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Showcase 3
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Location Info: Norcross, GA, Near Atlanta
Gardener: Jim
Garden Size: 96 square feet (6x16sq. ft.)
Grid Material: Ive marked off the boards with a marking pencil every 12, but really I mostly guesstimate the 1ft. squares by drawing lines in the dirt. It works just fine.
Aisle Width & Materials: The center aisle, two cross aisles, and surrounding perimeter between the six boxes and fence are 2 feet wide, covered with pine bark and wood chips. This provides enough space to move and to work around each box. There is a gate in the fence at one end of the center aisle to bring in a wheelbarrow.
Vertical Frames: In the spring I erect 6 each (one per box) 6 foot high u shaped frames made from 1x 1 pressure treated lumber. I hang nylon strings, 1 apart, from the tops and tie them to nails in the boxes boards. I use these to suspend my tomato plants, pole beans, peas, and cucumbers. I twirl the tomato stems around the string as they grow.
Types of Plants: Ive grown most every vegetable, but have narrowed it down to the ones I enjoy eating the most. These mainly are: lots of tomatoes and beans (bush and pole), radishes, lettuce, peas, onions, peppers (sweet and bell), eggplant, cucumbers, and corn. I also mix in various flowers for show.
Specialty Features: As stated, I purposely placed my garden next to a pond which provides a convenient source of water.
Contact Info for Visits: E-mail: jbfeeley_mindspring.com
Visiting Restrictions: No general restrictions, but give me notice so I can provide directions and be at home
Web Site: N/A
Interesting facts about your garden: Nothing special. Im retired and do this as a hobby and for the unmatched taste of home grown vegetables.
How did you get started: I saw the SFG book in the library, read it, then bought a copy.
Advice for those starting SFG:
Start small and limit how much and what vegetables you plant until you see how much of each you get.
Best thing about SFG:
For me it changed growing vegetables from a chore into a pleasure.
Worst thing about SFG: It is so easy you have to resist the temptation to expand too big and thereby defeat its basic purpose which is to keep things simple, stupid.
Norcross, GA
Location Info: Atlanta
Gardener: Rob Gibson
Garden Size: 12-feet by 15-feet 1 Box
Grid Material: None (shhhh)
Box Material & Width Wood, 6 to 12 inches
Aisle Width & Materials: 3-feet, pine bark mulch
Type of Soil Mix: 70% humus, 30% clay
Vertical Frames: 4 metal trellis
Types of Plants: Tomatoes, green pepper, eggpplant, cantaloupe, zinnia, marigold, cosmos
Specialty Features: N/A
Contact Info for Visits: Phone: 770-368-2051
Visiting Restrictions: Phone first
Web Site: No.
How did you get started: Read about 6 or 7 books including Mel's
Start small in the sunniest spot available.
Best thing about SFG: Reading SFG helped me organize the establishment of a garden
Worst thing about SFG:
Some plants like eggplant grew so well that spacing greater than 1 foot might be needed.
Peachtree Corners, GA
Location Info: Macon, GA
Gardener: Tim - 35 & Max - 3
Overall Size: 4 X 4
Number of Boxes: 6
Box Material and Depth: Pine / 6 inches deep
Type of Soil Mix: Mel's Mix
Aisle Width & Materials: 2 feet wide, weed block cover with pine bark mulch
Vertical Frames (number and type): Jute String
Grid Material: Vinyl
Type of plants: Carrots, Five Color Chard, Spinach, Rocket, Radishes, Red Sail Lettuce, Amish Deer Tongue Lettuce, Soyo Long Cucumber,
mint, fingerling potatoes, marigolds, petunia.
Garden Specialty Features: Quality time with Dad and Son
How would you like potential visitors to contact you to arrange a visit?
By E-mail: timcunningham_hotmail.com
Visiting restrictions: advance email
Do you want on-site visits or would you prefer showing your garden by web site photos, or both ? Prefer web site, photos
Interesting facts about you and your garden: I try to use only heirloom seeds. Constructed and maintained by the brightest little boy you have ever seen. (Partial much?)
How did you get started with SFG ?: Online forums
What advice would you give others for starting ?: Start small. Follow instructions closely.
What is the best thing you can say about SFG ?: Straight forward, simple and organized. If you have to have things neat, maybe a little O.C.D. inclined, this is a tidy garden
you can love.
What is the worst thing you can say about SFG ?: Cats think it is the best toilet ever.
