The Square Foot
Gardening Foundation
Home
What is SFG?
Calendar/News/Regions
Teaching/Learning
Help &FAQ's
Garden Supplies
Forums
SOIL
Make Mel's Mix to fill boxes.
Compost
Peat Moss
Mel's Mix
Vermiculite
Other
FULL TEXT
Q: What about the environmental issue of using Peat Moss ?
A: SFG is doing more FOR the enviroment than any other use of peatin the world.
Q: Are there environmental implications of using Peat Moss ?
A: We advocate the 3 R's by using it only once in the whole life of the mix.
BACK
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE OF PEAT MOSS
Q: Hi Mel, my name is Andrew, and I live in London. I worry about your recommendation to fill your boxes with peat. Many important bits of wild landscape in Britain are being destroyed by the extraction of peat for gardening. I'm sure the same is true elsewhere. What do you think ?
A: Dear Andrew,
Thank you for your question and yes, of course, we are all concerned about using up non-renewable materials from the earth and we have considered this for quite a few years.
USE MORE THAN JUST PEAT MOSS
First of all let's be accurate and explicit. You stated that my recommendation was to fill your boxes with peat. That's not correct and I hope you are not telling people that because we are not saying that . First of all, we are telling people to fill their boxes with Mel's mix, which is composed of only 1/3 peat moss, not 100%. Then, Andrew, if you consider this: first of all Square Foot Gardening is a very natural method of gardening. We use no insecticides and no fertilizer. In addition all three of our ingredients are all natural. Therefore, we have cut down on all of the petroleum-based products that normally go into a garden.
LESS SPACE - LESS USE
Next, because we have condensed gardening down to only 20% of the size of a normal garden in order to get 100% of the harvest that is another huge reduction of 80% of the land space as well as the need to improve that much garden soil. Next, instead of digging down for 6, 12 or even 18 inches as the French intensive method does we do not even disturb your existing soil but can grow all of our plants in only 6 inches of soil mix. So 6 inches compared to 18 inches is another reduction of 2/3. In essence then, once you reduce the land area by 80% and then the soil depth by 67% what we are talking about is 1/3 of 1/5 or a total of 1/15 which now becomes something like 6% of the original. Why that is such a small number, politicians aren't even happy if they get 6% of sales tax. They want more, at least in this country, how about yours?
PEAT MOSS USED FIRST TIME ONLY
So as we considered the problem of using up non-renewable materials we thought well, if we are talking about a number like 6% and then on top of that in a normal garden you keep adding peat moss every year to build up your soil, but in a Square Foot Garden we use it for the first time only and then never after again. All we do to improve that soil mix each time we replant a square is to add a trowel full of home made compost, which is a renewable source. So if you took that 6% and spread it over the garden life we are talking about such a small pittance that we felt that that alone was a huge, huge advance in earth conservation. We feel that we are stewards to the earth and do all that we can to practice conservation.
NON-RENEWABLE SOURCE
Now the next thing, Andrew, is that since peat is a non-renewable source but useful for many purposes you could put it in the same category as other earth found non-renewable materials such as coal, and oil ,and gas ,and water. Just because they are non- renewable it doesn't mean we have to throw up our hands and say we can't use it at all. If we use it constructively and with a conscience towards earth friendly, there is no reason why we can't use these materials without using them up them and without destroying the landscape. The problem comes when some companies or individuals become greedy and want to make a lot of money without thinking about their debt to earth friendly types of endeavors. We have the same problem with coal as with peat, and that is when it is mined near the surface there must be a conscience of that operation so that it is not left in a devastated condition.
USE PEAT MOSS SPARINGLY
The other thing that I hope you will pass on to your friends and family is to ask them to do their homework and read up on the subject on our website and they will find that our philosophy is, yes, we are still using peat but with great caution and in very small quantities and if we found companies that were destroying the landscape or altering nature in a devastating manner we would certainly object also. I hope that explains our position and that you will feel likewise.
ALTERNATIVES TO PEAT MOSS
Concerning alternatives there are a few and one of them is ground up coconut hulls. We have experimented with it, and tested it and, found that it is not as satisfactory as peat moss and much more expensive, although it is a renewable material and I hope someday that they will be able to bring the cost down, and it will become more popular to replace peat moss. But the mere fact that we are only using a very small percentage of something I think is much more advantageous than trying to find a total substitute and eliminating that material unless it becomes an endangered species.
Yours truly, Mel B.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS ABOUT PEAT MOSS
Q: Hi Mel, my name is Jon and I live in Southampton, UK. I have been much inspired by your book and after seeing three SF Gardens whilst on holiday in Wales, my wife is now more receptive to the idea to me creating some gardens of our own. Considering the environmental impact of using peat here in the UK (and elsewhere), can you recommend an alternative to peat moss or at least clarify what type of peat will do.
Regards, Jon
SUBSTITUTE MATERIAL
A: Dear Jon, you raise a very noteworthy objection to using peat moss and we have been concerned about that for many years. There is one alternative material, but we think we have an even better solution to the problem.
