FEB - Drawing for Forum Members Only

[sfg4uKim]

This is a FORUM ONLY drawing in celebration of SFG's 40th Anniversary. Because you have been loyal followers and supporters of Square Foot Gardening, we wanted to have a special drawing just for you! THANK YOU!

Reply to this post and tell us about when you discovered Square Foot Gardening by February 24th. We will have a random drawing on the 25th and announce the winner. GOOD LUCK!




For those of you who are also on Facebook, you can go to SQUARE FOOT GARDENING FOUNDATION and enter a separate drawing.

[katjohn83]

Three years ago I was beginning my third year of gardening and was having fits trying to get my heavy clay soil amended to produce anything. So after a few google searches I came cross SFG and ordered the book. After finding out Mel was a Civil Engineer like myself, I knew that SFG was meant for me. The rest is history so they say.

[Zmoore]

First of all I'd like to point out that the 25th of this month is my birthday... so, I win right?

For me I had played around with more conventional gardening from my days as kid growing up.  Problem for me was 4 legged pests called deer, space constraint and rocky/clayey soil.  Stumbled across SFG and thought it looked like something that could help me with my pest problem through through the use of the more compact spaces being easier to fence or cage for protection.  Turns out it solved all my problems with bonus "gravy".  I remember hours and hours of hard hot work pulling weeds and chopping up the soil, now... the weeds are so much easier to manage, the soils is so easy to work.  It's awesome!

[CNida89]

I discovered Square Foot Gardening back about a year or two ago.

I had no gardening experience before then, and still don't (yet, starting my own this year  ). My wife's grandfather got a copy of the book and read it, then started using the methods recommended in that book. He grew more in his raised beds than he ever grew in his old "traditional" garden. I was completely awestruck and envious with the amount of vegetables he was growing with only two 4' x 4' beds, so I decided I had to try it myself.

And now, I have two 4' x 8' beds just waiting to be filled with Mel's Mix and waiting for the weather to become more agreeable.

[Scorpio Rising]

When I discovered SFG was in the late 80s, the PBS program introduced me to Mel and his method. It was the original but kinda improved version. I was poor, in grad school, champagne taste on a PBR budget. So, got a hold of ( 8'x8' railroad ties for free from my neighbor. Dug the bottom, made the bed, and planted! It was the best garden I ever had, until last year!

Now I am back, with the much improved ALL NEW version! Wow, what a difference! Had a great maiden voyage last year, with re-purposes window boxes. Now I am ready to build a couple 4x4s and do this!

[mschaef]

In 2007, I moved in with my in laws. My husband was deployed for a year and just two week prior I gave birth to our first child. My mother in law, not wanting me to get depressed, roped me into helping try out square foot gardening that summer. Needless to say I got hooked. We got plenty of tomatoes that year but not much of anything else. Since than I have moved a few times but have always had at least a square or two to plant. I also have been ask every time I move to teach the women in my church about gardening. They just cannot believe how easy, simple it is using this method and that my little ones can and love to help. I love that part because my boys have been able to help in the garden with out getting frustrated or upset and get to see the 'hard work' pay off. They look though the seed catalogs more than me. And help plan what to grow. Thanks for bringing square foot gardening to being my family has been greatly blessed from it.

[audrey.jeanne.roberts]

I used to watch the very first PBS series shows when I was much younger.  I was in my early 20's back then.  I was fascinated by the concept but didn't have a yard, or time to even think about gardening with two little ones.

We moved a couple times and never had enough sun to garden as we had oak forest around us and we didn't want to cut any of the trees down.

5 years ago we moved to our current home with 5 acres, lots of sun and flat land.  A family leases the extra land for a small herd of cattle (our all you can take compost pile creators!)  So it seemed the perfect time to learn how to grow food - I had always been a landscape and flower gardener but was intimidated by growing food.  I remembered the Square Foot Gardening show, so I ordered Mel's book and got to work.  I've never looked back and have had so much fun growing food for my family and friends!

[sanderson]

In February 2013, I started 2 trays of seedlings just to see if I could grow them (not kill them).  Within 2 weeks, I stumbled onto the Forum while researching growing veggies, bought ANSFG. and within another 2 weeks, my husband had made me two 2' x 3' and two 2' x 4' beds.  I used Kellogg's as the compost because it had at least 5 ingredients, right?  Well, nothing thrived, just stopped growing!  The folks on the Forum were so encouraging and helped me get on the right track, including making my own multi-ingredient compost.  Of all the gardening methods, I can't think of one that holds a candle to Mel's method.

PS:  I just wanted to join the conversation, I am exempting myself from the actual contest.

[Kelejan]

First of all I'd like to point out that the 25th of this month is my birthday... so, I win right?

You will have to share it with me, Zmoore.

Sorry for going Off Topic.

