaine, arugula, mizuna, radicchio, mache, chinese cabbage, broccoli raab, daikon radishes & cress. All of these come through light frosts beautifully. As the tender veggies finished up, I started planting winter rye as a cover crop - sprouting it first, usually. Out of 48 squares, I now have 19 in the winter rye. It really all looks so pretty.
Even though our border does not get much sun these days, things are still growing. My husband & I have something from the garden at every supper - plenty of choices for salads - and lots for cooked greens - not to forget the pickles from all the cucumbers in August & September.
This is just the best system of gardening! It's amazing what can be done in 48 square feet! Thank you so much!
Nutley, NJ
Location Info: Southern part of NJ Close to Medford
Gardener: Linda
Number of Boxes: 7-4x4 & 10-2x4
Box Material and Depth: 8" red cedar
Type of Soil Mix: Mel's mix with my compost
Grid Material: Bamboo
Aisle Width & Materials: 2 1/2 ft to 3 ft wide with free township wood chips in path
Vertical Frames: Arches and fencing with nylon netting
Types of Plants: Herbs and most any vegetable that I can start from seed!
Interesting Facts about you and your garden:
My garden is organic and I control insects by hand picking or using natural control methods Beds are 4 ft fenced to keep out groundhogs and about an acre of my property is 8 ft plastic deer fenced I compost my kitchen scraps, leaves and grass in my home built 3 part bin
Contact Info for Visits: By E-mail: ljuelg_comcast.net
Visiting Restrictions: On site visit with advance e-mail
How did you get started: My row garden use to be too much work so I gave up the hobby for a couple of years until I reread Mel's book. I Built 6 boxes the first year and had such great success I added 11 more-I'm hooked!!
Start small-think about critter control. Read the Book and new additions on Mel's web site.
Best thing about SFG: No tilling, no digging, hardly any weeding, space saving, water conservation and you can let the garden go a couple of days and catch up in no time.
Worst thing about SFG: Start up takes some time and some funds but you'll never have to do it again unless you keep adding more boxes, like I did
Shamong, NJ
Location Info: Close to Elmira
Gardener: Darryl and Vicky
Garden Size: 8X24 (not sure if you wanted them all together so that how I put it. 2 boxes now, more coming in the spring
Grid Material: We use white string
Aisle Width & Materials: One is on the patio and one is in the yard grass is around it
Vertical Frames: 2 they are made with fence posts and 2 inch PVC pipe at the tops and string.
Types of Plants: Veggies mainly with a few flowers
Specialty Features: Patio garden
Contact Info for Visits: N/A
Visiting Restrictions: N/A
How did you get started: We are a homeschool family, new to the SFG method, loving it as we learn. With a patio garden that was aready there and we took out the old mulch to find a layer of stones and black plastic and then under everything a huge tree root that had to be removed. The garden has been worth all the work!
Start small and add more gardens later and use Mel's mix!
Best thing about SFG: It is so much easier to keep weeded and you'll be surprised at the amount of produce you'll get out of it!
Worst thing about SFG: What's to say here......................nothing!!!
Pine City, NY
Location Info: About 90 miles east of Knoxville, TN; in Buncombe County.
Gardener: Jenny
Garden Size: In my front yard, the sunny spot in our yard. We call it a "yarden." There are 8 boxes that are 4 x 8 each, made of cedar wood that is 8 inches wide so stands to make raised beds 8 inches deep.
Grid Material: I used string. I put nails 1 foot apart all around my raised bed frames then tied the string on. This has seemed to hold up well and mark my beds well.
The aisles between beds are about 3 feet wide, enough for a lawn mower because there is grass growing all around.
Vertical Frames: I have not tried vertical frames although I should have. This year I staked my tomatoes which seemed to work fine.
Types of Plants: I have put some annual herbs, some perennial herbs, and various vegetables. We started early in the planting season so have had spring and summer crops. Lettuce, spinach, herbs, acorn squash, zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, green beans, broccoli, peppers-hot and sweet, carrots, chard, shallots.
Specialty Features: I am a small adult and a child's plastic garden chair puts me at the right height to work in my raised beds without having to stoop and hurt my knees.