Macon, GA
Location Info: Rome, GA, Northwest of Atlanta
Gardener: Alex Westberry
Garden Size: 4 - 3 are 4' by 8' and one is 3' by 17' wood, 6" deep
Grid Material: String
Aisle Width & Materials: 2' - grass
Type of Soil Mix: Peat moss, compost, cow manure
Vertical Frames: 4 - wooden with netting
Types of Plants: lettuce, tomatoes, beans, peppers
Contact Info for Visits: E-mail: aaberry_bellsouth.net
Visiting Restrictions: email first
How did you get started: I read the book
Advice for those starting SFG: Make a plan first....dont just jump in head first
It works!
Rome, GA
Location Info: Bloomington, IL, McLean County, Illinois
Gardener: Anna Hubbard
Garden Size: 12' x16', Number of Boxes: 4; will be 6, Box Material is 2x6 wood and depth is 6" of Mel mix
Grid Material: 1x2 wood.
Aisle Width & Materials: 2-3 gravel.
Vertical Frames: Two 4-foot sections.
Types of Plants: Vegetables.
Specialty Features: In backyard.
Contact Info for Visits: E-mail: ahubb2000_hotmail.com. Phone: 309-661-3259
Visiting Restrictions: Onsite visits. No pets, please call or email in advance but can be that same day.
How did you get started: A friend told me about the web site.
Plan in the fall and build boxes and soil in fall, not in windy March or April.
Best thing about SFG: No weeding!! Really easy and organized and doesn't produce too much.
Not enough to do... ha :) I guess building the actual vertical frame was the hardest but once done it stays put :)
Bloomington, IL
Location Info: Bluford, Illinois
Gardener: Josh, 12 years old!
Garden Size: 4 foot x 4 foot
Number of Boxes: 4
Box Material and Depth: 1" x 6' cedar
Grid Material: 1/4 inch x 1 inch wood strips
Aisle Width & Materials: 3 feet
Types of Plants: cabbage, bush green beans, carrots, radish, onion lettuce, lima beans, tomato, cucumber, okra, bell pepper, hot banana pepper, sweet banana pepper, beets, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, yard long green beans, potatoes, strawberries, snapdragons, dahlia, zinnia, wave petunia, dianthus, balsam, marigold verbena, petunia, salvia, and gladiola
Specialty Features:
Contact Info for Visits: 618-732-8762
Visiting Restrictions: no restrictions
How did you get started: I attended Mel's Seminar in Feb 07
Mel's SFG method WORKS! Start making yours today!
Best thing about SFG: It's easy, it produces an abundance of crops in a very small area.
There is nothing bad I can say about SFG, it is just fantastic!
Bluford, IL
Location Info: West Layfayette, IN, Near Indianapolis
Gardener: Bill
Garden Size: 50' x 100' (ten boxes)
Grid Material: Plastic Venetian blinds
Aisle Width & Materials: 4 foot aisle - pressure treated 2 X 8
Vertical Frames: 5
Types of Plants: Tomatoes, cucumbers, cantaloupes and strawberries, lettuce
As I am 88 years old, I designed this garden so I could get around it in a wheelchair in the future if I have to . Tomatoes grown in cages.
Contact Info for Visits:
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it '; document.write( '' ); document.write( addy_text46866 ); document.write( '<\/a>' ); //-->\n This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Visiting Restrictions:
None.
Web Site:
Not yet.
How did you get started:
Mels book.
Talk to others who are doing it.
Less work and saves a lot of seeds.
Deer eating my strawberries.
West Layfayette, IN
Location Info: Louisville, KY
Gardener: TOM
Overall Size: 64 sqft
Number of Boxes: I have 2 4x8 raised bed gardens plus a few containers for herbs
Box Material and Depth: Landscape timbers - 15 inches deep
Type of soil mix: Straight Compost
Aisle Width & Materials: 3 feet (in the process of laying pea gravel)
Vertical Frames: N/A
Grid Material:
Types of Plants: (2) California Wonder Peppers, (4) Rainbow Peppers, (1) Eggplant, (1) Poblano Pepper, (6) Broccoli, (6) Cauliflower, (6) Brussels Sprouts, (4 small rows) Blue Lake Bush Green Beans, (4) Rainbow Tomatoes, (2) Brandywine Tomatoes, (2) Roma Tomatoes, (8) Collards, (6) Cabbage, (intercroppings of carrots, radishes, etc), pots with herbs, and a few other things outside the boxes
Contact Info for Visits: E-mail only
Web Site: Interesting facts about your garden: This is my first square foot garden. It was so easy to plant and it is even easier to maintain.
How did you get started: Saw it online, got the book, read it, did it. Pretty straight forward.