First, the alternative material. It is ground up coconut hulls. Although we have been told that it holds more water than peat moss, our experiences have not proven that and we have found that it is much more expensive and a little hard to find, BUT IT IS A RENEWABLE MATERIAL. It is available in either small bricks or large bales at most garden supply centers. I would first get out the yellow pages and let your fingers do the walking by calling around to see who carries it. Get prices and volume's after it expands. Remember both peat moss and ground coconut hulls come in COMPRESSED bricks or bales and expand to almost twice the size, I would use the same amount of either material when making Mel's Mix.
NOW FOR THE BETTER IDEA
I remember reading a press release about a group in England who were protesting the use of peat moss in the agricultural world because, like coal, eventually we'll use it all up. Maybe in a thousand or maybe in a million years.
HERE'S THE SFG SOLUTION
Rather than continually using Peat Moss, SFG advocates using it only the first time you make your Mel's Mix. Thereafter, the only thing you'll add to your soil mix is compost, a renewable material. Remember we never have to replace Mel's Mix, we merely add compost every time each square foot is harvested and replanted with a new crop. (Basic Rule No. 10). Compost is an all natural material made from waste plant materials (in your own backyard hopefully). That way we won't deplete the Earth's natural resources but actually clean it up. Doesn't that make a lot of sense ?
Remember, good compost is made in your backyard from as many different sources as possible with none of them being over 10-20% of the total volume. That will produce a rich, friable material that will contain all of the nutrients and trace elements that your plants will need. No fertilizer needed. It's just such a wonderful material that is often described as "black gold". We at SFG encourage everyone world wide to make compost at every home. It's the solution to so many ecological problems. It's not only good for the garden, but think what it does for the environment because your using up materials that otherwise would go to the landfills, or just be dumped out alongside the roads.
In every country that I've visited around the world, I see so many sources of compost materials, all being thrown out, it becomes just garbage and litter. It certainly doesn't enhance a country to tourists, or produce income from tourism. So in summary, let's all get composting in our own backyards and learn to use our resources wisely.
..
HOW TO FIND IT
Q: I can't find vermiculite !
A: I'd let your fingers do the walking -- here's where ...(click on FIND IT)
Q: I was told by Home Depot "you won't find vermiculite anywhere."
A: Let's find out the truth. (LATER: Turns out it was an employee of Home Depot expressing her own opinion, which she admitted was rather vague.)
Q: Even the local Agricultural Agent doesn't know where to find vermiculite.
A: They're still teaching how to roto-till existing soils. Here's where to look for coarse vermiculite ... (click on FIND IT)
Q: I finally found vermiculite !
A: I knew you would -- where ?
Q: Can't find coarse vermiculite -- tried everywhere.
A: Keep phoning; it's out there -- try these ideas ...(click on FIND IT)
Q: I can only find "fine" grade vermiculite. Should I buy it ?
A: No, keep looking for the "coarse" grade. Much better.
Q: I can only find "medium" grade vermiculite so far, here in Japan. Can I use it?
A: Only as a last resort. Keep looking for "coarse" grade.
Q: Why the coarse grade of vermiculite ?
A: Allows more moisture & air into root zone so plants do better.
Q: I found a new source of coarse vermiculite !
A: Please, share it with us
Q: Is vermiculite safe to use ?
A: Yes -- here's an up-to-date answer to that question ...(click on FULL TEXT)
Q: Are there any precautions in using vermiculite ?
A: Like many dusty materials, be careful when mixing dry.
Q: How can we be sure vermiculite is safe ?
A: Help me research the latest information.
Q: Can I substitute Horticultural Sand for vermiculite which is very expensive here in England ?
A: No, not sand -- here's why ... (click on FULL TEXT)
Q: Can I substitute perlite for vermiculite ?
A: I don't like it -- here's why ... (click on FULL TEXT)
A: I don't recommend it -- here's why ... (click on FULL TEXT)
Q: I found bugs in my compost pile at night.
A: Stay in the house at night !
Q: Pro-Mix is too light of a soil, how can I adjust the density.
A: Just add compost !
Q: Why can't I add freshly mowed grass clippings ?
A: Because they will rot and smell.
Q: Are grass clippings safe to use if the lawn was sprayed ?
A: Ask Lawn Service what they used and if they are safe.
Check with County Ag. Agent.
Q: Here are the chemicals used on my grass.
A: Don't use until two months after composting them.
Q: Why add wood ashes ?
A: Provides nutrients and trace elements for plants.
Q: How important is composting to SFG ?
A: Compost is the biggest secret solution to the success of SFG.
Q: If no fertilizer ? Where will the plants get trace elements ?
A: From the home-made Compost.
Q: What do I do if my compost is frozen ?
A: Dig it open and expose to the air.
Q: I've got a great way to make small batches of Mels Mix. Want to hear about it?
A: Absolutely, please tell us all about your idea.
Q: Does Mel's Mix need to be replaced?
A: No, Mel's Mix never needs replacement.
Q: How much of each ingredient should I buy ?
A: "It ain't easy" -- but here's what ... (click on FULL TEXT)
Q: Do you sell bags of Mel's Mix ?
A: No, but here's a shopping list ... (click on FULL TEXT)
Q: I'm new to SFG; it's difficult understanding all the ingredients.
A: There are only 3, but help is on the way.
Q: Is 6" of Mel's Mix enough ?
A: YES, 6" of Perfect Mix is better than 12" of improved soil.
Q: Has the 6" depth of Mel's Mix been tested, or is it just a theory ?
A: All gardens shown on the web site are 6" deep of Mel's Mix -- visual proof.
