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Hola!  Nice to meet ya'll.  I'm Mike, I live near St Louis MO, and I've been farming - on and off - for 60 years or so.  Born and raised on a small farm in Ohio, I spent some time as a sailor, then went to work in a steel mill, and finally retired from all that a few years ago.  Learned about square foot gardening 20 odd years ago (and, yes, every one of those years was odd in its own way   ).  My garden space is 30' X 24" strip along a chain link fence in my suburban back yard and is an ideal place to do it 24" deep.

Welcome Mike from Ottawa, Canada. 

Since you learned about Square Foot Gardening (SFG) 20+/- years ago, can we assume that you are doing the original version of SFG?  Have you seen/read the All New SFG (ANSFG) book? The new way uses Mel's Mix (a combination of vermiculite, peat moss, compost) and only 6 inches deep? Some of my beds are ANSFG and others are old style SFG.

We look forward to hearing and seeing (photos please) more about what you are doing. Feel free to ask questions and use the Search box to find a wealth of information stored on this forum.

Hi Mike. Welcome from Atlanta, GA!

I'd also recommend the All New SFG 2nd Edition.

And I STRONGLY recommend you put something between the chain link & raised beds. Plastic. Or something that there's NO WAY grass, weeds, trees from the neighbors, etc. can break through. (Ask me how I know... Insert sad emoticon here...) Trust me, once that stuff gets between them, it's HARD to eradicate without herbicides.

Ask lots of questions - there's a whole lot of hard-won wisdom to be found here! :-)

Can't wait to see what you're doing!!

No garden this year, and never built a raised garden.  The two feet wide strip along the fence was easy to divide into square feet.    That minimalist approach with the tenets of the SFG - good compost, mulch, and daily attention brought in lots of good 'maters and other favorite veggies.  Since there are crops that can be planted in July and harvested before first frost here in St Louis, I might build my first 4 x 4 square foot garden next week.   If I can get a round tuit. 

I learned about the method from a coworker in the mid-1990's and the edition of the book I have is, I presume, a first edition because it is dated 1981.


Here's the current project, though - a four feet tall nettle.  Takes about 2 square feet right now and, depending on how high it grows, might take up a lot more.  Can't wait for it to bloom!


Photo deleted - I wasn't aware another account from another business on another server was created.  I don't want or need more accounts.

Duckinacup wrote: If I can get a round tuit. 

EBay's got them cheap. Round Tuits

SwampTroll wrote:

Duckinacup wrote: If I can get a round tuit. 

EBay's got them cheap. Round Tuits

My dad used to hand them out to his employees when necessary. He always carried a pocket full.

Duck/Mike, Welcome to the Forum from California! Here are the most updated instructions for posting a photo. We love photos of other folks' gardens.


Click on Host an Image button

Click on +Select Files (green)

Select your photo or photos

Click on Send All (blue) takes a few seconds to complete.

Click on Insert All (symbol of 2 tiles)

whats uo friends? nice to meet  you all

 from Redding, CA.

Duckinacup wrote:Photo deleted - I wasn't aware another account from another business on another server was created.  I don't want or need more accounts.

You don't need any more accounts to post pics, and I agree about not needing any more.  It's a little confusing the first time, but after that it's super quick and easy.

Welcome!