Hi from San Diego

I just got done building a beautiful 16'x10' redwood garden space and was shopping at Lowes for irrigation for row planting when I came across Mel's book. Now that I see what a great idea that SFG is I've been dealt a mental setback as how to proceed forward from this point. Fortunately, it looks like this is a very popular way to garden and this is the site to come to for answers. Since I'm new to this (any type of gardening) your help will be much appreciated and I look forward to your feedback.

Hi,

I just spend the last three weeks building a very nice
enclosure for a garden out of redwood. It is 16'x10' and I was going to do row gardening until I happened across SFG at Lowes today while searching for irrigation for it. Now I am
in a conundrum as how to proceed as I spent a lot of $$ to get it to
this place plus I have 20 bags of Miracle Gro + 40 bags of top soil
sitting in my garage which I was going to start putting in this space,
again, until I came across this book. I suppose it's a good thing in a
way because I've never grown a garden before so I'm "learning this on
the go" which this book points out is a good thing. Should I just use
this as a protective enclosure from the rabbits (we have a lot of them)
and use the 2x12 bottom perimeter for walls on some of the interior
boxes inside it? Or should I buy enough wood to make some stand alone 6"
tall boxes that can be moved around without using the 2x12 perimeter
walls as part of those boxes? It should be noted that I just had a clear
stain of 1 coat painted on this past weekend and it has been applied to
the inside of the 2x12 inside perimeter. Is there a real worry about
that affecting the vegetables that I plan to grow inside of this garden?


Any advice would be appreciated as I need to get this completed so I can get to the growing part.

from another southern Californian. This is a great forum.

Please post pictures of what you have built so we can better understand what you are working with.

I would suggest taking the bags you already bought back and getting the ingredients for Mel's mix or perhaps the Gardentime square foot mix that some Lowes carry.

Welcome, Ddbl T. We're here to help.

I would also exchange your soil items for MM - either the ingredients or the premade or a mix of both.

And maybe this would work? It allows an entry and three or two foot aisles. It also assumes you have no access from the outside perimeter.

Welcome to the fun of square foot gardening! I am new to it also but since I have made the change gardening has never been so exciting until now . If you have any questions there are tons of people with a lot of experience here to help. Now you just need to get those beds made and filled with Mel's mix!

It's a tad past my bed time and I don't know how to upload the image I have. I'll be back tomorrow to figure that out to show what I'm working with.

I have discovered a gr8 way to make a grid...measure the sides of the boards of your 4x4' garden at 1 foot intervals along the lumber sides, put an eye bolt (smallish doesn't have to be very big), then purchase (6) 4 foot dowels put eye bolts on each end then secure with twisty ties, this cost less than 10 dollars and you don't have to have any power tools to construct it...EASY!! (You will also need 24 eye bolts to complete this project)

The beauty of this is twofold, it is cost effective and the whole garden plot can be worked at the end of the year by removing those grids...have fun!!

I love this idea! You should post it in the general SFG forum under its own heading!

Welcome to the forum.......I am in Chula Vista....and have gardened this way since 1991 with my whole back yard planned this way...only with the narrow walkways like Mels old book....

Now I garden at a different level and am always "In Progress"......what area are you in?.....Ruth

I am up in the Escondido area and have busy day planned of getting back all the Miracle Gro and Top Soil and bought and then try and figure out how much of the three parts of Mel's Mix I need to replace it. Looking forward to getting this garden up and running

Let me warn you, SFG is addictive. I am alone and started with 6 4x4 boxes. Provided an overabundace of spring veggies. I took a temp job for the summer and didn't grow a summer garden, but planted a great fall garden that decided to overwinter. Boxes were not empty come spring. Then I decided I needed strawberries. Zap one bed tied up permanently. Garlic took over my fancy. Planted a 4x4 in Nov. Zap another box not available for spring/summer gardening. Wanted to do watermelons and cantaloupe. Zap they are space hogs so I allotted a bed just for them (althought next year I think I'll try to plant my early peas there and share the box). So I added 4 more boxes. Then the weather stayed warmer than usual, my peas were not finished and my 18 tomatos needed to go out. Added 10 buckets. A local farmer convinced me it was easy to grow southern peas so zap 4 deck pots joined the mix. I see new veggies I want to try but still keep my tried and true. So pots of different varieties of peppers joined the family in addition to the ones in the boxes. Decided potatos would be fun, but they needed a deeper growing area. AHA 18 gal rubbermaid bin and a potato bag Christmas gift.