Q: Does any lime have to be added to the mix ?
A: Not if you have a good home-made compost.
Q: They said "it would cost $125 to fill each 4'x4' with Mel's Mix ?"
A: No, only $35 for a lifetime soil.
Q: Why doesn't the Original book talk about raised bed and soil ?
A: The ALL NEW book and website illustrate 23 years of tested improvements.
Q: Original Book says: improve your existing soil;
ALL NEW book and website say: ignore your existing soil ?
A: Website gives the latest information.
Q: Is commercial premixed soil just as good Mel's Mix?
A: No, not for SFG -- 4 reasons why ... (click on FULL TEXT)
Q: What does it mean to top dress tomatoes ?
A: That's fertilizer -- which we don't use anymore in SFG.
Q: Does your book have a formula for improving soil ?
A: Yes, but exisiting soil is no longer a concern with a SFG.
Q: What do I do for my acidic New England soil ?
A: Not a problem -- you won't use any existing soil in a SFG !
I CAN'T FIND VERMICULITE
Q: Hi, my name is Linda from Tennessee . I learned of you from a friend who let me borrow her Square Foot Gardening video. I'm so excited to try the sq ft gardening, but I can't find the VERMICULITE ingredient. Everyone looks dumb founded when I ask if they carry it. Is there something else I can use in its place ???? I am anxious to get going on this project.
Thanks for your response, Linda
ALL YOU NEED IS THE BOOK, VIDEO AND WEB-SITE
A: Welcome to SFG, Linda . Now that you've seen the video, you will be ready to have your own copy of the book. Do spend some time, though, looking through our website as we have many new things posted every week.
GET OUT YOUR YELLOW PAGES
Several people have asked a similar question and we are preparing a FAQ file to go on the website. But, in the meantime, you need an answer now, so get out your yellow pages and sit at your phone and let your fingers do the walking. Call all the major nurseries, garden supply centers, particularly those like Home Depot, Walmart, Lowes and try to get the garden manager on the phone and ask them if they carry the large, 4 cubic foot bags of coarse vermiculite because you're building a Square Foot Garden. They can order it if they get enough requests in.
BUY WHOLESALE IF POSSIBLE
If that fails, then I would look under "greenhouse supplies or suppliers" in the yellow pages and look for wholesale distributors (remember not to buy it in small expensive bags). They carry it and quite often you can buy it from them, maybe even at a better price than at the retail stores. Of course, it depends on how many bags you want. Next call all the commercial greenhouses and growers (they use it) and find out where they buy it.
GO TO WHO USES VERMICULITE
We have had many letters from people who said that they could not find vermiculite or that it only came in very small bags and was expensive, but when we encourage them to keep looking and calling many wrote back and said , "Aha! we finally found it !" If you think about who would use it in large quantities and then ask them or search out where they get it that usually solves the problem. Since the home gardener does not normally use that much vermiculite (remember Square Foot Gardening is totally different than any other method devised) the normal retail outlets catering to gardeners do not normally carry the coarse grade in large economical bags, but that all is going to change as you and others make SFG popular. Hope that answers your question.
Best wishes, Mel B.
IN SEARCH OF VERMICULITE
Q: When I went to Home Depot to get vermiculite I was told that I probably could not find vermiculite anywhere. Do you know anything about that ?
Thanks, Louis
A: Dear Louis, thank you for writing, you bring up an old problem I've seen for the last 30 years so I need your help. In addition to the following, would you track down the person that told you why they were no longer carrying Vermiculite at Home Depot and get a quote, because other Home Depots are stocking it so I feel it might be just one person not the COMPANY itself. But with your help, we will find the truth.
Mel
Greetings Mel,
In answer to your specific question, the employee at home depot did not know much about it and it appeared to be her opinion that I could probably not find vermiculite anywhere.
I did a little research on the web, and I did find some information I believe may be helpful. Apparently EPA did investigate concerns about asbestos in vermiculite. In their small sample of off-the-shelf vermiculite available to gardeners, 15% did show some amounts that could be measured of asbestos. Here is what EPA said in their fact sheet that can be found atedhttp://www.epa.gov/asbestos/vermfacts.pdf
The results of this investigation indicate that the potential exposure to asbestos from some vermiculite products poses only a minimal health risk to consumers, although workers may face more serious risks.
To further reduce the low risk associated with the occasional use of vermiculite products during gardening activities, EPA recommends that consumers can do the following:
• Use vermiculite outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.
• Keep vermiculite damp while using it to reduce the amount of dust created.
• Avoid bringing dust from vermiculite use into the home on clothing.
• Use premixed potting soil, which usually contains more moisture and less vermiculite than a pure vermiculite product, and is less likely to generate dust.
• Use other soil additives such as peat, sawdust, perlite, or bark.
The text of the full study can be found at http://www.epa.gov/asbestos/vermiculite.pdf
It is apparent to me that more study should be done . Asbestos is bad stuff, and I believe it is prudent to take the EPA's recommendations. You might want to consider incorporating these recommendations into your information you publish for your fans' sake as well as your own.
