Hi from Kalamazoo, Michigan

Hi. I read the All New SFG book last year, and re-read much of it. Last year was my first garden and I learned a lot! It was 4x6 and planted with a variety of veg's. We loved it, but overcrowded the corn and neglected the whole thing when on vacation, so some things died. But it was such a good experience, and the whole family wishes for more. So I have some paper out, drawing box designs and dreaming. (My yard has it's own little micro-climate and is still covered in snow while most of the area melted last week. So for now I'm just dreaming). I'm thinking about making an L-shaped garden with one side containing the existing 4x6 box, and adding a 4x10 so the outsides of the L would both be 10 feet, and the inside edges would be 6 feet. I'm concerned, though, that it might be too difficult to reach plants in the middle of the corner. My dream plan is much bigger, but I only have so much time and money at once! And I haven't started making my own compost yet. That was the hardest ingredient for me to find. The local garden center had vermiculite and peat, but very limited compost. I hope to find more variety by calling around early this spring. Looking forward to learning more!

greetings karen, i'm boog aka mike from jackson mi. this'll be my first year an first try at sfg, so i'll be hangin around here try'n ta garner as much info as possible myself. hope ta see around here.



boog/mike

Hi Karen. Welcome to the site.

Isn't planning fun. Sometimes I think its just as much fun as the actual doing! One thing I would suggest is that you give some consideration to the length of your boxes. Four feet deep, of course, is perfectly workable as long as you can reach it from both sides.

Many people find that building these boxes too long without a break in between is problematic. You can't reach across to the square farthest away and you're tempted to try to jump over the garden or (heaven forbid) walk across it. I would suggest that you keep walking/tending space between each 4x4.

I have 2x4s and 2x6s with space around them. I find the 2x6 to be okay. But for me a 4x6 might be a little too big.

Just my own thoughts. May the luck of the Irish be with you as we approach St. Patty's Day!

Hi Karen,

Welcome from another Michigander! I echo what Claire said; you are much better off to have enough space to stand in (at least) between beds. I have several boxes, but have 2-3' paths between them all; that way you are never more than 2' away from anything your are growing. What will you be growing?

Hi Karen,

Welcome to the forum. This is my interpretation of what you described.




If this is accurate, then your idea is workable. The 4 squares under the N in NEW may be a little awkward to tend, but doable. Part of the learning process will be to figure out what to plant there, that doesn't take much minding. I am assuming that the beds are free-standing-no sides up against a fence or wall.

I built several similar beds in my lawn for ornamental flowers. Dumb! What a pain in the butt it is to mow the inside corner of the L.

I look forward to seeing pictures when you're done. I've not seen many beds that shape.
I'm sure you'll have fun with SFG.

Hi boffer! Great picture ~ remembering Home Improvement ~ what a great show! I'm cracking up here thinking of you mowing that L ~ my husband would have a fit if I did that since he's the one who does the lawn, and I do all the rest!

Thanks, everyone, for the encouragement and advice. I'm sure I'll need lots of advice. Boffer, you drew it perfectly. I have no idea how to get a drawing like that on here. I tried. It is freestanding, several feet away from any structure. I didn't mind walking around the 4x6 bed. Because of several trees and a children's play area, I need to keep it very compact and don't have room for many paths. I really wish I know how to put an image here, so I can read advice on my bigger plan. And we won't be mowing inside the corner! Mulch or pavers will go there.

Karen wrote: I have no idea how to get a drawing like that on here. I tried.

If you have a drawing, use these instructions to post it. As for creating the drawings, I'm not good enough to talk you through it-maybe somebody else can.

https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/general-sfg-talk-f5/how-to-post-a-picture-located-on-your-computer-t129.htm

Well, let's see if I can add an image. This is my bigger garden plan, with the 10-foot L in one corner of a sitting area. To the west is the main part of our yard that gets trampled by kids. I think I'll plant something easy in the corner of the L, and have my tall son reach there if I can't. I went outside and set something on the ground where that would be and it was inconvenient to reach. But I can't expand the area for a path, and don't want to give up planting squares!

https://i.servimg.com/u/f67/14/97/60/70/garden10.jpg

Why doesn't it just show up within my post?

You may have copied the wrong code. It should look similar to this.

Code:

[url=http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=47&u=14924947][img]http://i62.servimg.com/u/f62/14/92/49/47/new_bo11.gif[/img][/url]

Karen, I was able to see your plan fine clicking on the link you posted. What a great looking garden! So are you saying the edges of your boxes to the west are where the kids play, but you have access to them? If so, I don't see where you'll have a problem.