[Windmere]

Wow... walking down memory lane.  First, congratulations on 40 years of success.  I first heard about SFG after my wife had done some research in connection with dealing with our Georgia red clay "soil."  That was way back in 2013.  Mel's revised book had just come out and I bought it through Amazon.  I resolved to finally get a garden going and Mel's method especially made sense for us.

Well, beginning my fourth season now and I love it!  We are a very small operations with just three 4x4 boxes and a bunch of EarthBoxes.  Despite that, we've enjoyed lots of fresh produce.  I have fun puttering around in my garden and it's also therapeutic for my health.  Many thanks to Mel and all the contributors to this forum!

[AtlantaMarie]

Gosh, I wish I could remember when I first head about SFG... We tried row gardening a couple of times in this house & we've been here 20 years.

I know I read the 1st book quite a few years ago. Sounded very appealing except for the digging part... :-) When I saw the new one, I grabbed a copy to see what had changed. NO DIGGING??? Woo-Hoo!

I'm now going into my 3rd year as an official Square Foot Gardener. There's no way I'd turn back! This is just so much better than row gardening!

[walshevak]

Early winter 2010 I saw Mel's book at Lowes.  I picked it up and sat on a patio display to leaf through it.  Bought it and immediately joined the forum.  Boffer replied to my first post and got me into tabletops.  That has kept me gardening as I cannot get down to ground level easily.  I took the concept to my son's house in Wilmington and developed some self wicking beds to overcome the problem on gardening on pure sand.  

We both came out winners.  


Kay

[p14shooter]

It was in the winter of 2013/14.  I was trying to find a way to give me something to do other than watching tv at night so I thought of trying a garden as my neighbor has a good size one.  I knew I did not want something that big so I surfed the net and came across SFG.  I liked the idea and started.  Although I did not read "the book" I got enough info for me to start.  My second year was not very successful, so this year I read the book and learned what I was doing wrong.  I will still only have 2 squares plus garlic and maybe onion, but I am going to have a much better garden this year, and who knows, maybe it will even look good.  I think this SFG could be/can be/is more addictive/satisfying than a large scale garden.  For me anyway.

[sfg4uKim]

Just replying so this doesn't slip off the "Latest Topics" area.

[bsielicki]

Well, I just discovered this method about 3 weeks ago! We recently purchased a home after years of renting, giving me the chance to finally put in that backyard garden I've always wanted. I ordered a bunch of gardening books from the library, one of which happened to be the SFG book. After reading it, I'm totally hooked on this method! As a stroke of luck, the previous owners had built some beds and left them in the backyard, so now I know what to do with them!

I'm currently planning my first garden to put in when spring comes, so I'm excited to make this work!

[landarch]

If I remember correctly, I found this forum before gardening season of 2014...I thought I had been doing SFG but it ends up I was doing it somewhat wrong.  I did not use grids, Mels Mix, trellises, proper plant spacing, not making home-made compost, etc.  I was gardening in every square inch to 1) keep the weeds down, 2) I had limited sun and had to maximize my space. 

Now we can leverage SFG into fun with the kids, photography, preparing food that we know is real and where it came from, meeting friends and neighbors when they stop and see the garden (I have my SFG in the front yard by the street -the only sun we get) or when we give extra veggies away. 

I have a 2 and 5 year old and chances are if they are outside spring, summer, fall, they're munching on sugar snap peas, radishes, cukes, green beans, etc.  They love poking holes in the soft soil mix and dropping in seeds.  They also love digging in the compost pile, joining me on runs for manure and materials, etc.

[sanderson]

PS I am sure enjoying reading the entries!

[sanderson]

Reminder - the drawing is on the 24th!

[sfg4uKim]

Don't forget to enter the drawing by Feb. 24, 2016.

[kamigh]

Growing up in Pennsylvania, we always had a huge productive garden. When I moved to Texas, I went through several years of garden disasters and gave up. Then I saw the ANSFG book at Lowes. I bought it immediately, read the whole thing in one day, and have never looked back.  I started small and expand a bit each year. I've started a trend in my neighborhood and have Mel and his book to thank for the most satisfying garden I could ever imagine!

[zackshea]

My dad gardened every year when I was growing up here in Pennsylvania.  He was a traditional row gardener, but he only employed organic methods.  We had over an acre of flat, sun drenched land and never wanted for garden space.  He gave me his tattered copy of Rodale's Organic gardening book a few years ago and I put it on a shelf thinking I would never have time to garden while working full time and going to school. 

3 years ago, I was getting stressed out a lot with work and with a new baby on the way, I was worried I would lose my mind!  I remembered one night thinking how therapeutic my dad said gardening was so I found that book he had given me.  I was instantly hooked on the descriptions of plants and gardening techniques.  I didn't have much space at my new home, so the section on intensive gardening got my attention.  The next day at work , I researched methods of gardening in small spaces and came across SFG. It just felt right! 

