| Nutley,
New Jersey, USA
| 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: |
Mel’s mix as best possible. Couldn’t 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
|
| Web
Site: |
N/A
|
| 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
don’t 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 doesn’t work - such as beans not
sprouting well due to rainy period – or something shaded out.
You know it right away & can start again. It’s easy to fix
“mistakes”. |
|
The
bamboo arches
(available
from www.cooksgarden.com
)
are
perfect for SFG. They fit as though made-to-order for
a 12"x12" square. They are great for peas to climb on,
for supporting a pepper plant, for keeping carrots, chard
etc from drooping over into adjacent squares, for holding
a mid-day shade cover on the hottest days, etc.
|
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 come up? i.e. would they 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!
|
|
Shamong,
N ew Jersey, USA
| 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:
|
|
Visiting Restrictions: |
On site visit with advance e-mail |
Web Site: |
N/A |
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!! |
| Advice for those starting
SFG: |
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 |
|
Pine City , NY, USA
| 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 |
| Web Site: |
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! |
| Advice for those starting SFG: |
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!!!
|
|
Back
to Neighborhood Garden Index
=================================================================
Tupper
Lake, NY, USA
| Location
Info: |
Tupper Lake, NY
I
Live In Northern New York 1/2 hour from Lake Placid home
of the 1980 Winter Olympics. We are in the Adirondack
Mountains
|
| Gardener: |
Linda
|
| Garden
Size: |
25 X 25
|
| Number
of Boxes: |
4 |
| Garden
Description: |
I have 12 Perennial Gardens
and a Small
vegetable garden. Just built four 4 x 4 raised beds at the
end of May
2007
|
| Grid
Material: |
Garden twine |
| Aisle
Width & Materials: |
3 Foot Aisle covered with
black plastic |
| Type
of Soil Mix: |
Peat Moss, Composted Manure
and Miracle Grow
Organic garden soil, Lime and 5-10-5 Slow release fertilizer.
|
| Vertical
Frames: |
2 vertical frames made
with 2x2's
and left over plastic deer fencing stapled to the 2x2's
|
| Types
of Plants: |
Lettuce, Red and green
cabbage, Radishes, Carrots,
Pac Choi, Snap peas, Pole beans, cauliflower, Broccoli,
Kohlrabi,
rutabagas, Brussels Sprouts, Cucumbers, Onions, Squash,
Swiss chard
and Spinach. I also have potatoes growing in the ground
and a
separate Herb garden. Tomatoes and Peppers are growing in
my
greenhouse because of the cold nights in my area.
|
| Specialty
Features: |
I have several hanging
baskets, and
flower pots all over the yard
|
| Contact
Info for Visits: |
E-mail: yaworski@adelphia.net
|
| Visiting
Restrictions: |
People ride by my house
and give
compliments all the time. I welcome visitors all the time.
|
| Web
Site: |
I do not have a web site
|
| How
did you get started: |
I work the night shift
at
work and wanted something to read and i liked Mel's ideas.
|
| Advice
for those starting SFG: |
Be prepared to
spend money at first I spent about 350.00 to get my four
boxes
started. I could not find vermiculite without spending 30.00
per bag
shipping in my area so i had to make them without it. Results
have
been great so far.
|
| Best
thing about SFG: |
I love the fact
that I do not have to bend over to weed the garden and the
results
have been fantastic so far.
|
| Worst
thing about SFG: |
None, I am very
pleased with the results so far.
|
|
|
Back
to Neighborhood Garden Index
=================================================================
|
|
Asheville, North Carolina,
USA
| 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. |
Aisle Width & Materials: |
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. |
| Advice for those starting
SFG: |
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. |
|
|
Back
to Neighborhood Garden Index
=================================================================
|
| Kernersville,
Forsythe, North Carolina, USA
| Location Info: |
Near
Greensboro, North Carolina. |
Gardeners: |
Bill
and Deb |
Garden Size: |
192
square feet, 3 boxes 4’x12’ 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. |
| Contact Info for Visits: |
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. |
Advice for those starting SFG: |
"Just Do
It!!!" |
Best thing about SFG: |
It grows itself!!!!
(Just about, anyway!!) |
Worst thing about SFG: |
No answer ? |
|
| Back
to Neighborhood Garden Index
=================================================================
Cary
, North Carolina, USA |
| 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: |
Mel’s 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, mum’s, 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?
|
N/A |
| 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 haven’t 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 can’t use my little tiller anymore. |
|
|
Back
to Neighborhood Garden Index
=================================================================
Sylvia
Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA |
| Location
Info: |
Town
or City:Fayetteville |
| Gardener: |
Near
Which Large City: Fort Bragg , NC
County:
Cumberland
|
| Overall Size: |
Sylvia
|
| Number of Boxes: |
|
| Box Material and Depth:
|
8
|
| Type of Soil Mix: |
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.
|
| Aisle Width & Materials:
|
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
|
| Visiting restrictions:
|
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! |
|
|
Back
to Neighborhood Garden Index
================================================================= |
| Mount
Gilead, Ohio, USA
| 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! |
|
| Back
to Neighborhood Garden Index
=================================================================
Eaton,
Ohio, USA
| 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 |
Web Site: |
N/A |
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! |
|
| Back
to Neighborhood Garden Index
Colerain,
Ohio, USA
| Location
Info: |
|
| 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:
krsporty@msn.com |
| Visiting
Restrictions: |
|
| Web
Site: |
N/A
|
| Interesting
facts about your garden: |
|
| 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!!
|
|
|
Norman,
Oklahoma, USA
| 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. |
| Contact Info for Visits: |
E-mail: robotgirlz@aol.com
|
Visiting Restrictions: |
Sorry, no visitors please. |
Web Site: |
Not yet. |
How did you get started: |
|
Advice for those starting SFG: |
|
Best thing about SFG: |
|
Worst thing about SFG: |
|
|
| Back
to Neighborhood Garden Index
=================================================================
|
Warren,
Oregon , USA
| Location Info: |
N/A |
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
|
| Visiting Restrictions: |
N/A |
Web Site: |
N/A |
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!!! |
Back
to Neighborhood Garden Index
=================================================================
|
| Central,
South Carolina, USA
| 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)
Number
of Boxes: 4
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. | |