Advice for those starting SFG: Make sure you leave room to add more in the future, I know I want to add more for next year.
Best thing about SFG: Easiest, Fastest, Most Effective and Efficient way to have a home garden. My neighbor talks to me about it eveyday that he sees me out there, which isnt very often because its so easy to maintain. But I do go look at it every day just to see its progress and grab a quick bite to eat ;-)
Worst thing about SFG: That I didnt build more boxes.
Louisville, KY
Location Info: Union, KY, 15 miles south of Cincinnati , Ohio
Gardener: Bruce
Overall Size: 128 square feet
Number of Boxes: 8 Total
Box Material and Depth: Treated lumber, 10
Type of soil mix: Compost, sphagnum peat moss, shredded mulch, composted manure, pasteurized pelleted poultry litter.
Aisle Width & Materials: 3 feet, turf
Vertical Frames: 2-electricalconduit with nylon mesh, 4 pre-made bar stock
Types of Plants: Corn, squash, onions, peppers, peas, cucumbers, beans, basil, tomatoes, carrots, lettuce, spinach, chard, radishes, lots of herbs and flowers
Specialty Features: 100% Organic soil, fertilizer, pesticides
Contact Info for Visits: E-mail: blongacre_fuse.net
Visiting Restrictions: Advance notice only
Interesting facts about your garden:
How did you get started: Found the web page on a Google search in 2004
Advice for those starting SFG: Start with 1-2 boxes, visit garden everyday
Best thing about SFG: Minimal maintenance
Nothing
Union, KY
Location Info: Jennings, LA, Near Lake Charles, Jeff Davis Parish
Gardener: David
Garden Size: 4 ft x 8 ft Overall
Number of Boxes: 1
Box Material: and Depth: 1 x6, 12 inches deep
Type of Soil Mix: Amended Soil
Vertical Frames: 2 one on each 4 foot end
Grid Material: Plastic clothes line
Type of plants: tomatoes ,okra, beans, cucumbers, jalapeno peppers
Interesting facts about you and your garden: Made from recycled materials
How did you get started with SFG: From your book checked out at the library
What advice would you give others for starting: Buy and read first the book its all there
What is the best thing you can say about SFG: Everything
What is the worst thing you can say about SFG: Nothing
Jennings, LA
Location Info: Waterville, Maine, 15 minutes' drive north of the Capitol City of Augusta (the only large city in Maine is Portland , and it doesn't really qualify as a large city)
Gardener: Meg
Garden Size: Overall Size:2'X25' u-shaped inside a low fence, another 10' or so in the works
Number of Boxes: One continuous box in a u-shape bordering a low fence
Box Material: and Depth: Old ripped-out baseboards 6" deep, also 1X6 lumber
Grid Material: Wood lath strips
Aisle Width & Materials: No aisles at present, just the grass (which does take a beating)
Type of Soil Mix: Mel's Mix made with peat, vermiculite, and Coast of Maine shellfish compost and lobster compost as well as composted manure
Vertical Frames: Using wire attached to the low fence for now, hope to do vertical frames properly next year.
Types of Plants: Vegetables including cabbage and broccoli, squash and tomatoes, Kentucky wonder beans, lettuces, radishes, green onion, carrots, herbs, and marigolds
Specialty Features: Our garden shows how a tiny postage-stamp of yard (half of which is taken up by one tiny driveway) can be preserved for usable space while still having a vegetable garden.
Contact Info for Visits: By E-mail:
Visiting Restrictions: You may drive by and take a look, but for more info or to meet, email me and we will set something up! :)
Web Site: yes my blog at http://mysquarefootgarden.blogspot.com/
How did you get started: Started researching space-saving plans on the Web when we bought this house last year, because we have so very little yard, and I was determined that my daughter should grow up eating and raising organic vegetables and fruits. Bought the book after seeing the website.
First and foremost, buy the book! The charts on succession planting and planning timetables were invaluable.
Don't be frightened by the initial expense for the soil materials, etc. Just imagine what you would pay for all that organic produce in one year at the supermarket! It pays off.
Also, if you do what I did and use existing rich soil underneath to invite earthworms, be sure to really till and expose the existing soil, and get rid of whatever was growing there first. I still have to pluck crabgrass shoots and clover out of my SFG. However, not too many, and they are easy to pull through the soft soil. Also, if you live in a northerly climate as I do, Mel's instructions to use a sun-warmed bucket to water from are even more important. I was lazy and used a hose, and discovered that the ice-cold hose-water made things grow really, really slowly. On the plus side, ice-cold hose water does keep lettuce from bolting longer! But for summer crops, the bucket is important.