Contact Info for Visits: By E-mail: jennyscot4_charter.net
See Photos at web address below !
Visiting Restrictions: Advanced email only.
Web Site: http://webpages.charter.net/
jscottharrison/gardenpage1.htm
How did you get started: Showing an interest in gardening back in 1990 I got the SFG book for Christmas from my brother, we had both seen the TV show. I read through it and used some of the ideas throughout the years but it wasn't until this past year that my husband and I really put more of the principles to work and found it most effective.
Don't fool around with other gardening techniques. Go ahead and put the method to work.
Best thing about SFG: It works and even though I let my garden go some this summer it only took me a short time to weed and straighten my garden to get ready for fall planting.
Worst thing about SFG: Be careful about growing too much of one thing and follow the planting guidelines.
Asheville, NC
Location Info: Near Greensboro, North Carolina.
Gardeners: Bill and Deb
Garden Size: 192 square feet, 3 boxes 4x12 and 1 box 2 x24
Grid Material: Laminated fabric
Aisle Width & Materials: 3 feet of grass
Vertical Frames: None, using our clothes lines and ropes to wrap the vining crops
Types of Plants: Tomatoes, watermelons, acorn squash, cukes, lettuces, beets, carrots, bush beans, asparagus beans, flowers, herbs, peppers-hot and green, snow peas, pumpkin.
Specialty Features: Waist high.
Sonbeam922_yahoo.com
Visiting Restrictions: Onsite visits. No pets, kids if controllable by parents, must be by advanced email.
Web Site: Photo perhaps at a later date.
How did you get started: Stumbled onto it from a home schooling web site.
"Just Do It!!!"
It grows itself!!!! (Just about, anyway!!)
No answer ?
Kernersville, NC
Location Info: I live south west of Raleigh, on the border of west Cary and Apex. Within 15 minutes of Raleigh-Durham airport one block away from Highway 55.
Gardener: Keri
Overall Size: 2 boxes 2 x 2, one box 4x4, one ox 3x3
Number of Boxes: 4
Box Material and Depth: Old recycled picnic table with a 4x4 box attached to it. The others are just plywood bases with 6 sides the 3x3 box has 2x6 wood sides the others all have 1x6 wood sides. None of the lumber is treated
Type of Soil Mix: Mels mix (of course!!!)
Aisle Width & Materials: About 1 1/2 feet but the boxes are smaller and staggered so they are easy to maneuver around. They are on top of mulch and right next to the house with about 1 foot of breathing room behind the vertical frame.
Vertical Frames (number and type): 2 frames made with metal conduit (just like in the book)
Grid Material: The cheapest wood molding that I could find at the lumber store.
Type of plants: Tomato, basil, thyme, snapdragons, nasturtiums, marigolds, carrots, cilantro, broccoli, lettuce, oregano, onions, peppers, beets, chives, daffodils, pansies, mums, radishes, sugar snap peas, (we rotate whenever things die off)
Garden Specialty Features: One garden is on the deck waist high, the others are on the ground on the side of the house.
How would you like potential visitors to contact you to arrange a visit? Contact by email:
landoftheblueflower_yahoo.com
Visiting restrictions: N/A
Do you want on-site visits or would you prefer showing your garden by web site photos, or both ? Both
Interesting facts about you and your garden: We live on a corner lot in an area with homeowner association covenants and rules, our yard has so many trees that the only place we get sun is on the side of our house right next to the street. The homeowners association has the right to make us move or remove our garden if it detracts from the appeal of the community. It has had quite the opposite effect. Six of my friends and neighbors now have gardens of their own and a fourth is planning theirs next spring. We were able to put one garden on the deck, and 3 smaller ones on the side of the house. All my boxes have a base, it is easier to keep out the animals. One of my neighbors had moles eat all her bulbs, having a base prevents the animals from tunneling under the ground and getting to my bulbs and plants. The wild rabbits so far havent figured how to get to the plants either so our garden has been a great success with no loss to the animals. We do however, get a few acorns planted by the squirrels but the saplings are easily identified and removed because they grow in the wrong place. When gas prices went up so did the produce prices at the grocery store. Tomatoes were around $3.50 a pound. We had plenty of tomatoes all season for our family of 7 and enough to share with a few neighbors. We planted 3 tomato plants and one cherry tomato. Some were vining type and one was a bush type. All were easy to train on the vertical frame. The cherry tomato was grown on a 5 foot frame, it needed a 6 foot tall one.