I hope this is helpful, Louis
SAME OLD STORY
Second A. Dear Louis, that is some good information. Thank you for sharing it with us. I'm appalled, though, that an employee of Home Depot, who didn't know much about vermiculite would utter such things, causing near panic in the industry by merely expressing her opinion. Our local Home Depot stores have their supply of vermiculite now and they are loaded with 4 cubic bags in the coarse grade ready for the gardening season. I like the research you did on the website and I'm going to follow your suggestions about getting some recommendations on how to mix.
DUST
We wear a simple dust masks anytime we mixed it indoors in a barn-sized area, and sometimes outdoors, but it would certainly be worthwhile to suggest that it always be outdoors when there is no wind and to wear a dust mask. It wouldn't even hurt to have the material wetted down slightly with a very fine spray. Now I know why perlite makes me sneeze.
WEBSITES
I'm going to keep the reference that you mentioned and thank you for giving the websites. I would still like to hear what the manufacturers have to say and I think it is going to end up that all USA manufacturers certify and guarantee their products and they know what mines they come from and what processes they use as far as asbestos is concerned. Of course, that has nothing to do with the dust from any product. So if you have a chance, anytime, if you could also research those manufacturers and see if you could get any further information. I sure appreciate your prompt response to my request and this will definitely be shared with many others.
VERMICULITE
Q: Hi Mel, my name is Don and I live in Tustin, MI. I think your book is just great, and I am starting our first square foot garden this year. My question is: I would like some information on vermiculite, both some recommended sources and some information on grades. We have tried without success, Home Depot, the local agriculture agent, and several nurseries in our area for a course grade product. The largest town to us is Cadillac, MI. I have found a source for unknown, at this time, grade for about $40 per 2 cu ft. Any advice or suggestions you could offer would be appreciated.
FINDING VERMICULITE
A: Dear Don , I can understand how frustrating it is trying to find the large bags of coarse vermiculite. It does come in three grades: fine, medium and coarse and some people have used the medium. I like the coarse because the particles do break down over the years and I've always thought, "Why not start with the biggest and let them break down naturally into the smaller ?" The fine grade is much too fine for our type of gardening. The sources are just the ones you've tried. Home Depot always carries it and I've yet to find a Home Depot store that didn't have it. Quite often they run out quickly, but they can reorder it and I'm surprised that your Home Depot doesn't carry it. I would get back on the phone and call the garden manager and tell him what you want, and why you want it, and tell him that every other Home Depot that I know all around the country carries it, and there is no reason why he can't order it. They will know the supplier, and they can obtain it and get it in for you.
FIND THE BIG VERMICULITE USERS
I'm not surprised that the local Ag Agent either doesn't know about it or where to get it because most of them are still digging in the existing ground trying to improve it year after year. Have you followed our advice on the website to let your fingers do the walking and do all the calling first? You can also look up "greenhouse suppliers - wholesale" and if that doesn't work, call the nursery manager or the people that order supplies and ask them who are their wholesale suppliers and you'll find out where they get everything and then you can call them. They may or may not sell it to you wholesale, but at least you can track it down that way. If you find a wholesaler and he won't sell to you as an individual, you could always then order it through one of the nurseries and they could order it through the wholesaler and take their cut and you'd still get it.
OUTRAGEOUS PRICE
I can't believe the prices you are quoting either - $40 for 2 cubic feet is outrageous. We pay, usually, about $15 for 4 cubic feet. You said you found the extra coarse grade and I believe that might be used for insulation or possibly packing. I don't know if it is approved for gardening, but the people that sell it would certainly know. That usually sells for about $10-$12 for a 4 cubic foot bag, so if the largest town near you is Cadillac, maybe you really are out in the boondocks and it does cost that much to get it there.
Best wishes, Mel
FINDING COARSE VERMICULITE
Q: Mel, we are trying your gardening suggestions for the first time this year. I have found access to all the material I need except for the vermiculite. Do you have any suggestions; I have tried Home Depot, Wal-Mart, and several nurseries. Some of the nurseries sell medium grade in small quantities. We would appreciate any guidance you could offer.
Thank you, Bob
CALL AHEAD AND ALL OVER
A: Dear Bob, you did not say where you are from so I cannot give you any specific information or suggestions. You seem to have called all of the usual sources, have you tried looking in the Yellow Pages under Green House Suppliers Wholesale? And you might also call the Green Houses themselves and ask them where they buy their vermiculite wholesale.
A MONTH LATER BOB WRITES AGAIN
Hi Mel, thank you for the follow up. I did locate course Vermiculite at our neighborhood Grain elevator of all places.
Thanks for the help, Bob
MEL ANSWERS
Bob, it never fails, if you keep looking and calling, someone out there has it. Good luck with the garden
HARD TIME FINDING
Dear Mel: I am having a hard time locating vermiculite in my area. Any suggestions?
Thanks, Lori, MN
LOCATING VERMICULITE
Dear Lori: I'm surprised you're having trouble finding vermiculite, but here are some suggestions that may help. I would suggest that you get out your yellow pages and sit at your phone and let your fingers do the walking. Call all the major nurseries, garden supply centers, particularly those like Home Depot, Walmart, or Lowes and try to get the garden manager on the phone and ask them if they carry the large 4-cubic foot bags of coarse vermiculite because you're building a Square Foot Garden. They can order it if they get in enough requests.