Gardener's Anonymous here I come.

But, yes that is a recommended number of squares for 2 people. We are so glad to welcome another SF gardener.

Kay

Welcome to the forum!

I want to live in San Diego )

walshevak wrote:Let me warn you, SFG is addictive. I am alone and started with 6 4x4 boxes. Provided an overabundace of spring veggies. I took a temp job for the summer and didn't grow a summer garden, but planted a great fall garden that decided to overwinter. Boxes were not empty come spring. Then I decided I needed strawberries. Zap one bed tied up permanently. Garlic took over my fancy. Planted a 4x4 in Nov. Zap another box not available for spring/summer gardening. Wanted to do watermelons and cantaloupe. Zap they are space hogs so I allotted a bed just for them (althought next year I think I'll try to plant my early peas there and share the box). So I added 4 more boxes. Then the weather stayed warmer than usual, my peas were not finished and my 18 tomatos needed to go out. Added 10 buckets. A local farmer convinced me it was easy to grow southern peas so zap 4 deck pots joined the mix. I see new veggies I want to try but still keep my tried and true. So pots of different varieties of peppers joined the family in addition to the ones in the boxes. Decided potatos would be fun, but they needed a deeper growing area. AHA 18 gal rubbermaid bin and a potato bag Christmas gift.

Gardener's Anonymous here I come.

But, yes that is a recommended number of squares for 2 people. We are so glad to welcome another SF gardener.

Kay

GG

Dblt said: "I think I will get some 2x6's to build a inside perimeter grid 2' deep around it,
with the exception of the gate end which is on the north side, which I will use
a 2x12 grid to the right of it so I can plant tomatoes in a bit deeper MM and
use electrical conduit to grow them up on that 6' space. Then in the
middle I will build a 2x8 grid area that is built out of 2x6's. It will only
leave me with 2' wide paths in there so would you agree that that would be
enough space to get around? This will only leave me with 98 SFG but it is just
my wife and I and I believe from the book that is right around the ideal amount
of SFG for two people, Would you also agree with that?"

Sounds good. Two feet is a little tight, but manageable. And as far as having
enough food for two - it's a start. LOL. Actually, especially with year
'round growing it should be fine.

kbb964 wrote:Welcome to the forum!

I want to live in San Diego )

You would not be the first Michigander to do it, I assure you.

Lucky us we can grow year round.....suggestion....tomatoes should have a trellis 8 ft tall...(trim off suckers & soak in a lil water and you will have other plants)..

I would't plant watermelon, cantaloup and squash...they are space hogs.....potatoes are cheap to buy.....also garlic.... green onions planted in quantity is great....

Google---never buy celery again....also green onions.....they can have regrowth ...from your crisper after you cut most of it off and served....I am sure you would want strawberries.....there are many ways to grow them.....ask and you will get lots of choices....

Looks like your beautiful fence is made to keep out rabbits and other wild life....I dont have that problem....just ants and snails......am planning a soaker watering system...hope I can do it right....Ruth

Its probably too late for my suggestions.....and I typed it all out and hit some button I dont know and it all left in cyber space ...so will try to remember it all...

If I were you I would make my own Mels Mix....compost, vermiculite, and "fluffed" peat moss.....on a big tarp to mix.....or in a wheel barrow one bucket of each....at a time....at $12.95 plus Calif tax....I dont want to pay for the bark I find in all the bags I bought....

With a 3ft entrance door on the north side is room for a 7ft x1ft wide and 1ft deep....bottom 6 inches filled with sand.......plant tomatoes at the top of the square and 2 rows of carrots on the lower half of the squares......did you ever see the book....tomatoes loves carrots????

I did a rough estimate and the total squares were over one hundred with 2 ft isles...

3ft wide square around the u shaped walls. ...with a 1 or 2ftx8ft box running down the center......the 2 3ft left and right corners would be great terraced up ....to a 2x2 and a top hat 12 inches square......these would look good with strawberries....4to a square.......and if you can order from nursery catalogs....before they are all gone.....25plants per pkg....

I am not very good on the computer.....I am still learning by my mistakes....

Love your sunset picture......someday I will learn how....hopefully....Happy Gardening......Ruth

Welcome! I'm new to SFG this season, also in San Diego (central area). I have several SFGs so far and its been the most successful growing season I've had. (I should mention that I also put much more effort in than before). But I'm so new to gardening and am really enjoying it.

-Tiffany