Hi! New to SFG and new to Portland, OR.

Hi,
I am so excited about trying out square foot gardening! My family and I just moved to Portland, OR from Phoenix, AZ (well, it's been a few months).

It's been quite an adjustment coming from the one of the sunniest (and hot) climates to one of the rainiest climates. I have just been giddy over the rich soil I have in my back yard. We even have worms in the dirt!!! I don't think I saw a single worm the entire 10 years I lived in Phoenix!

It's been a very wet winter so I'm looking forward to things drying out and getting my boxes built and garden planned. I had a raised bed garden in Arizona but hadn't heard of the SFG concept so it was just a big mish-mash of plants. I plan on burying myself in this forum and in my new book so that I can really create something special in my backyard.

Welcome to the forum. There's a number of Portlandites (Portlanders?) starting to speak up on the forum; that's great!

You said: "It's been a very wet winter so I'm looking forward to things drying out" .... uh, sometimes the only difference between summer and winter is the temperature! We could sure use some of that Phoenix sunshine about now.

But I like your optimism and look forward to hearing about your progress. It's certainly not too late to get started with a spring box. Is that your plan or will you try a late summer box?

ORAZCAJen

orazcajen wrote:I plan on burying myself in this forum and in my new book so that I can really create something special in my backyard.

We are so glad to have you here. We do have several newer members from the Porland Area, as well as a few that have been around a bit.

Don't let Boffer fool you, we have sun sometimes.

You still have time for a spring garden.

There are lots of great people and if you have questions, just ask. Jump right in if you have comments to share. Keep us updated on your progress, and please share pictures, we them.

Thanks for the welcome, Boffer and Furbal

I am still holding out for some drying out! lol We got here in late August and my backyard was definitely not the swamp that it is now so I have hope.

Yes, I'm hoping to get a spring bed in. I just need to get my husband to build the beds for me (that won't be until the end of the month).

Furb!alsmom wrote: ORAZCAJen Don't let Boffer fool you, we have sun sometimes.

True, we DO have sun sometimes.....we had 1 day of it in March, The Oregonian newspaper said so!
Just guessing, but does ORAZCAJen mean you are here in Oregon by way of Arizona from California? Wherever, we're pleased to have you as neighbors (St. Helens is just down the Columbia from Portland, about in the middle of where it runs south to north for a bit). You will quickly discover that raised beds make all the difference in a wet year like this, when walking across the lawn sounds like you're walking on wet kitchen sponges. The cabbages and kale in my new SFG raised bed are loving it and, gasp, growing! Glad you're here. Nonna

Thanks, Nonna.

And, yes, you're right about coming from AZ and CA. There was also a stint in GA but including that made the name too long.

After living in AZ for the past ten years, we're all getting used to the squishy sound of the yard and getting muddy.

When did you plant your cabbage that it's already doing so well?

ORAZCAJen, the kale was planted about a month ago under glass, then transplanted out about a week ago. For the red cabbage I cheated, it was transplanted from a 6-pack I bought at the local grocery store. From the way it's settled in and started to grow, it LOVES being out of the plastic pots! Years and years ago (Carter administration, I think) we took advantage of a tax refund and the tax credits allowed for passive solor heating and built a sunroom on the south side of the house. It does heavy duty this time of year in starting seedlings. I used to have a beautiful huge seed starting hot mat, but two years ago when we hosted a family reunion, my grown sons and nephews spotted the heating mat, didn't know what it was and didn't ask, and used it to cover the table they then were going to use for a Texas Hold'em poker match.....wouldn't have been so bad if they hadn't stapled it to the table--it hasn't worked since. Oh, well, they're all worth more to me than a seed starting heating mat. BTW, my one and only niece whupped their collective A...... and won the match!

BTW, ORAZCAJen, is the white four-footed avatar by your name a Westie? Cute white on white picture.

I hear ya!! I lived in Prescott Valley for 13+ years and moved 2 years ago to Idaho...the panhandle. It is a really different environment, but I love it!! Went from dust to mold! The bugs are WAY smaller...I'll take that ANY day!

Happy Gardening!

Jennie

Nonnie, that's Toby in my avatar. We have no idea what he is...the latest guess is a maltese/terrier mix. His ears are actually floppy. They're up in this picture because he was running. That was taken on our second snow day...which was very exciting for us AZ transplants (even if it was melted by noon).

Jennie,
I don't miss the scorpions one bit, but the spiders out here scare the heck out of me!