If that fails, then I would look under "greenhouse supplies or suppliers" in the yellow pages and look for wholesale distributors (remember not to buy it in the small expensive bags). They will also carry it and quite often you can buy it from them, maybe even at a better price than at the retail stores. Of course, it depends on how many bags you want. I don't know of a website that carries vermiculite. I'm sure the shipping costs would be quite prohibitive since it comes in such a large bag.
GOOD LUCK, IT'S OUT THERE, MEL
Guess What Mel, Just Like You Said
Dear Mel: Greetings from Minnesota! I would like to share with you and other gardeners a great place to find coarse vermiculite, which I just found out about. After many phone calls and very little success at finding coarse vermiculite in 4 cu.ft. bags at greenhouses, nurseries and well known Garden/home improvement Centers through out the area (20 qt. or smaller bags were the most common), I went online and did a search on www.askjeeves.com. I found 4 cu. ft. bags of coarse vermiculite for sale online at a greenhouse/nursery distributor, but the shipping was outrageous, so I called their toll free number to find out they were located in Milwaukee!
The lady I spoke to was very helpful and told me to contact the local distributor in Minnesota (Minnesota Distributing) and even gave me their number! I called them immediately, and will be picking up my 4 cu. ft. bags of coarse vermiculite Wednesday for only $12.60/bag, only 30 minutes drive away! The nice gentleman I spoke to there even told me what nursery to go to nearest to me to get the compost I wanted, since he could only sell me a palette of 70 bags, a bit too much for my project!
So Mel, I just wanted to let you know of my find. I would think other people could go to a distributor in their state and get the same super deal! I have been spreading the word on SFG to lots of people I know here in MN, because I really believe it is the best gardening method! Thanks for all you do!
God bless!
Lori from MN
I FINALLY FOUND VERMICULITE
Q: Mel, guess what ? I found the vermiculite at Texoma Landscaping Co. in Sherman Texas. They ordered it for another women that wanted to do square foot gardening. I had bought some medium grade and drove up the street and saw this billboard and pulled in. I went inside the door and there it sat, course grade, I bought it and put the medium on my flower beds. I am a veggie nut.
Jan from Texas
PERSISTENCE PAYS OFF
A: Hi Jan, I'm so glad you found the coarse grade of vermiculite. The large 4 cu. ft. bags of coarse vermiculite are out there--all across the country, you just have to search for them. But as I tell everyone let your fingers do the walking, then if they say, we don't have it, ask them: "where else can I look ?" Everyone will find it just like you did Jan.
Congratulations, Mel
JUST ANOTHER "I FOUND IT" LETTER
Mel, Thanks for your personal reply. I was unable to find the coarse bag, but I did find a 4 cu ft bag of medium grade at a store called The Great Big Greenhouse in Richmond, VA. It was $13.99. Despite the distance I drove (about 50 miles-we live in a very rural area), it was still cheaper than over $4 for a very tiny 8-quart bag at Southern States. The girls and I had a ball putting everything in last night.
Thanks for your help, Anita
FINE VERMICULITE ?
Q: Hi Mel, my name is Craig and I live in British Columbia. Canada I think your book and web site are both fantastic. My question is, the only vermiculite that I have been able to find is "fine" and not "coarse" as you suggest. What problems will using "fine" vermiculite cause, if any.
Cheers ! Craig
SOIL STRUCTURE
A: Dear Craig, One of the benefits of Mel's mix is that it is very loose and friable, it drains well while at the same time holds a lot of moisture. All of the three ingredients are a different size and structure, thereby mixing well, but maintaining this very loose and friable property. In addition, all three ingredients have fairly large particle size, and I am afraid that if you used the fine grade of vermiculite it would tend to fill all of the desirable gaps and cause the mixture to block out air and would not drain as well.
KEEP SEARCHING
If someone has the fine grade vermiculite in the large 4 cubic foot bags then the medium and coarse grades must be available somewhere somehow. They might have to order it special for you, or you might have to do some more phoning around to locate it. If worse comes to worse, you could use a medium grade, but I would not settle for the fine grade.
LOOSE AND FRIABLE
Hope that clarifies why we use coarse vermiculite , and you will be able to find it locally. Even the coarse grade gradually breaks down into smaller pieces, but since you don't have to be constantly digging and turning up the soil with SFG, Mel's Mix will stay loose and friable for many years. Remember we merely add a trowel full of new compost each time we replant a square foot. If that compost was made from many different ingredients it will contain all of the nutrients and trace elements needed to grow healthy plants.
BLENDED COMPOST
Speaking of compost I want to emphasize the need to have a blended compost made from at least five different ingredients, and if you cannot find a blended compost, then buy and mix several different types of compost together. Most commercial composts have only one or two ingredients, for example: steer manure and bedding straw, wood chips and sawdust, ground up leaves, bark and tree wood. These are merely leftover waste materials or byproducts from an industrial or commercial operation, and by themselves do not make a good ingredient in Mel's Mix.
However, the good news is, if you can find at least five of these individual composted materials you can mix them together to make a well-rounded blended compost ingredient for your Mel's Mix. If you are buying your compost at the store by the bag, buy five different bags or manufacturers. If you are buying your compost at the nursery in loose form, buy five different kinds for example: steer, wood, dairy, turkey, mushroom, yard wastes, etc. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT POINT.
