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Gardening

Square Foot Gardening-Update

I am continuing to love the idea of Square Foot Gardening and I THINK IT IS WORKING!  So far, I have planted some cool weather crops.  Its funny–before reading the book, I didn’t know there were cool weather and warm weather plants–I had a lot to learn!!  I planted spinach, carrots and radishes from seed.  Onions were sets, and I bought transplants for lettuce and red swiss chard.  Everything seems to be coming along just fine.   I’m a bit worried about the carrots, they just look so fragile!  I bought seeds for short, baby carrots.  I probably won’t plant carrots again, they are just so reasonably priced at the store, and they take up 2 squares, which will only produce 32 carrots.  I know my girls will have them eaten in a week, so it doesn’t seem worth it.

As you can see in the picture, I built a cage to keep out bunnies, squirrels and birds.  It has worked beautifully (see Square Foot Gardening book for directions). When I first planted seeds, I covered the cage in plastic using wooden clips to keep it in place.  It created a wonderful environment for the seeds to keep moist, warm, and safe from wind and hard rain.  It was not much fun to build… chicken wire is not my best friend, I needed a manicure after working with it!  I have to build one more cage for my second bed so I can get some warmer weather crops going.  I will also have to build some type of support for vining plants, like cucumbers and squash.

swiss chard

I have really liked the soil mix I am using.  It is called “Mel’s Mix” from Square Foot Gardening.  It is amazing how long it stays moist, and the texture is just perfect. It is 1/3 peat moss, 1/3 vermiculite, and 1/3 compost.  He gives details about the mix in the book, it is a little pricey up front, but each year you just have to add a bit more compost to your beds, so it is a one time expense.  I will be mixing up another 1/2 batch for my tomato, pepper and green bean pots.

I have tomato plants and pepper plants happy in my sunroom, ready to be planted out in pots, in a week or so. My little sugar snap pea seeds sprouted, they look so cute raising their little heads to the sky!  I also started some lettuce mix and basil transplants, and both have sprouted and are looking good. I bought herbs and will show you my herb pot soon, and write a post on our little strawberry patch. Whew.

So far, so good!!
Any comments, thoughts or advice is appreciated!

This post is linked to:
Saturday Is Crafty Day @ Along For The Ride
Just Something I Whipped Up @ The Girl Creative
Made It Mondays @ The Persimmon Perch
Get Your Craft On @ Today’s Creative Blog
Show And Tell @ Blue Cricket Design
Sunday Favorites @ Happy To Design
Penny Pinching Party @ The Thrifty Home

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Gardening

Square Foot Gardening

I have devoured the book All New Square Foot Gardening: Grow More in Less Space! by Mel Bartholomew.  I had a reader (bless her!) tell me about her husband having success with square foot gardening, so I went out to our local library and checked out the book.

I was planning on joining a local community garden, and even had my deposit paid and lot reserved.  It was advertised as a “beautiful lot, right next to an old church, with shade and grass for the kids to run around in.”  Sounds great, huh?  Well, they left out the part about being right off an alley, next to a yard full of waste, with a very fierce sounding dog.  Not quite the blissful gardening atmosphere I was hoping for, so I asked for my deposit back and decided to have a go at it in my own yard.  My back yard is very shaded, so I am limited to growing one side and the front of my house, which is why square foot gardening was appealing.

This short video will tell you all about it

The following photos are not meant to be a tutorial.  The book does such an awesome job of that, with many beautiful photos, so if you are interested in doing this, you MUST get the book.  My hope is that the following photos will inspire anyone out there that have thought about gardening but felt too overwhelmed by it all.  If I can do this, ANYONE can!  I have hit some roadblocks, (I am NOT a fan of hardware stores, and have been visiting them often lately) but just kept going.

I’ll be keeping you updated on the progress.  I started small this year, and do not have big expectations- it is my year to learn!  I have already planted onions, spinach, lettuce, carrots, kale and radishes!  I have 3 separate pots for tomatoes, a pot and a chain link fence both waiting for vining green beans, and a small strawberry patch looking pretty happy.  I have 2 pots out front, one on each side of our porch steps.  I usually put pretty flowers in them, but this year they will both have sugar snap pea vines, climbing up bamboo stalks tied together in a teepee shape.  Not as pretty as flowers, but is practical and those peas will taste so good!!  I will have more garden themed posts to come–what soil mix I used, what I did to keep birds/rabbits/squirrels out, and overall successes and failures as they happen.
Do any of you garden?  Have you started yet?  What are you growing?  Have you done square foot gardening??
*Square Foot Garden Update

All New Square Foot Gardening: Grow More in Less Space!
All New Square Foot Gardening Cookbook: Taking the Harvest to the Table

This post is linked to:
The Do It Yourself Showoff Parade @ The DIY Showoff
Your Life, Your Blog @ Real Life
Do It Yourself Day @ A Soft Place To Land
 Talented Tuesday @ Frugal Family
Works For Me Wednesday@ We Are That Family
Penny Pinchin’ Party @ The Thrifty Home
Show Off Your Stuff @ Fireflies & Jellybeans
Make It Yours Day @ My Backyard Eden
Feature Yourself Friday @ Fingerprints On The Fridge
Linky Loves Friday @ Sweet Charlie

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