Hi from the Idaho Panhandle

Greetings!   I've started a SFG (i don't know if it's ANSFG or regular SFG...) recently.  It's not my first but I'm hoping it's more successful. I had 2 4x4 beds going at my previous rental place, then moved one of them in August last year.  Bad time to move but things happen.  Sadly I couldn't move my compost as well.

A grant to a local group is trying increase local food production capacity and if we go to class and help out we got a free 8x4 garden bed, 12 inches deep.  All included...soil, materials to build it, plant starts and seeds, and guidance and assistance until the grant runs out in 2 years.  SFG was one option presented and I went with that.  I supplement it with pots and containers until I get more built at the new home place.

Welcome MaggieT, from Montana!
Where you are is the big planting day this Memorial weekend?

Maggie, Welcome to the Forum from California! ANSFG does NOT use dirt, only peat moss, vermiculite and compost 6" deep. The original method included 6" of dirt for a total of 12". A 4' x 8' ANSFG box is a sweet deal.

Hi Maggie.  Welcome from Atlanta, GA!  Glad you're here...

Sounds like you guys will be having a lot of fun!

  maggie 

from next door British Columbia where our weather is similar to yours.

Kelejan

Thanks for all the welcomes.

Planting here SHOULD be in June...but we all try covers and season extension and just plain hope to start earlier.  We're lucky to get 90 frost free days so it's a short season. Fortunately, I like radishes and I can almost always get a crop of those.  Odd year this year. We're about 6 weeks early so if no frost...I may get a tomato that actually turns red this year.

I do use dirt so I'm not ANSFG.  In fact, I put 4-6inches of rotted wood in the bottom of the latest bed, mixed with composted manure.  Trying a couple of Sepp Holzers ideas and something that's worked for others in the region with raised beds.

Your climate sounds like here around Bozeman. I cheat with a 8x12 greenhouse for tomatoes. peppers, cukes etc. This weekend I hope to plant corn but it is still too early for squash I suspect.

Have you looked in to making covered wagon style covers for the garden to help protect and prolong the season?

You will find as you poke around here over time that many people mix various ideas in gardening in various ways in their gardens. The original SFG was more about focusing your efforts onto a small area and how with that idea of focus that can simplify gardening. While soil was discussed there was no prescription of what it must be, no MM. While Sepp Holzers (and the keyhole gardeners) ideas of putting rotting wood under a bed were not popular at that time they certainly do fit into the concept of a SFG garden.

My garden is my good garden soil with compost and sand added over the years in raised bed boxes. My original SFG garden, 30 years ago, was not raised. Some day in the future when my back no longer bends I will have table tops with MM in them. Or I will just keep building my raised beds taller. Probably both.

Good luck with your garden. I love it that there is an effort to help people get started growing their own food. Nothing is more local and better tasting than that radish eaten in the garden.