FEED THEM A VARIETY
Think of compost as food. If you were to promise someone that you would feed them, and you found out you could get corn on the cob really cheap, and that is all that you fed them, they would not last very long. If you could add to that food rice and then citrus and then all other kinds of vegetables you would end up having a healthy diet. Does any of that make sense? Growing and feeding plants is the same thing. They also need a blended diet, and all of the nutrients and trace elements come from the compost in the Mel's Mix. Hence no fertilizers are needed with SFG. That's just another way SFG simplifies gardening, but you must start with that blended mixture of compost made from at least five different sources.
SHORT QUESTION BUT LONG ANSWER
Didn't mean to make this so long, but all of the above is really the heart and soul of Square Foot Gardening. I have often said if you start with a perfect soil mix you will have a perfect garden. Good luck in your search.
SFG IS A NATURAL FOR JAPAN
Q: Hi Mel, I'm going to try your SFG method here in Japan. I can't understand why your methods have not taken this country by storm many years ago. It is perfect for the extremely limited amount of space folks have (and I literally mean a few square meters), the need to keep down the amount of work necessary due to people's generally hectic lifestyles, and the aging population who have been active family farmers / gardeners all their lives but who probably find it hard climbing up the hills and mountain paths to reach their little piece of earth while carrying heavy hoes and tools a bit tough.
EVERY SQUARE METER COUNTS
As land is at an absolute premium here in Japan, and the average Joe has none, there is a similar practice sponsored by city governments of renting out small plots for "weekend farmers". I, just by luck, was able to get the last two available in this area (4.4m x 3.9m and 4.7m x 3.5m). I would eventually like to put four squares in one, and two in the other (leaving room for a water bin and a compost heap) to cover the needs of my family of four.
THAT FOREIGNER'S NEW WAY
I'll send you some pictures of the plot when I get it put together, as I am located right in the middle of 77 other traditionally cultivated row plots. Not only am I going to catch heck from my "neighbors" for being a foreign beginning gardener / "farmer" (to them) invading their quaint little community garden, I am going to be doing it in an utterly foreign (though hopefully productive) way that is, without doubt, going to draw a lot of criticism and laughter from the old folks who have always done it the "normal" (i.e. traditional way). Folks who stand out over here and don't toe the cultural line and ways of doing things are always in for some trouble, so I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of reactions I get to SFG :-)
IS MEDIUM VERMICULITE OK
One quick question, though, concerning Vermiculite -- the only type I've been able to find after going to four large gardening centers is "M" size. It seems no one carries the larger type you mentioned in your book (though I have to admit I have no idea how large that size is), though one old gardening shop is looking into it for me. Will the MEDIUM size work? If it is the only product I can find, should I adjust the Mel's Mix amount? Just curious, as with all the eyes on me at this plot, I don't want to screw up too bad in the beginning :-)
Thanks for taking the time to read this and let me know about the new shipping charges.
Have a great day! Peter from Osaka, Japan
MEL ANSWERED
A: Dear Peter: Thank you for your wonderful letter. It is just great that you have been able to obtain the last two available garden plots in your area. I can just picture you out there doing Square Foot Gardening in the middle of everyone else. You are right - all eyes will be on you and your garden.
SFG IS A MUST FOR JAPAN
And you are also right on the fact that Square Foot Gardening is perfect for Japan where land is at such a premium. The right person just hasn't come along until now to introduce SFG to the people of Japan, so to our knowledge they don't know about it yet. So, we will be happy to help you become the SFG pioneer in Japan, if you would like.
GET COARSE VERMICULITE
To answer your question concerning vermiculite, the reason why we use coarse vermiculite rather than medium or even fine is that I've found through the years, the plants do best in a fairly coarse mixture of soil. It allows moisture and air to get into the root system and it seems that the roots grow better in this material. When everything gets too fine, it packs down and closes in too much and it is harder then for the moisture and the air to get through the soil mix. Because vermiculite is fairly soft and crushable, I find that if you start with the coarse, it will gradually break down over the years and get smaller and smaller, so I like to start with the coarsest available. I'm not sure if the fine would offer more surface area because when you look at a piece of coarse vermiculite it is filled with nooks and crannies. Think of it, perhaps, as an English muffin compared to A slice of bread. When you add honey or jam, I'd prefer the larger nooks and crannies of an English muffin.
MEDIUM GRADE WILL DO
So, Peter, that is the reason we prefer the coarse grade. However, as you call around, if you find that you are unable to find the coarse vermiculite, then go ahead and use the medium grade. That isn't ideal, but it will certainly work. You would use the same amount. Does it come in 4 cu ft bags or in some other size, like cubic meters ? If you made a sq meter box, it would be almost exactly the size of a sq yard box (3ftx3ft) save about an inch per sq ft which wouldn't make much difference to the plants, so you could use the same spacing of 1, 4, 9, or 16 per space. Keep in touch with your project. We just know SFG will be successful in Japan !
Good luck with your garden, Mel B.
Why the Course Grade of Vermiculite?
Q: Hi Mel, my name is Steve and I live in Southern California (zone 10 - Orange County). I think your book is just great! I would like to start my raised bed gardens using your method. I'm currently building 4' x 4' and 8' x 2' raised beds (about done). I'm a total beginner at vegetable gardening.
In your book you specify coarse vermiculite in your soil mix recipe. Why coarse? Why not fine or medium, as this would allow more surface area and volume for water absorption and retention with perhaps a lesser volume of vermiculite.