Best thing about SFG: The space-savings. The GRIDS! My husband wasn't sure they were necessary, but believe it, for the purposes of looking like an organized project instead of a mess, and for the purposes of easily planning how much of what goes where, the grids are essential!
Worst thing about SFG: Haven't really found a down-side yet. I am really glad I found out about SFG for my first gardening experience, because it has been easy, fun, and successful.
Waterville, Maine
Location Info: Frederick, Maryland,
I am about 40 miles North East of Washington, D.C., and about 40 miles West of Baltimore, Maryland
Gardener: Donald
Garden Size: 40 square feet. Two boxes: one 8 X 4 (ground) and one 4 X 2 (three feet high on deck) Landscape ties that are about 4 inches thick
Grid Material: Twine
Aisle Width & Materials: I will be constructing one vertical frame from ½ inch electrical conduit, conduit elbows, and nylon mesh netting with 7 inch holes
Vertical Frames: I will be constructing one vertical frame from ½ inch electrical conduit, conduit elbows, and nylon mesh netting with 7 inch holes.
Type of Soil Mix: Mostly Mel's Mix, with top soil, garden soil, and a base of sand.
Types of Plants: Tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, peppers, spinach, lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, carrots, beets, peas, beans, marigolds, and nasturtiums.
Specialty Features: I have a 4 X 2 box that I made for the deck. I placed it in a partially shaded area and grow lettuce and spinach in it. For the 8 X 4 in the back yard, I used pvc to construct hoops, and then used a row cover and plastic to keep out pests, strong winds, and heavy rains. I also used a row cover and plastic for the deck box, but I first inserted wood stakes inside the cart on all sides to hold up the covers.
Contact Info for Visits: E-mail: dmartin301_hotmail.com
Visiting Restrictions: No onsite visits, please. Visit through pictures.
Web Site: Not yet.
How did you get started: My dad and I saw the shows when I was a kid, but didn't act on it at that time. After moving to my first house, about 25 years later, I thought a few vegetable plants would be nice, but I don't have enough space. I then remembered Mel's show from when I was a kid. Funny how the brain stores these things for future use. I started poking around on the web to see if Mel still existed, and, sure enough, the man and the method were still in tact. I was so excited! I began reading the website, emailed Karen with questions, borrowed a copy of the book from the library, and soon afterward, I bought my own copy. Even though the season had ended for starting vegetables (October), I started putting together the garden plot and soil. The following February, I covered the plot with landscape fabric and by mid-March, I was off and running! I had started from seed indoors under lights using seed starter mix with vermiculite.
Read the website first to get a basic understanding of the method, then read the book. Email Mel or Karen with any questions you have-- they are very encouraging and responsive. Also, get your kids and wife involved. What a wonderful object lesson for the kids!
Worst thing about SFG: Initial costs for vermiculite, compost, peat moss, and trellis material, however, once all that is established, costs should stay minimal.
Best thing about SFG: It allows someone with a postage stamp backyard, like myself, and a deck, to literally grow more vegetables than you can imagine!
Frederick, Maryland
Location Info: Easton Md. We are on an Island in the middle of Chesapeake Bay. 11 miles from St. Michaels and 24 miles from Easton.
Gardener: Charlie
Garden Size: 20'x16' Overall size
3 4'x4'x6" , 1 4'x4'x12" , 1 2'x20'x6" , 2 1'x16"x6", 2 1'x8'x6" boxes. Three foot vinyl picket fencing, lined with chicken wire. Aisles made with pea-gravel. Entire garden area covered with weed proof liner material.
4- 4'x4' , 1- 2'x20', 2- 1'x16', 2- 1'x8'
All boxes constructed of cedar wood and brass screws.
Grid Material: 1/4" x 1" pine lathe.
Aisle Width & Materials: 2 foot and 3 foot made with 3-4" of pea-gravel
Vertical Frames: Four, made from galvinized conduit pipe set on 18" re-bar, according to instructions in the book. Netting purchased on the Internet. Attached with plastic ties and reinforced against the garden fence .
Type of Soil Mix: Compost blend of Blue Crabs, Leaf compost, manure compost, organic compost, Humus
Types of Plants: Vegetables, Herbs and flowers. Will be experimenting with various types and varieties until I find out what will work well for us.
Specialty Features: I've designed the garden to be an intimate place where one can relax and enjoy the plants, I plan on a fountain for the center where the sound of the water will enhance the expierience.