How did you get started with SFG ?: Was looking for gardening tips and found a link that led me to the site. I bought the book and video and have been excited about it ever since.
What advice would you give others for starting ?: First watch the video!! Read the first book and keep it for all your gardening questions and for reference. Get the 2nd book for the step by step construction, the wonderful pictures and the pesto recipe with herb section.
What is the best thing you can say about SFG ?: My kids eat salads now. They are the wild animals that nibble on the lettuce, not the rabbits. It brings us all so much joy to watch a garden grow. And it is so successful. Every child gets their own 2 squares to take care of. They also choose what to grow in them.
What is the worst thing you can say about SFG ?: I cant use my little tiller anymore
Cary, NC
Location Info: Town or City:Fayetteville Near Which Large City: Fort Bragg , NC
County: Cumberland
Overall Size:
Number of Boxes: 8
Box Material and Depth: Depth: 12 inches in the large boxes, in the 2 4x4 boxes 3 1/2 inches deep, the asparagus and strawberry box's are 3 inches deep.
Type of Soil Mix: Mel's mix
Vertical Frames (number and type):
Grid Material: 2 frames 10X10 and 1 5X10
Type of plants: Garden Specialty Features: Beans, yellow squash, zucchini, beans, sweet peas, artichokes, tomatoes, sweet corn, strawberries, peppers, onions, garlic, lettuce's, cucumbers, asparagus, cabbage, okra, Malabar spinach, musk melons.
How would you like potential visitors to contact you to arrange a visit? N/A
Do you want on-site visits or would you prefer showing your garden by web site photos, or both ? No visitors please.
Interesting facts about you and your garden: I pray over it every day.
How did you get started with SFG ?:
I was praying for an easier way, and I came across Mel's Book which led me to this web site.
What advice would you give others for starting ?: Don't get overly excited like I did, and do everything at once.
What is the best thing you can say about SFG ?: It is one of the most wonderful, most easy, most rewarding things I have ever done. I did alone, I built the boxes in my garage and my husband helped me move them to where there located now. If I can do it anyone can.
What is the worst thing you can say about SFG ?: I can't think of one thing!
Sylvia Fayetteville, NC
Location Info: 49 miles north of Columbus, 15 miles east of Marion.
Gardener: Dick
Garden Size: Massive area behind the Community Center, previously maintained as lawn at Public Housing
Complex. Space was not a problem. Number and size of Boxes: One Pallet Table 10' by 3.5' 37" high (built from 4 used pallets on-end with shelves between and lots of screws. Weighs a ton!) Placed at the edge of a slab patio at the back of our Community Center....that was unused last year
and the year before that. Has become a meeting place for all the residents to discuss what has grow more since yesterday. Two Garden Tables using
2 2' by 2' by 18" boxes (previously township planter boxes). Made for our 2 short ladies. Five 3' by 3' by 6" deep boxes on table-tops. (built) One 3' by 3' by 6" deep on-ground with vertical
frame.(built) Three used 3' by 4' 18" deep raised beds.(donated) Two 8' by 1.5' by 18" deep vertical crops raised bed. (built) Three 2' by 2' by 18"
deep boxes (previously township planter boxes). Three 6' by 12" by 6" deep (previously township planter boxes). 2 placed at the ends of the Garden Arbor. (Grapes and Thornless Roses are planned for there.) One wildflower bed along side the existing storage shed.
Grid Material: old blinds.
Aisle Width & Materials: No aisles....but we placed bark mulch over cardboard around the Tables and several of the expected heavy foot-traffic vertical raised beds.
Vertical Frames: One (for now) 16' vertical frame for berries at back
of lot. Will plant the various berries in-ground.
Vertical Frames: Cattle Panels, 16' long, cut one for 2 8'ers and use one full-sized. Have 4 more on hand to build a hoop house this fall.
Types of Plants: Veggies that the group selected for their own individual box and mostly tomatoes in the vertical raised beds. Everybody wanted tomatoes!