Thanks for a truly sensible book, Steve
Course Grade of Vermiculite is Best
A: Dear Steve: Thanks for your letter and all your great comments. Welcome to Square Foot Gardening. Even though you are a newcomer to SFG, you are just going to love this method. It is designed especially for someone new to vegetable gardening, but don't forget, we also advocate adding flowers and herbs to your garden. Every square foot should have a different crop and you can see from the photographs on our website, how attractive this makes a garden.
Because you are a "total" beginner, as you put it, and new to SFG, I'm going to include a few paragraphs that we've written to others with suggestions on what to look at in the website and what things to study at first. Keep in mind the website does bring the book up-to-date and adds several improvements we've made through the years.
BEGINNERS ONLY
My recommendation for a beginner is to first study most of what is on the website, particularly the "What is" and the "How to" and, once they have a basic understanding of the whole system, they should buy the introductory video which, you already know from watching it, explains everything in a quick, concise, but colorful pictures. Once they understand that, then they are ready to buy the book and start reading it. They need the book as a general reference source as well as more details, pictures and drawings on "how to". Also, they need it for all the charts and diagrams of when and how to plant. After they have been through the first year and have been gaining experience and confidence, then I would suggest the classic series of 3 videos, which is like watching three hours of TV shows over an extended period of time. The videos are all arranged in subject order and you get to see a lot of things that were done on the TV show - things that are not in the book or the introductory video.
COARSE VERMICULITE
As to your question on why we use coarse vermiculite rather than medium or even fine, the answer is, I've found through the years, that the plants do best in a fairly coarse mixture of soil. It allows moisture and air to get into the root system and it seems that the roots grow better in this material. When everything gets too fine, it packs down and closes in too much and it is harder then for the moisture and the air to get through the soil mix. Because vermiculite is fairly soft and crushable, I find that if you start with the coarse, it will gradually break down over the years and get smaller and smaller, so I like to start with the coarsest available. I'm not sure if the fine would offer more surface area because when you look at a piece of coarse vermiculite it is filled with nooks and crannies. Think of it, perhaps, as an English muffin compared to letting that muffin dry out and then grating it into a fine powder. When I put honey or jam on that English muffin, I'd prefer the larger nooks and crannies.
COMPOST HAS IT ALL
At first, someone might think that if you are providing more than the plants need, is that like over-fertilizing them and will they burn out or grow too rapidly? The answer to that, again, is the magic of compost. Because it is all very natural, it seems to release the nutrients and trace elements as the plants need them. The compost has a very neutral pH and although it has lots of the good things that a plant needs, it is very gentle to the plants. Keep in mind, also, that every time you replant that square foot with a new and different crop, you are going to add at least a trowel full of new compost to supplement the original soil mix.
The good news from all the above is that IT WORKS. Our new improvements to Square Foot Gardening are the result of 20 years of experimenting and growing gardens all over the country, and actually all over the world. Everyone that has tried homemade compost has been extremely successful.
IS VERMICULITE SAFE
Q: Dear Mel, I went to two Wal-Marts, in Copperas Cove and Killeen, Texas and found none. I went to Lowes in Killeen and found 9 small sacks. I went to Home Depot and found none. I asked the man in the garden section if they had any. I was told that I would not find any except possibly some small nursery that had some left because it had been found that the people who were mining it were getting cancer and mining had stopped and it would no longer be available.
Thank you, Don
A: Dear Don, sounds like you spent a lot of time going from store to store, I know how frustrating that can be. That's just one of the reasons we keep telling people to " let your fingers do the walking." The day your letter came I just bought a 4 cu ft bag of course vermiculite at Home Depot and also received another letter from a SFG who said he went to many nurseries and couldn't find it but then went to Home Depot at my suggestion and found all he wanted.
We have to understand, UNTILL SFG CAME ALONG no one ever asked for the big bags except the commercial greenhouses that insisted on buying it in large economical bags. They get it wholesale from the distributors, not at their local retail store like we do. It's all in the supply and demand. It also sounds like you ran into the same misinformation or rumor that several others have. So now we have to counter inaccurate information from a few uninformed in this situation.
Thank you for getting back to me with your information. I really appreciate that because this is a serious question that can effect us all and that's why I've been asking others to help research and investigate the availability and safety of VERMICULITE.
Here is a letter from another SFG who did some extensive research that turned up some startling but comforting information. Hope this puts your mind at ease and also might settle the distorted rumors once and for all :
More on cheap sources of vermiculite, posted from NYC on Mon, Apr 21, 03 at 13:09
I just got off the phone with the Schundler Company - a large, east coast manufacturer of vermiculite. This is what they had to say about the "pool base" I just bought for $ 12 per 4 cu ft bag to use in my garden.
First, all of their vermiculite is untreated. The only differences between the "horticultural" vermiculite and the "construction related" vermiculite is A) the packaging and B) the grade.
Second, their vermiculite comes in three basic grades: #2, #3, and #4. What we call "horticultural vermiculite" is the #3 grade, and is really only sold for horticultural use (it's bagged as "course horticultural vermiculite."). They tell me that growers generally call it "glitter."