Contact Info for Visits: By E-mail: charlie.marilyn_gmail.com
Visiting Restrictions: Please Email in advance but we cannot accommodate pets, sorry. Kids are fine, we have 6 grandkids!!
How did you get started: I've been planning since I first saw the PBS program many years ago.
Interesting Facts about your garden: I've been planning this for many years. My previous home was on the side of a mountain and totally wooded. I have dreamed of having the room for a sq. Ft. Garden for a long time. My retirement property is perfect and I have spent the winter months building and planning. I'm almost ready to make "Mel's Mix" and begin planting!!!!!!
Advice for those starting SFG: Get the book, read the book and FOLLOW the book to the letter! It's easy enough, don't look for shortcuts, it's all in there!
Worst thing about SFG: It's a little pricey to start and you have to keep reminding yourself that it's a one-time cost that is amortized over time. Mel's Mix, is indeed ,very valuable!!!
Best thing about SFG: It's so simple to start and once you are up and running it's almost maintenance free!
Tilghman Island, MD
Location Info: Maple Lake in Wright County, near Minneapolis, MN
Gardener: Pat and Connie Lahr
Garden Size: Size: 800 sq. ft.
Number of Boxes: 1 special organic hydroponic Box.
Material: compost and rain water.
Grid Material: Venetian blinds.
Aisle Width & Materials: 2 ft with grass to be mowed.
Vertical Frames: Vertical Frames made of concrete 6 inch and farm posts. Supports beans, cucumbers, peas, archway for Scarlet Runner Beans (beautiful) and squash.
Types of Plants: Vegetables, herbs, fruits, and edible flowers.
Special hydroponic box works well in shade areas full of roots
Mulching with newspapers and top cover; 4' x 4' compost in garden. Rainwater collection in 2 units, total 8,000 gallons, was built under the new addition to our home in 1996.
(fertility greatly in proved, leaching in area you plant; ie beautiful cucumbers on a trellis make many quarts of dills near the compost pile)
Contact Info for Visits: E-mail: pclahr_yahoo.com Other: 320-963-3690
Visiting Restrictions: No dogs.
Promote School Gardens once a week in April and May with both Maple Lake Elementary and St. Tim's Parochial. The Public Schools follows through with 4 weeks of summer school and then we move into the Fall Garden with both schools for 2-3 times. Each session with the students takes up to 1/2 hour. This past year 77 1st graders from Public and 36 2nd and 3rd graders from Parochial participated in the Garden Project.
Wright Home Gardeners meets the 3rd Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at various locations including tours in the summer. This group, formulated in 1990, also teaches ORGANIC GARDENING in Community Education Programs in the spring of each year.
Haiti Gardens, founded 1985, is promoted by Wright Home Gardeners each September and funds garden leaders in Haiti for the past 14 years. We lived there nearly 4 years with the people, using Square Foot Garden principles as a guide.
How did you get started: l980's fixing tv's on PBS.
Start small.
Best thing about SFG: Learn a system, ie spacing.
Worst thing about SFG: Folks expect too much when soil is not adequately prepared.
Maple Lake, MN
Location Info: Near Minneapolis
Gardener: Lori
Garden Size: Overall size: 16' x 16', 4 boxes 1x8 lumber filled to the top with 1/3 each compost/peat moss/course vermiculite.
Grid Material: Vinyl grids ordered from Mel
Aisle Width & Materials: 3 feet, grass
Vertical Frames: 3 conduit and nylon netting
Types of Plants: 13 different vegetables, 6 different herbs, and strawberries
Specialty Features: Our gardens are raised 18 inches so we don't have to bend...perfect height for kids helping ....no more fear of stepping on tender plants.
Contact Info for Visits: Phone 763-370-8797
Visiting Restrictions: I have 3 children, so bring yours and they can play in our yard, we have a large friendly dog and three cats as allergy alert, I am a stay at home mom, so call or email and we can set up a time to have you visit.
Web Site: Soon.
Interesting facts about your garden: I grew up the youngest of eleven children and dreaded gardening season because we had a massive garden (1+ acres) of straight row gardens to feed our family, which meant massive weeding, boy do I wish we would have done it this way instead!
How did you get started: I saw a friend's garden and she told me all about it, then I bought the book and got hooked!
Gather all your materials and supplies first, then get started on the construction. Also, mix 1 batch of Mel's mix at a time, it gets quite heavy to mix if you try to mix more at the same time!
Best thing about SFG: It makes perfect sense! No weeding! Efficient use of space!
Worst thing about SFG: My parents didn't know about this method when I was growing up!
Ramsey, MN
Beautiful gardens from the red, white and blue
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