Specialty Features: Compost bin out of 5 standard pallets and one long one with a Morning Gloria 8' by 8' by 18" raised bed in front for cover. One Garden Arbor (built out of 3 long (8') old Pallets from a Printing Company in
town. 6 bolts and instant Garden Arbor). Had to stain everything to match the complex, as this is public housing. Box Material___of those I built. almost all the material was from FREE used pallets from the local Recycling Center and a Printing Shop.
Type of soil mix__ Mel's Mix.....sort of, Vermiculite and Peat Moss amended with top-soil and several bagged manures as 3rd part because this was
our 1st year. Compost pile now cooking... We are planning on more in-ground/raised beds (without the frames) flower gardens to fill in the
spaces between our current structures, and are planning a Fountain, and interconnecting stepping
stone paths thru-out the garden.
Contact Info for Visits: E-Mail: rdh1939_yahoo.com Phone: 419-946-6583
Visiting Restrictions: Call or write first........I answer the door naked for
unannounced visitors. Both on-site visits and web site photos are fine.........a picture is worth ONLY a 1,000 words....I'll talk your head off.
Web Site: Only one photo? (he-he) Web site photos: http://groups.msn.com/ASquareFoot
Gardening/shoebox.msnw
How did you get started: Found the web site, googling for a way to not have to crawl around on my knees. (Easy to get down.....hard to get up!) Bought the book. Talked with Mel
on the phone. He seduced me. Got involved with some of the things he wanted to accomplish. Bought the books and tapes....donated them to
the local Library this Spring. Got publicity for that which included an announcement of a class to Introduce SFG. Put up Posters about Class around town (short walk). Held Class, got more publicity. (Nothing happens in this town so local paper was hungry.) Contacted the local Extension Office and 4-H Group. Have been invited to give other 'talks'. The Township offered FREE top-soil and mulch. (We didn't use the Township soil for the gardens .... Chemicals???) Have loaned 2nd set of Mel's Tapes, which he gifted, several times to Garden Clubs and the Retirement/Care Center. Expect more requests. In a town (crossroad) of 3,000 I became the Garden Guy. Instant expert.... only I am NOT. I have learned Mel's system.... (thou I did spread it out a bit) now what is that green bug on my melons.
Advice for those starting SFG: Always follow Mel's advice.....( I want to get this published!) The 3' by 3' boxes....seemed like a good idea.....but are immovable by one person when filled with soil. Consider a smaller container if you want portability.
Best thing about SFG: Here, it brought a purpose and an interest to talk about amongst neighbors that didn't talk much before the garden. An unexpected return.......Got carried away....and overwhelmed at times building (only guy in our group of participating seniors). BUT....The Garden Club Members are walking and talking prideful. The response and interest from the non-participating residents here AND their guests is admiring and sincere. The Management, although hesitant at first, is very pleased with our activity. (They took pictures to show...who???) There are more blooming plants and little container gardens outside many of the front doors than before our SFG. Two of the resident guys (ex-farmers) that sat-in-the-back of the presentation scoffing have decided to compete with containers of their own tomatoes on their porch-area. Didn't have them last year.... hmmmmmm. We have drive-bys stop in to look.. and I get calls from friends of friends that I don't know that told them about our garden....with questions about gardening....I fess-up to my status as a 1st year experimenter and refer them to Mel's web site or the library. SFG has been a GOOD thing for Mount Gilead.
Worst thing about SFG: WHERE'S the WORK ??? We planted the seeds or transplants. We water with the sun-warmed bucket of water at each station. I plucked less than a dozen weeds out of my box of 9 crops in the last 2.5 months. If we were not planning for the Fall crops and Garden decor.......I would have nothing to do......but await harvest and replanting. Honestly....one of the ladies looked over her glasses at me and said with a sigh, ......."I thought there would be more to do". (Maybe I can get her to help me mix cement.) Understand that we bored retirees are not feeding families....we just wanted something positive to do....and there isn't that much time consumed by a SFG. Darn it!
Mount Gilead, OH
Location Info: 35 Miles West of Dayton, Ohio. I live in a gated community called Lakengren, 4 miles southwest of Eaton, Ohio.