#2 vermiculite (called medium grade)is a finer grade (but nowhere near as fine as the "fine horticultural vermiculite" I have in my house for seed starting. This grade of vermiculite is packaged as "pool base" and also used in masonry projects. Many masonry supply companies sell it. The bag I have is called the V+16 ultralite, is 4 cu ft. and weighs 16 lbs.
The final grade, #4, is the coarsest and is generally called "mica pellets." It's used in insulation projects, and used to be very popular as attic insulation. Schundler tells me that Home Depot doesn't stock it (basically because it' takes up a lot of shelf space and is a very inexpensive material), but that other home repair places might.
Finally, regarding the asbestos question. There was one mine, somewhere in the US, where the miners were found to be suffering from asbestos poisoning (is that what you call it ?). These miners one a class action suit against the owners of the mine. The asbestos in question, however, was not part of the vermiculite itself, but was located in the same mine as the vermiculite. So while the case against the mining company was legitimate, the general attributing of asbestos properties to vermiculite is not.
There you have it.
VERMICULITE SAFETY
Q: We seem to read about a possible contamination of vermiculite so as to make it unsafe. In addition it seems to be used for so many purposes like house insulation, garden use, swimming pool base etc. How can we distinguish between its uses, various ways it's packaged and ultimate safety ?
A: I'm sending this letter out to several SFG friends to ask them if they would be willing to do a little research. Would you help? We want to make sure of the safety of using vermiculite. I'm asking everyone concerned to help with this research project.
BACKGROUND
Vermiculite is a natural material , Mica rock mined out of the ground. It's then ground up and heated to high temperatures until it pops into large porous pieces. Very much like popcorn. These pieces are very lightweight, open structure, with lots of cavities to hold a tremendous amount of moisture, yet when they become saturated, any additional moisture or water will drain right out the bottom. This is an ideal component of any premium soil mix. Mica rock, or ore, is mined in many places all over the world. One of the problems that was found in certain parts of the world was that, asbestos was also mined from the same mine as the Mica rock, and of course we all know the dangers of asbestos minerals.
HERE'S THE STORY
I have been assured by several of the Vermiculite manufacturers that all that is sold in the USA is perfectly safe, inspected thoroughly by the government and contains no asbestos. I also remember back in about 1985 a small mine somewhere in the northern part of the country, I think it was Michigan, was closed down because some of the Vermiculite was thought to contain a small amount of Asbestos. Of course the environmentalist's took that up quickly and it was written about extensively. As often happens, some reporter looking for a story, resurrects that press release every so often and issues it as if it was brand new news, thus causing a small panic in the garden industry and gardening population.
NOT CONTAMINATED EXCEPT BY NEWSPAPER REPORTERS
As it turns out, the asbestos was apparently not nixed in with the vermiculite but merely located in another part of the mine! No matter, the mine was shut down, but the story keeps coming up as if it's a brand new incident. Once the true source of that press release comes to light everything settles down again for another couple of years. Unfortunately stories like that continue forever and the people that spread them usually don't bother to find the source and track the true information down.
LET'S ASK
So I think it's time that we did that again , just to reassure everyone that the Vermiculite they buy in the large 4 cubic ft. bags for gardening, will be perfectly safe for their garden. One of the major manufacturers or distributors is the Grace Co., and I'm sure they have a web site and an e-mail address that we can contact. I would ask any of you that have any concern whatsoever to help me clarify the present situation and email them an inquiry on the safety of Vermiculite, and then we can share that with everyone.
EXTRA COARSE
I did come across a very coarse grade of Vermiculite several years back that was labeled for insulation only, and it seemed even more ideally suited for gardening, however I was told that the source of that product was not safe for gardening soil. When I asked, "If it's not safe for gardening soil, how could it be safe for insulation in our homes?" I never received a very satisfactory answer. If any of you know your way around the Internet you might also track down Vermiculite used for insulation and the safety of that product. I remembered it being much, much cheaper. For example when you buy a 4 cubic ft. bag of coarse Vermiculite at the garden center it's going to run around $15. I've seen it as low as $10 and as high as $20. That insulation kind seemed to me was something like $4 or $5 for the same size bag, so maybe it's too good to be true.
CONSERVATION
I might add, that because Vermiculite is a natural material from the earth, and we don't want to deplete it unnecessarily, SFG advocates starting your soil mix with only 1/3 Vermiculite. Except for a minute amount that you use for starting seeds, we never add it again unless we are mixing up a brand new batch.
COMPOST
What we do in order to be very conservative and ecologically minded is, every time each square foot is harvested and replanted with a new crop,(see rule #10 on the How To web site page) remember we add a trowel full of compost, that's also a natural material but made from all waste plant materials (in your own backyard hopefully). That way we won't deplete the Earth's natural resources, we do the exact same thing with Peat Moss.
PEAT MOSS
I remember reading a press release about a group in England that was protesting the use of Peat Moss in the agricultural would because, like coal, eventually, maybe in a thousand, maybe in a million years we'll use it all up. Rather than continually using Peat Moss, SFG also advocates using it only the first time you start your soil mix. Then thereafter, the only thing you'll add is a renewable source of energy, that being compost. A well made compost in your backyard made from as many different sources as possible with none of them being over 10-20% of the total volume, will produce a rich, friable material that will contain all of the nutrients and trace elements that your plants will need. No fertilizer needed. It's just such a wonderful material that is often described as "black gold".
COMPOST IS KING
