Comments on: How to Build a Square Foot Garden http://frugaldad.com/2008/03/03/how-to-build-a-square-foot-garden/ Promotional Codes, Coupons & Deals + Money Saving Insights Wed, 23 May 2012 20:38:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Trish http://frugaldad.com/2008/03/03/how-to-build-a-square-foot-garden/#comment-96639 Trish Wed, 25 Apr 2012 04:03:18 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/2008/03/03/how-to-build-a-square-foot-garden/#comment-96639 I am also interested in alternative irrigation ideas, as the article says you improved on the plastic bottle method due to risk of toxins. Other ideas anyone? I am also interested in alternative irrigation ideas, as the article says you improved on the plastic bottle method due to risk of toxins. Other ideas anyone?

]]> By: Marianne http://frugaldad.com/2008/03/03/how-to-build-a-square-foot-garden/#comment-92134 Marianne Thu, 12 Apr 2012 16:37:16 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/2008/03/03/how-to-build-a-square-foot-garden/#comment-92134 I was searching for Homemade grid ideas for square foot gardening and discovered your website. I love the idea of using rope or twine. My husband thought your "drip system" was brilliant. We are going to try it. I decided to use twine and a staple gun to attach the twine to the sides of my boxes. I also had the idea to use white rocks (small) and create a grid that way..I might do a combo of both the twine and rock. I was searching for Homemade grid ideas for square foot gardening and discovered your website. I love the idea of using rope or twine. My husband thought your “drip system” was brilliant. We are going to try it. I decided to use twine and a staple gun to attach the twine to the sides of my boxes. I also had the idea to use white rocks (small) and create a grid that way..I might do a combo of both the twine and rock.

]]> By: Michael Drops http://frugaldad.com/2008/03/03/how-to-build-a-square-foot-garden/#comment-85724 Michael Drops Wed, 14 Mar 2012 14:39:02 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/2008/03/03/how-to-build-a-square-foot-garden/#comment-85724 Raised garden beds are the way to go. They are so much more productive and take up a lot less space and as mentioned above are so easy to create. Raised garden beds are the way to go. They are so much more productive and take up a lot less space and as mentioned above are so easy to create.

]]> By: Diane http://frugaldad.com/2008/03/03/how-to-build-a-square-foot-garden/#comment-78885 Diane Fri, 17 Feb 2012 04:06:46 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/2008/03/03/how-to-build-a-square-foot-garden/#comment-78885 I have been using the square foot gardening method for almost 15 years. I LOVE IT ! I don't raise my beds because of the cost of supplies. I have a 15 foot by 10 foot garden and arrange my squares in rows (3 squares to grow in, 1 aisle to walk in , 4 squares to grow in , 1 row to walk in, and 2 more to grow in) . Okay, my squares aren't exactly 12 inches, but I use the "peas 4 inches apart", "one tomato or pepper per square" just like the book says. I also did something totally NEW last year. I planted each tomato in side a hole that I stirred Miracle peat, Organic soil conditioner and a tiny bit of fertilizer all stirred up deep under the tomato. Then, I planted the tomato inside a bottomless box. Half of a girl scout case-box to be exact, but refolded to make 4 sides. So, when I watered my tomatoes, the water went down instead of all over. the very-very thick layers of newspaper topped with leaves did not enter the box, but layers of leaves did. I had more tomatoes last year than in many previous, even with the TERRIBLE drought that Houston suffered. My green beans were heavily mulched with leaves--- the bigger they got, the more leaves I put around them. They are always easy to grow, but now I have a whole lot less weeds. ( more leaves than ever before) I no longer need a tiller. Adding soil conditioner each year for the last 5, my soil is easy to use a hand rake and just poke holes with my finger or a dowel. Mel B's square foot methods have made gardening fun... and I don't have to do much weeding as I did as a kid. Now, if I could just find a sure cure for squash borers!!! they eat my squash every year!!! (Easiest to grow and eat: sugar snap peas--pick when plump but still tender, bush beans (I didn't grow up with pole beans--trying them this year), tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers (though the houston heat makes them grow better in the fall?!, turnips, white radish, spinach, chard. Know your region's planting season and whether your home is actually the region the seed company claims. My yard is closer to a 9 than zone 8 for heat in summer! I'm thinking of keeping a journal this year. Hopefully, I'll find a squash borer cure that's worth writing down. I have been using the square foot gardening method for almost 15 years. I LOVE IT ! I don’t raise my beds because of the cost of supplies. I have a 15 foot by 10 foot garden and arrange my squares in rows (3 squares to grow in, 1 aisle to walk in , 4 squares to grow in , 1 row to walk in, and 2 more to grow in) . Okay, my squares aren’t exactly 12 inches, but I use the “peas 4 inches apart”, “one tomato or pepper per square” just like the book says. I also did something totally NEW last year. I planted each tomato in side a hole that I stirred Miracle peat, Organic soil conditioner and a tiny bit of fertilizer all stirred up deep under the tomato. Then, I planted the tomato inside a bottomless box. Half of a girl scout case-box to be exact, but refolded to make 4 sides. So, when I watered my tomatoes, the water went down instead of all over. the very-very thick layers of newspaper topped with leaves did not enter the box, but layers of leaves did. I had more tomatoes last year than in many previous, even with the TERRIBLE drought that Houston suffered. My green beans were heavily mulched with leaves— the bigger they got, the more leaves I put around them. They are always easy to grow, but now I have a whole lot less weeds. ( more leaves than ever before) I no longer need a tiller. Adding soil conditioner each year for the last 5, my soil is easy to use a hand rake and just poke holes with my finger or a dowel.
Mel B’s square foot methods have made gardening fun… and I don’t have to do much weeding as I did as a kid. Now, if I could just find a sure cure for squash borers!!! they eat my squash every year!!! (Easiest to grow and eat: sugar snap peas–pick when plump but still tender, bush beans (I didn’t grow up with pole beans–trying them this year), tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers (though the houston heat makes them grow better in the fall?!, turnips, white radish, spinach, chard. Know your region’s planting season and whether your home is actually the region the seed company claims. My yard is closer to a 9 than zone 8 for heat in summer! I’m thinking of keeping a journal this year. Hopefully, I’ll find a squash borer cure that’s worth writing down.

