Back in Square Foot "again"

I have been reading how anxious, and patiently waiting to plant you northerner's are. Sounds like some of you have cabin fever. I just completed a 4 x 4 and 2 x 6 beds...and started planting Saturday. I purchased my first book in 1982 and enjoyed SFG for about 7 years. Time raising family took me away and now retired and finding more pleasure starting up again. My thanks to Mel for his tremendous pursuit of perfection. I have met my neighbors again (at the fence) peering over with jealousy at my gardens. Don't you just love it?

Jay wrote:I have been reading how anxious, and patiently waiting to plant you northerner's are. Sounds like some of you have cabin fever. I just completed a 4 x 4 and 2 x 6 beds...and started planting Saturday. I purchased my first book in 1982 and enjoyed SFG for about 7 years. Time raising family took me away and now retired and finding more pleasure starting up again. My thanks to Mel for his tremendous pursuit of perfection. I have met my neighbors again (at the fence) peering over with jealousy at my gardens. Don't you just love it?

Howdy Jay:

"Don't you just love it"? Yep. We had a neighbor who gardens the way she always has done it (row) and does not want to change, slow down as she passed last summer and yell out, "nice garden".

Yep, I love it!

God Bless, Ward and Mary.

Welcome to the forum, Jay!

I think we all have cabin fever. (And I have an ice storm starting up outside... just as I was thinking about trying to clear my backyard. Whee!)

I had my first year last year, and though my HOA did the down-thumb thing on me, my neighbors loved it and were more than a little jealous. Woo-hoo!

Can't want to hear more about your gardening; it's such a joy to hear seasoned SFGers share their experience! Best wishes with starting up again. What did you plant?

Jay, if you have been SFG'ing since the early 80's, you will have to let us know how the new ways and old ways compare. Did things get even easier?

And, welcome aboard. You have found a great place to share your knowledge and learn more, too.

Megan....does this mean you can't have a SFG this year?

How about growing in hanging baskets? I did that with flowers when our HOA at the beach condo wouldn't allow us to grow flowers in beds because it would interfere with the yard maintenance crews.

I just got a few shepherd's crooks and stuck them around the rhododendrons that graced the front of my unit, and enjoyed color thru the summer that way. I wasn't into veggies at the time or I'd have sown things small enough to grow well in hanging baskets.

Not in the front yard, anyway, at least not anything obvious... though I have had herbs out front for 10 years now, and I can probably get away with ornamental or low-lying things... plus I've already got onions and garlic going. Otherwise, for the front yard, I want more flowers and herbs, things that will be accepted as "pretty". We'll see how that goes.

My hope is to get true SFG beds going in the backyard, but due to unexpected, massive expenses in December (read: replacing vehicle) I am going to have to be very resourceful about building new boxes.

Re: BackyardBird Gardener. Yes your correct with the new ways easier. Here in Florida in 82 I could not see putting wood on the ground to "rot" as Mel did. I opted for formed cement for 4 4 x 4 beds with 1 foot between. I believe after that I could walk a tight rope. The new 3 feet between sure is better, especially since I have a few more years on me. The new 1/3 mix is fantastic. Planted Romaine, buttercrunch, cabbage Saturday and all standing tall this am. Today will plant "seminole pumpkins" appears to be native here for climbing, cucumbers and more tomatoes all 3 for climbing. And looking to build more beds. will try and send a picture..soon as I learn the way to send it.

Welcome, Jay. I love hearing about others planting when we are still looking at below-freezing temps. It keeps me going until our own spring arrives.

I also had Mel's original book but it sort of got pushed to the back shelf and we continued to row garden until last year when my health issues and my husband's back surgery forced us to find an easier way. I dug out Mel's old book for my husband to read while off from work recuperating, and he got really excited about the concept. I surfed the 'net to see if anyone was still doing it, and I found this site and learned about Mel's new book. Our life changed dramatically, and now SFG dominates our conversations. We soon converted our entire garden over to SFG and raised beds.

I look forward to seeing your photos, and learning from your experience.

Jay, I would like to hear more about your Seminole pumpkins. I do believe they are native to Florida. I am jealous of your plantings, we have a lovely 1/4-1/2" of ice as of this morning.

Well I guess some people are patient. Me - I was out lifting my iceberg wedges of frozen mels mix off the top of my bed on Sunday lol. Why you ask? Well, last year was my first year (tremendous success), and last year I was a little impatient as well aparently. I built my first box, put the landscape fabric on the bottom flipped it over and made my mels mix. I then proceded to fill it with beans, peas, broccoli etc in early spring only to notice a month or so later that I had the box hanging over my property line by 6 inches. The lot is for sale and I had nightmares of having to move my bed mid season. Oh, and I guess I forgot to mention that the surveyors stake with the bright pink tape on it - was about 4 feet away from the bed lol. Anyway - I moved the bed this weekend and built two new ones - and turned over all the MM in my other beds (heard that helps with insect control). But again as I was breaking the frozen surface, I was laughing at my self and my lack of patience - I didn't care, I just wanted to dig!!! lol

I also made my first hoop house this weekend just gone so hopefully I can start my season a little early this year - did I mention I am not that patient?

I was buying wax bean seeds and corn today - I asked my 8 year old what he wanted to grow this year I was missing those seeds - have everything else though I had always said I wouldn't grow corn because it is too much of a space hog, but he always says he wants to grow it, and I have extra beds this year so why not. This year I have devoted an entire bed to tomatoes so maybe next year I will do an entire one for corn lol.

I have just sat down at the computer to research light bulbs for lighting my seedlings - last year most were directly sown, but I have seen the light in sowing indoors both from extending the season, but also to give the plants a head start while the garden space is still growing something else - I did really well last year (at least I thought so) but I can also see with better planning how I can increase my productivity and the results are just so popular at the dinner table

Welcome back and Happy Gardening

Howdy! I've been suffering from a bit of "cabin fever" myself as we had a whole WEEK of cold AND wet weather down here in south Texas

Should be mid 80s today and the sun is shining bright, so back out into the garden I go! Just letting the morning fog/dew burn off so I don't have to toss the kids back in the bath as soon as we come in.

I thought my last lettuce planting wasn't going to come up, but saw a few sprouts yesterday. Guess the cold weather just slowed down germination. I'm glad since it'll be too hot for lettuce before I know it. Want to get everything in ASAP so that I get a good harvest before the summer heat shuts things down.

Mid-80's?!?! *jealous*

elliephant.....Yes, I've found that lettuce will just stop growing until it likes the weather and start right up again, as long as its still too young to bolt.
Good luck and have a salad for me. I won't see my lettuce til at least May.

Megan wrote:Mid-80's?!?! *jealous*

+1

Megan: the seminole pumpkins are kind of neat...kinda pebbley on surface and multi- colored. They can be green and white, orange/white/green and other multi -colors. The largest I have seen is about the size of a #14 soccer ball. good in stew, soups and add a sweet flavor. My neighbor tells me they are native to Florida and thought to have been planted by the Seminole Indians who are also native to Florida. I planted 4 seeds today so will keep you posted "when" not if they grow. I even talked to the seeds when I planted them. LOL so you know they will grow.