Benefits of a Square Foot Garden

According to Mel Bartholomew, the creator of Square foot gardening, the benefits include more harvest, less water, less work and can be made to suit any size yard or garden.

Using a raised bed garden design does not requires digging or rototilling. After a bit of research I've found that it's cheaper to build your own bed than to purchase one, especially since I have my own handsome handy-man.
Materials include: wood, screws, drill and a level. Here are a few examples:

Left: raised bed using wood planks

Right: raised bed using concrete blocks



To make the bed even cheaper and more eco-friendly I can use recycled wood, use homemade compost and use dead leaves for mulch. The more expensive aspect of a raised-bed garden is the fill.

Even if you have a large area to garden in, the square foot method can be used to maximized productivity!

Just to recap:
-saves money
-uses less space
-uses less water
-less work (in theory)

I think I have found my garden solution...Today! I reserve the right to change my mind tomorrow. I still have 2-3 weeks before any of the seedling are ready to be transplanted.

Grow babies grow!

My organized mess

My current garden in in various stages from containers to seedlings. However, my latest project is a major expansion.

Phase 1:
I started with half dead and thirsty grass...







And I dug a hole...






Then I added dead leaves and buried them for compost.




THAT was all last week!!! I was pretty sore from all the raking and digging so I decided to take a break.

Yesterday I picked up where I left off.
I dug a 4 foot x 4 foot hole that is almost a foot deep. I am calling this Phase 2.



I am sore this morning but I feel GOOD!!

I'm still not completely sure what type of garden style I will choose. I might just use 3 methods: containers, in-ground and raised bed.

Today I'll cover my dirt mound (compost heap) with a sheet of thick plastic so that everything will decompose faster. This way, when I'm ready to plant in 2 weeks I have nice fertile soil to use without having to purchase much from the garden store.

To raise or not to raise?

That is the question!

My current garden is planted in containers. Having recently moved into a house from an apartment, containers were my only option. Now that I have an actual yard I am weighing my garden-style options.

Do I plant everything in the ground or keep a few in containers? Do I plant directly into the ground or a raised-bed?

I have looked at so many different garden designs and layouts and I'm still not sure which to choose.

This is an amazing garden and beautifully laid out. Although I don't have this much room, I could grow something similar.





A large container garden is another great option. I would need more recycled containers for something as large as this space.




Planting in hills would be a great idea but I think that rainfall in my area might wash it all away.





And last but not least, the raised bed garden. But wait...there seem to be several methods to the raised bed garden. The most popular, from what I've read, is the Square Foot Garden method.


Raised beds can be made to fit just about any space. If I have a large area to use I can make several beds. Or if I only want to use a small space I can build a smaller bed.

Garden Update!!

I was up with the birds this morning. I made coffee for me and my hubby, checked my email, ate my oatmeal and out I went to the garden.

I've got new seeds to plant, leaves to rake and plants to water. The new compost pile is coming along nicely.

I've got BELL PEPPERS!!!






And flowers for more bell peppers...






My watermelon is coming along nicely...









With lots of pretty flowers.












The Pumpkins are on the move!



Off to work I go!

Quick, Cheap and Easy

I have a sign hanging in my kitchen
(from my hubby's bachelor days)
that reads "If I am what I eat-I'm quick cheap and easy."
It was a gift from his brother...need I say more?

Last week my mom asked me "What's the easiest thing to grow that will come up the fastest?"

This one's for you Mom!

The quickest maturing veggie I'm aware of are Radish and Spinach.

The German Giant Radish germinates in approx. 3-5 days and grows well in soil temperature of 45 to 85 F. Radish is ready to pick and eat in 21 to 30 days. Planting radish can be done in the Spring, Summer or Fall in almost all zones making this one easy veggie. Mary's Heirloom Seeds sells seed pack with 300 seeds for only $4. Now that's quick, cheap and easy!


Spinach is another great crop. It can be grown indoors or out during almost any season. Spinach germinates in 7-14 days and grows well in soil temperatures between 30 to 60 F. For container gardeners, choose a 12 inch deep pot and keep the soil moist. Spinach can be harvested as soon as leaves are big enough to pick.


What about Broccoli? Mom always said "Eat your vegetables."

Broccoli germinates in approx 5-20 days (depending on temperature) at 50 to 85F. Compost is a must for this heavy feeder. This cool-season crop can be grown in containers or in-ground and matures in 48 days.

My trip to the library!!!

I LOVE the library! I can thank my Gran for my interest in books. The last book I read (re-read because I liked it so much) was Torpedo Juice by Tim Dorsey. It's a silly book but everyone needs a little silly sometimes and I really enjoy his books.

While at the library I picked up a few books I hadn't read:

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest
by Stieg Larsson (third third book in the series)

Down and Dirty: 43 Fun & Funky first-time projects & activities to get you gardening
by Ellen Zachos

The Art of the Kitchen Garden
by Jan & Michael Gertley

I highly recommend the Stieg Larsson series!

There are a few books in my personal library that are useful tools for just about everything.
I have a subscription to Mother Earth News,
If it Makes You Healthy (cookbook) by Sheryl Crow & Chuck White
Growing 101 Herb That Heal by Tammi Hartung

My Favorite Book:
The Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery

While I don't live in the country, this book provides information for just about every household need. The cover reads ""Find and buy your land-Site and build a house or cabin-Create a vegetable garden-Log your land-Manage a herd of cattle-Raise chickens, goats and pigs-Mill your own flour-Bake your own bread...Treat your family with home remedies-learn basic beekeeping-Light your table with candles you made."

What a book! According to the chronology, the first edition of this book came out March 1, 1974 with many updates since.

What I learned today...

Another AMAZING day in sunny (HOT) Florida! I learned so much...where do I begin?

I learned to be more careful where I place my seedlings. My screened in patio is cat territory!
I learned how to make my own tomato cages from an awesome video.
From that same video I learned how to use screen-like material to shield my tomatoes from pests.
I learned how to make my own garden trellis. This will be very useful with my cucumbers.

Today was all about research! I have not decided whether I'll grow everything in the ground or half container and half raised-bed. I am intrigued by the "square-foot-garden" method. Using this method is supposed to cut down on water usage, make the most of small spaces and control weeds naturally.

I need more time to decide what to do with the new garden. Fortunately for me, mother nature takes her time in the garden so I have a few weeks til my seedlings are ready to be transplanted.

I've been a busy girl today between work, research and now heading off to the gym.

Tomorrow is another day. I see more research, more work and more sunshine in my future!

Stressed Out?

Why grow a vegetable garden? (Part 4)

Stress Relief.

My Chiropractor always says "Stress is what kills us; Chemical, Physical and Emotional."

It's true! Just a few of the side effects of stress include migraine, depression, weight gain or weight loss, heart disease and sickness. Just being out in the sun makes me feel better. If I'm feeling anxious or stressed out, working up a sweat gives me great relief.

This week I dug the first stage of my "in-ground" garden. I dug 14 inches deep, 2 feet wide by 5 feet long...then I buried leaves to make compost. The second phase will be an identical 14x2x5 trench. When I was finished I was tired but also proud of what I had accomplished.

Below is a picture of the midway point. I had to stop and drink water. It's HOT outside!It's hard to feel depressed or anxious when the first little seedlings pop out from the soil and the sun is shining down, nurturing new life.

This morning I check on my little "babies" and was shocked to see them already poking out of the soil...so I ran in the house to grab the camera!