Newbie From NZ

Hi
Im scott from Mosgiel Dunedin, NZ. I had a back fusion this year (42) and have decided no digging for me and my garden.
I have 1 green house , 1 10m x 2m garden , 16 m x 3 m garden.
Thinking of cutting the bigger plot in 2.
Im new to gardening.
All comments welcomed.
Warm regards
Me

 from Redding, CA. Lots of friendly, experienced gardeners here to answer questions and cheer you on your way. 

Hey Scotty! Welcome to the forum! Sounds like you have had a rough year, but still want to get some food from the garden! Excellent! Have you read Mel Bartholomew's All New Square Foot Gardening 2nd Ed.? It is a great place to start for the intro to SFGing.

Sounds like you have done some traditional gardening though...tell us more! Experience....plans!

Welcome from Ohio. Great Lakes area USA

Scott,  Welcome to the Forum from California, US!    Square Foot gardening is perfect for anyone with a physical limitation.  I get excited when someone from another area joins.  It adds to the discussions and helps the Forum expand its information base.  It looks like your climate is cool and cold??  It's great that you have a green house.

Okay, back to SFG, or if you want, SMG.  Have you read either book?  It would be good to read the All New Square Foot Gardening , 2nd ed., with more info.  I know you have the meter system, but if you make your beds as 4' x 4' with 1' square grids, you will be able to join right in without conversions.  4' x 4' will allow easy access all the way around without back stress.  That may sound strange if you have ever row gardened, but it so much easier.  They can be 2' x 10', or 3' x 8', just don't make them too long and never make them wider that 4'.  The beds are set down on grade or a little higher platform, depending on your rain and flooding potential.  We had one Aussie who built his beds as table tops because he knew the area flooded.  I think coir will be easier to find than peat moss, and vermiculite in your part of the world probably cones from China so there are shipping costs.  The compost will be the most important part, finding 5 different kinds (not brands) will be the exciting part.  Sheep manure is probably most prevalent the manure compost in your country.  Maybe some cow or horse.

We are here to help with your new garden.  There are also a gazillion threads on many topics so take advantage of the Search box, plus Regional threads.  I'm making a guess that you have long winter sunlight hours (your summer) and that may determine which variety of veggies you grow.  Well, enough of my rambling, please let us know your hopes and dreams and what physical accommodations you may want or need.

The one thing great thing about Mel's Mix is that you do not need any dirt, top soil or any other additives such as gypsum or lime.  I found these links on SMG.

http://www.tuigarden.co.nz/howtoguide/square-metre-gardening-guide

http://www.greenlifestylemag.com.au/features/4250/one-square-metre-garden

http://www.bing.com/search?q=square+meter+gardening+method&mkt=en-us&refig=5966cdb223d7438a8dd18411edbdced4&pq=square+meter+gar&sc=7-16&sp=-1&qs=n&sk=&cvid=5966cdb223d7438a8dd18411edbdced4&first=15&FORM=PERE

Hello Scott. Welcome from Atlanta, GA in the SE US.

Looks like you're either military or police. THANK YOU for your service to your country!

Don't blame you for considering splitting that long one in half....

Welcome Scott! Have fun and enjoy gardening. I can't add much to what Sanderson said, she pegged it right on. If you can get the beds built up off of the ground then ALL the strain of bending over will be gone. I wish I could direct you to somebody to build them for you. But, there are plenty of threads showing just what they look like, and any carpenter worth a darn can build them. The important part of this whole thing is the 5 different kinds of compost. Like Sanderson said, not different brands but different kinds that come from different material, such as sheep, vegetation, steer, etc. That is the key to this from the start. Then making it accessible for you is probably the next most important, if it is to hard to get to it you will not enjoy it and not give it as much attention as it needs.
I hope you enjoy gardening, it can be relaxing and helpful in your recovery from the back fusion. Read about gardening here, and we like pics! Best of wishes in your recovery, Rock

Just playing around with the 2 lots, allowing 2' and 3' wide isles, and 2' and 3' around the perimeters, I came up with 184 sq ft of beds!!  That's not counting the green house!    That is a heck of a lot of wonderful intensive SFG planting.  Especially for someone who is new at gardening.