Gardener Barry
Garden Size: Overall Size: 5' x 40'
2 - 16' long sections with 4 boxes in each section
Box Material: and Depth: Pine and 4 x 8 sheets of barn type siding cut to different heights. Boxes range from 5 1/2" to 22" in depth.
Type of Soil Mix: Topsoil, mulch, Miracle Grow potting soil ( 1 large bag per box).
Grid Material: Lattice strips nailed together to form grids.
Aisle Width & Materials: 4' center aisle, landscape mulch in aisle and around perimeter.
Vertical Frames: 3 wood frames for Green Beans. More frames and boxes are planned next year for Squash, Zucchini, Pumpkin and Cantaloupe
Types of Plants: Sweet Corn , Radishes , Bell Peppers , Beefsteak Tomato's , Earl Girl Tomato's , Yellow low acid Tomato's , Lots of Cherry Tomato's , Cilantro , Parsley , 100 Yellow Onions Plants, Green Beans Marigolds, Dusty Millers
Specialty Features: My wife and I designed the garden to be wheelchair accessible. I have MS and I'm confined to a wheelchair. We raised each section to make it easier for me to garden. We installed the Pergola to finish off the garden. It connects 2-16' sections.
Contact Info for Visits: E-Mail: bclutter72_earthlink.net
Visiting Restrictions: Must be by advance E-Mail
How did you get started: I started 15 Years ago by watching Mel's show. I had 10 squares then in 2 rows with a 3 foot aisle. I put frames on the inside of 4 of the squares and connected them overhead to for a trellis walkway. That's where my green beans grew up and over making in real easy to walk through and pick the beans all around you. I also made 2 pyramid boxes for Strawberries.
Advice for those starting SFG: Start with one or 2 squares, just GET STARTED!
Best thing about SFG: Easy way to grow anything. It keeps me going since I have MS and can't walk anymore.
Worst thing about SFG: Neighborhood husbands not happy with me!
Eaton, OH
Location Info: Colerain Ohio
Gardener: Kurt
Overall Size: 15' x 21'
Number of Boxes: 5 (2 - 4' x 4', 2 - 2' x 6', 1 - 1' x 4'
Box Material and Depth: Boxes made with 1" x 8" rough sawn poplar
Type of soil mix: Mel's mix made with mushroom compost
Aisle Width & Materials: 3' wide with gravel over weed fabric
Vertical Frames: 3 made with 1/2" conduit and poly string
Grid Material: 1" x 1" poplar
Types of Plants: Tomatoes, peppers (hot and sweet bell) cucumbers, pole beans, snap peas, lettuce, radishes, broccoli, onions, various flowers, and anything I feel like experimenting with!
Specialty Features: Unique layout and size of boxes
Contact Info for Visits: E-mail:
How did you get started: I've been interested in SFG since watching PBS show with my father in the '80s.
Advice for those starting SFG: Read the book, study the website, take your time, and have fun! Also, put a fence around your garden if you live near the woods!!
Best thing about SFG: Read the book, study the website, take your time, and have fun! Also, put a fence around your garden if you live near the woods!! .
Worst thing about SFG: Time and money to get started, but well worth the efforts!!
Colerain, OH
Location Info: Near Oklahoma City, near Lake Thunderbird and near the University of Oklahoma
Gardener: Deborah
Garden Size: Five boxes 3 x 6
Grid Material: String
Aisle Width & Materials: 2' with cedar mulch walkway
Vertical Frames: Post poles 2 on top of each other
Types of Plants: Tomatoes, beans, purple hull peas, green peppers, cucumbers, flowers
Specialty Features: Built alongside patio.
Visiting Restrictions: Sorry, no visitors please.
Web Site: Not yet.
Norman, OK
Location Info: Warren, OR
Gardener: Marna
Garden Size: We started small -- just three of your large boxes that you sell in kits.
Grid Material: N/A
Aisle Width & Materials: N/A
Vertical Frames: N/A
Types of Plants: Tomatoes, Red Pepper, Jalapenos, and onions
Specialty Features: N/A
Contact Info for Visits: E-Mail: marna_opusnet.com
How did you get started: We wanted food that was real, genuine, that we knew didn't have pesticides, and that wasn't harvested too early and set on some truck for months to ripen. Besides the fact that my four year old is quite the farmer, and wanted to help mom and dad start a garden. This seemed like the perfect avenue for us as a family to do something together. So we did the square foot by square foot way, as well as container pots for tomatoes, and it was fabulous! We just started small, and it's addicting!
