Gardening... it is something I have always aspired to but was always to lazy to accomplish. Until 3 weeks ago.
I started when my mom complained that she could not afford to support my healthy eating habbits. It must be said that I am an avid consumer of vegetables and fruits. Five apples, a bunch of bananas, three bell peppers, and a head of letuse is certainly NOT enough to sustain a house od 5. Ok, a house of 5 inhabited by one who eats fruits and/or veggies with every meal and sometimes with every snack.
I couldn't believe my dear mothers remark. After all, obesity is super size problem in my state so you would certainly think that any mom would be more than ecstatic to be the mother of so ferocious a greens and fruit eater. Of course my mom is, but going to the store more than once a week for expensive produce items does not give her the warm fuzzies.
Enter square foot garden.
Mom brought it up. About the book I mean. The book she used to own that gave insight to gardening in raised boxes. I marched to the library and found that book, plunked down, and by the time 30 minutes had slipped away, was resolved to start growing my own produce. The title of this inspiring read is, All New Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew. The idea behind SFG (square foot garden) is to grow plants or produce in a very do-able manner; namely by the square foot.
So my father and I built a box 4 feet by 4 feet. The beauty of this design is that you can reach any part of this box without straining your back. We filled the box with our own soil mix, set it on the back lawn, and roped out a foot x foot grid. The grid assists in the plant boundaries. With the grid, I easily saw that two lettuces fit in one square while 16 baby carrots fit in another.
So far I have planted: lettuce, baby finger carrots, long emperor carrots, red onions, onion-chives, green bell pepper, green onions, sweet basil, tomato, and bush beans. All of this in a raised 4 X 4 box!!
This garden is a small wonder. Such a small plot. Such minute seeds. Yet with a little water, sun, and worm-picking, growth is occurring. Take a look at the photos…
I couldn't believe my dear mothers remark. After all, obesity is super size problem in my state so you would certainly think that any mom would be more than ecstatic to be the mother of so ferocious a greens and fruit eater. Of course my mom is, but going to the store more than once a week for expensive produce items does not give her the warm fuzzies.
Enter square foot garden.
Mom brought it up. About the book I mean. The book she used to own that gave insight to gardening in raised boxes. I marched to the library and found that book, plunked down, and by the time 30 minutes had slipped away, was resolved to start growing my own produce. The title of this inspiring read is, All New Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew. The idea behind SFG (square foot garden) is to grow plants or produce in a very do-able manner; namely by the square foot.
So my father and I built a box 4 feet by 4 feet. The beauty of this design is that you can reach any part of this box without straining your back. We filled the box with our own soil mix, set it on the back lawn, and roped out a foot x foot grid. The grid assists in the plant boundaries. With the grid, I easily saw that two lettuces fit in one square while 16 baby carrots fit in another.
So far I have planted: lettuce, baby finger carrots, long emperor carrots, red onions, onion-chives, green bell pepper, green onions, sweet basil, tomato, and bush beans. All of this in a raised 4 X 4 box!!
This garden is a small wonder. Such a small plot. Such minute seeds. Yet with a little water, sun, and worm-picking, growth is occurring. Take a look at the photos…
As for you "would be" gardeners out there (or maybe old timers too) I would highly recommend the All New Square Foot Garden book to you. Buy it or barrow it or do something to take a look at it. It is a wealthy resource!
2 comments:
Hi Cathryn. I wish you success with your new project. I hope the automatic sprinkles keeps it damp while you are away.
Love Grandma Goudy
Cathryn, I just got your blog address from your mom and am enjoying it. I have 4 year old Daniel sitting on my lap and when he saw this picture he said "oh, a salmon". He thought the finger in the picture was a salmon because of the color and I suppose the fingerprint lines look like the texture of a fish. I thought it was funny and that I would pass it along. I hope to see you again one of these days.
Love, Susan Wood
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