I ordered the book on Amazon and read it cover to cover 3 times.  I am the type of all-in person that either goes extreme or doesn't do it at all.  I built a 15x4 cinder block bed and filled it with MM.  First year was a great success.  I couldn't believe how easy gardening was!  The next year I added 3 new beds and just went crazy! I had so much produce I was giving it away by the bushel.  That is my favorite part of gardening.

Now I have moved again and will be transporting the whole operation to the new house piece by piece.  I started a thread about it in the Mid Atlantic section.  I will post pics as I go!

thanks for listening!

[jimmy cee]

4 years ago I found a book with a pretty picture on sale. It was about some kind of gardening so I brought it.

Sat in my book shelves for 2 years, I have a tendency to buy a book with all info about a topic and because I have the book I should know everything in it with out reading it.

Well this book was SFG.

I couldn't sleep one night, so went down to my book shelf and saw this one, went back to bed and I read that book in one night, I couldn't put it down and I was so excited I lost a whole nights sleep.

This was in the beginning of winter, I had to wait till I could get started in my existing beds that looked nice, however never grew anything for I didn't know how....to do it.

Then I found this forum and that changed my life for the good.

I am a very simple man, ask me a question and I usually give you a yes or no.

My wife ? ask her a question, the info she gives, amounts to a book.

This forum is SFG to me, the book is great, however never answers me back when I ask a question and never allows me to give my point of view.

Each time I place a topic, each time I receive a reply, each time I read another topic and study the responses.

fills me with eager anticipation to get out and try it, or think about it more.

I bet there are many out here feeling the way I do, and most likely many more to come in future days.

I'm back after a year and 2 months since previous post, (above). Lots has gone by since them, revisions, changes, etc. However one thing hasn't changed is my love and devotion for Mel's Mix. I had to elevate my 5 beds because neighbors giant trees invaded my beds, they like it so much almost nothing else would grow well. All work being done, I came back to a great season, I've been challenging the amount of plants in each square, why ? I am so confident in my compost I feel I can do anything with it...Tomato roots that travel up to 4 feet horizontally in 6 inches of Mel's Mix, a 9 foot sunflower that cannot be pulled out of a 6 inch high bed, roots extend 4 feet, I had to cut it down with a saw., four pepper plants in a 1 foot square doing nicely. potato's growing in a 4 x 4 foot dedicated bed. It goes on and on, all I do is wait till next season...The secret ( and it's really no secret) is in the compost..., not store brought, not commercially made, just one's own made home made compost, using so many items, worms and microbes are bursting at it's seams. Mel's Mix expensive..." I don't think so" my first bed was made 4 years ago and all I add is a bit of compost and I'm off to plant. Each square being a dedicated garden unto itself is so positive for gardening...I don't concern myself about PH, nor do I use fertilizer at all, none, nothing. I've stopped trying to rid myself of any pests, letting the natural predators do that job for me. My wife is saving hundreds of dollars now for porch flowers, all growing in hanging baskets filled with Mel's Mix..Once beds / containers are filled it's done, just add a bit of compost and start growing...Friable ? my beds freeze solid during winter. When the thaw comes I can work my hand down to the bottom of my bed..My beds are done, my Mel's Mix is done, no more work in that regard, however a new chore has come into play....COMPOST....It's all in the compost...hustling up all the items I can get. all manures, all discarded veggies, all saw mill products that are good, all water items I can have access to,. The list is endless as is the chore to make good compost. Folk, don't mistake this mix for anything other than it really is...a great growing medium.I must stop here and now, otherwise this may be called a book rather than just a statement...
Square Foot Gardening is a winner in my life....

[Leone]

This will be my first year the REALLY do a Square Foot Garden.

I first picked up Mel's book at a library in 1985. I was so very impressed with the idea and it stayed with me for all these years.

Unfortunately, I am always trying to make things work without following the directions..... and I ended up with only a theory and not much success.

But this year things are going to be different! We have purchased almost all of the needed items to do it RIGHT, and I am really looking forward to having a garden that looks like all the posts I see on the internet.

Just found this forum today and I think it will be a big help to me.

Happy Gardening!

[AtlantaMarie]

Hi Leone. Welcome from Atlanta, GA!

Are you still operating with the old book? Have you picked up a copy of the All New SFG, 2nd Edition? No digging!! It's just gotten better over the years!

You might want to look thru the archives... There's all sorts of great info there. And we're here to help you every step of the way!

[sanderson]

I just caught up on reading today's stories and they are great. I'm glad Mel came out with the improved All New Square Foot Gardening method where you don;t have to dig the 6" of dirt! That would have been a deal breaker for me. The ANSFG method is a win-win.

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