Advice for those starting SFG: Start small, don't overwhelm yourself.
Best thing about SFG: It's just so easy to follow, and so satisfying.
Worst thing about SFG: Nothing! I just love it!!!
Warren, OR
This Location Info:
Chester Springs SFG in Chester Springs
Lynn
My gardens are placed on the lawn, in full sun
Number of Boxes: 4 Box
Material: and Depth: Pine frame, 12" deep
Flat moulding from the home improvement store...I label mine with P-touch tape so I don't forget what's what.
approx. 1.5 feet apart, lawn aisles
Medicinal and culinary herbs, vegetables, greens, marigolds
Type of Soil:
Mel's recipe: 1/3 compost, 1/3 peat moss, 1/3 vermiculite
lynnmariegarner_earthlink.netThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
No on-site visits, please. Will e-mail pictures and details upon request.
I am a writer and an artist with a pottery business called "Spottery" (spotted pottery) My philosophy is that we should make a habit of spotting things we love, and loving things we spot! After I constructed my first SFG, I was very pleased, but thought, "There's something missing." Of course! I wasn't seeing SPOTS! As my SFG village grew, I began spotting the frames and was absolutely thrilled with the results. The combination of bright, lush greens and earthy big-cat colors really hits the spot!
I heard Mel interviewed on "You Bet Your Garden" and immediately ordered the book.
Just do it! Though it is great to have help, I did it on my own, and was able complete the whole project over a weekend. I even built the chicken wire cages by myself...and I'm not an experienced DIYer. It was a good workout, too, and it felt GREAT to accomplish something so useful...something that would bring great joy and yield natural wonders.
It's amazingly simple and tremendously satisfying. I work full time and have a very demanding spottery addiction, so I don't have a lot of time for gardening, though I enjoy it immensely. With my SFGs, I get all the satisfaction and none of the overwhelming obligation. I just watch it grow, water it when Mother Nature doesn't water for me, and enjoy the bounty! I love coming home from work each day and seeing what transpired!
That I didn't start years earlier...I'd never gardened before & had no idea what I was missing! Thank you Mel & staff!!! is a text box which has a scrollbar enabled.
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Chester Springs, PA
Location Info: I'm in the northwest corner of South Carolina , close to the city of Clemson and Clemson University. Also near Greenville, in Pickens County.
Gardener: Ross
Garden Size: Overall Size: 4x32 (if they were placed end-to-end)
Box Material: 1st of landscape timbers, the next three of untreated 2x6 lumber. and depth: my back yard is on a slope, so box depth ranges from 4 inches to 8 inches, plus I loosened the soil 12 inches deep with a manure fork.
Grid Material: None, markings on perimeter boxes.
Aisle Width & Materials: 3 feet wide, grass path.
Vertical Frames:Fencing.
Types of Plants: Beans, squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, broccoli, carrots, water melon, cantaloupe, sweet peas.
Type of Soil We're in the red clay belt, so I purchased top soil and added plenty of vermiculite and compost.
Contact Info for Visits: Email: exnewspaperman_yahoo.com
Visiting Restrictions: On-site visit is fine. Contact me first, OK most late afternoons.
Specialty Features: I was born on a 200-acre farm and now tend 128 square feet.
How did you get started: I've planted a small garden whenever I could find enough soil, and I was familiar with square foot gardening (lowercase), but didn't know of Square Foot Gardening (uppercase) until I stumbled across Mel's first book at a library book sale.
Advice for those starting SFG: Hurry up and do it.
Best thing about SFG: It's given me and my bad back a simple way to do something I love, and the short amount of time it takes each day has made it a great task for my little boys. At ages 4 and 2, they were already hooked on gardening.
Worst thing about SFG: There's not enough to share with varmints. The drawback to having just three broccoli plants, for example, is that one groundhog wiped out my entire broccoli crop in an afternoon
Central, SC
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