Category: Crafts and Hobbies
We're getting ready to start a Squarefoot Garden and I'm super excited. I've probably gone way overboard with all the seeds I've bought. I got nonhybrid, non-GMO seeds from mypatriotsupply.com. We will grow herbs, tomatoes, peppers, onions, kidney beans, pento beans, bush beans, zukini, squash, cantiloupe, mellons, pumpkins, and radishes.
I'm going to start the seeds indoors and we'll get our boxes built for outdoor planting in mid-April.
I've never done this before but it looks like loads of fun. If you're curious about Squarefoot gardening, you can do a google search and learn more than you ever wanted to know. Basically it's a method of condensing the traditional row garden into smaller squares.
I'll update this as we progress for anyone who might be interested.
That's really cool. I have not done too much with the plants, only put my back into it and turned a plot of land by hand with a shovel, and planted a tree now and again. But I am curious how we as the blind are to know where a weed is, and not by accident pull up plants?
I guess those boxes would do it. I read some about planters boxes when the daughter thought she wanted to do this. The biggest thing you have to think about with that is the drainage. That frankly appealed to my engineering sensibilities and that is a problem easily solved, eyes or not: it's just a engineering problem.
Anyway good on you for doing this. And good on you for not getting Monsanto-patented seeds. Just remember, though, that you will end up producing more than you want, and that you will have takers who will willingly pay for the produce. Either cash or service or what. I've even heard of people trading it like those suburbanites who have chickens and that.
Yep, it'll be nice to have something to trade, etc. Our nextdoor neighbor is going to garden as well and then we're going to learn to can together. I'm already a dehydrating fool so canning and preserving is the next horizon.
As for weeds, we'll put weedmat as a barrior between the ground and boxes. For soil, we'll use Mel's Mix, 3 equal parts Vermiculite, Peat moss, & compost. I'm thinking we're going to build the boxes on some bricks so we'll have good drainage.
In Texas our biggest challenge will be heat and drout. We have a sprinkler system though so that'll help as long as it doesn't wter too much. Our other big challenge will be the little bunnies that frollick through the neighborhood. Fortunatley though our dog should scare them off. lol
Hi,
I have always been interested in growing a garden, but I don't have a yard or patio at my apartment. I thought about growing some things indoors, though. I did read about square foot gardening, and it sounds like a great idea with a lot of advantages over traditional gardening.
BARD has Mel Barthalamu's book, The All New Squarefoot Garden, or something like that.
I ordered a print copy from amazon as well because our nextdoor neighbors are going to go on this garden adventure with us.
Now we've just got to get the hubbies to go to Lowe's and get the stuff to build our boxes.
I started a bunch of my seeds in the indoor greenhouse a couple of days ago. I am planning on transplanting to outdoors in mid April.
I think SFG lends itself to container gardening quite well. Perhaps you could start with an herb garden on your patio or in your window?
I think home gardeners need to consider a monetary value for their produce. They get so used to bartering that when you offer cold cash and ask how much, they're usually kind of stuck. Sure, I then usually offer about as much as what you pay at the grocery store for the same thing, but only the gardener knows really how much to ask for this stuff, and I'm guessing the store price is a rip-off to them.
most don't consider the hours they worked, fertilizers and equipment they bought, and any number of other things. And I personally think you should: there are people who don't have barter but will pay for your excess produce.
I love to garden. We planted ours a few weeks ago. We also planted 3 fruit trees lemon, orange and lime. There's nothing like growing your own vegetables.
I'm so excited. Stuff is starting to grow. Of course, it's 45 degrees outside which is absolutely unheard of in Texas in May but what the hell. lol
It's turning out to be a very late growing season so I'm hoping my stuff survives.
I started a bunch of seeds inside and then transplanted them which didn't work out nearly as well as the seeds I just started directly in the ground. Those plants are much more hardy. We live at the top of a hill, one of the highest in the metroplex so we're struggling a bit with that but otherwise, things are growing well. We've got beans, mellons, squash and cuccumbers coming up so far. I just planted a bunch of new jalapino seeds the other day so hopefully they'll take this time. We shall see.
I'm also hoping that my tomatos do well but I'm not sure. Our neighbors are doing a garden as well so we've agreed to trade back and forth since we're having good luck with different things.
I didn't get the Mel's Mix quite right for the SFG method. It's a pain to make because the ingrediants aren't sold in the same quantities and it was hard to find enough Vermiculite. If somebody would premix that stuff, they could make a crap-ton of money because the mix is the most challenging part of getting started.
Anyway, that's the update from my little SFG.
Sounds good; I'd be interested in your progress. :)
It would make it much easier for watering and taking care of it all too. :)
Good on you and congrats! :)