]]> By: Valerie http://frugaldad.com/2008/03/03/how-to-build-a-square-foot-garden/#comment-73447 Valerie Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:46:53 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/2008/03/03/how-to-build-a-square-foot-garden/#comment-73447 I opened this page because I have a raised garden that we tried to elevate to 3 feet high. Our attempt isn't working. Thanks for all the great ideas for being successful with this project. I opened this page because I have a raised garden that we tried to elevate to 3 feet high. Our attempt isn’t working.

Thanks for all the great ideas for being successful with this project.

]]> By: the donald http://frugaldad.com/2008/03/03/how-to-build-a-square-foot-garden/#comment-69113 the donald Wed, 28 Dec 2011 02:12:52 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/2008/03/03/how-to-build-a-square-foot-garden/#comment-69113 Not so on the Miracle Grow soil mix - I work with it at my job and use it all the time. If you mix it with your own compost, it will not hurt you at all... give us a break on the Miracle Grow, it's been used for many many years with great success! Not so on the Miracle Grow soil mix – I work with it at my job and use it all the time. If you mix it with your own compost, it will not hurt you at all… give us a break on the Miracle Grow, it’s been used for many many years with great success!

]]> By: Brok http://frugaldad.com/2008/03/03/how-to-build-a-square-foot-garden/#comment-69016 Brok Tue, 27 Dec 2011 08:20:46 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/2008/03/03/how-to-build-a-square-foot-garden/#comment-69016 Another solution is using a myGroFarm Deluxe which is a raised square foot garden table with a trellis and built in cover. Plus you don't have to build anything. You can even use a grow light to grow all winter indoors or start your seedlings months in advance. Here is an article on spacing your plants in a square foot garden www.mygrofarm.com/square-foot-garden-spacing/ Another solution is using a myGroFarm Deluxe which is a raised square foot garden table with a trellis and built in cover. Plus you don’t have to build anything. You can even use a grow light to grow all winter indoors or start your seedlings months in advance.

Here is an article on spacing your plants in a square foot garden http://www.mygrofarm.com/square-foot-garden-spacing/

]]> By: acupuncture guru http://frugaldad.com/2008/03/03/how-to-build-a-square-foot-garden/#comment-46339 acupuncture guru Fri, 08 Oct 2010 17:15:14 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/2008/03/03/how-to-build-a-square-foot-garden/#comment-46339 That's a sweet garden. It's small enough that you could put it almost anywhere and big enough to yield some pretty awesome tomatoes. I'm all over this next spring. That’s a sweet garden. It’s small enough that you could put it almost anywhere and big enough to yield some pretty awesome tomatoes. I’m all over this next spring.

]]> By: JM http://frugaldad.com/2008/03/03/how-to-build-a-square-foot-garden/#comment-46297 JM Thu, 07 Oct 2010 07:10:13 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/2008/03/03/how-to-build-a-square-foot-garden/#comment-46297 Oops, his experiences. Oops, his experiences.

]]> By: JM http://frugaldad.com/2008/03/03/how-to-build-a-square-foot-garden/#comment-46296 JM Thu, 07 Oct 2010 07:08:40 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/2008/03/03/how-to-build-a-square-foot-garden/#comment-46296 I don't think the author of this article was attempting to take credit for the idea. As one post pointed out, it's been done for 30+ years. Mel Bartholomew didn't invent it, so you could just as easily criticize him for stealing the idea. It's just a method that's getting popular and the blogger was sharing her experiences. I don’t think the author of this article was attempting to take credit for the idea. As one post pointed out, it’s been done for 30+ years. Mel Bartholomew didn’t invent it, so you could just as easily criticize him for stealing the idea. It’s just a method that’s getting popular and the blogger was sharing her experiences.

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