Mel Bartholomew - Introducing Square Foot Gardening

[YiuTeub]

I just started reading your book. In the index I did not see a "preventing cross pollination" section. I bought the "seed to seed" book as well and they talk about it. I bought heirloom seeds and do not want cross breeding.

No hybrids for me :)

[clintatk]

You go, Mel! Thanks!

[Coolasers]

Nice work

[LCStreetPhotographer]

Odd that...i mean..great idea, but its not new..the Chinese have been Square foot gardening for over 2000 years :D

[itsjustdeb579]

I have my first one going right now. In Southeast texas we have about 3 growing seasons depending on what you plant. Dad always raised two gardens and left nov - jan vacant. We had a huge garden growing up.. row gardens over 2 acres. I have so enjoyed my little garden so far this year. Right now i have tomatoes that will make up until the middle of Nov, turnips, beets, green beans, I will lost them the first frost, but i love the vines, and cucumbers. Thank you for coming up with this system

[prieten52]

I first got interested in gardening by reading Square Foot Gardening. By the time I got my first garden, I had moved on to Bio-intensive gardening. Certain things Mel teaches I still use: I use as few seeds as I can to reduce thinning, and I water using a plastic cup. I like the emphasis the Bio-intensive method puts on creating a healthy soil through making and using compost. Hey, Mel Bartholomew and John Jeavons both have beards! I guess I need one too!

[OverbearingUrge]

Nothing too amazing. As said, this technique has been around for a long time. However, just because it's been around a long time doesn't mean that it shouldn't be taught/re-introduced. I highly recommend layering newspaper under the box. This will help prevent weeds and wild grass from growing up into your bed, is cheaper than "weed blocker" fabric, recycling!, and your vegetable's roots will be able to push through it once they begin to mature and fill out their bed.

[200xowner]

You won't be able to solve hunger. Super powers of the world prevent it. Good try!

[OrganicTexas]

@200xowner Are super powers preventing you from building a victory / prosperity square foot garden in your front or backyard to feed yourself & your family? You suggesting people not attempt to grow their own food, transform the urban landscape & build a better community (like the way the urban farmers are)? Your comment is an example of a defeatism stagnant mentality that doesn't encourage anyone to move forward or better themselves. You're responsible for you- no super power is stopping you.

[megalodonNL]

@OrganicTexas

What he probably meant was Codex Alimentatius and the recent bill S510 which makes it ILLEGAL for people to keep seeds and grow their own vegetables. So yes, the super powers ARE preventing you to to square foot gardening, at least in USA and it will probably spread. I'm NOT saying you should obey those powers, sir, I love your concept. It's just that many people have no clue what the power hungry dark side is up too. But they will.

[OrganicTexas]

@megalodonNL Citation needed. I've seen many updates from Americans doing SFGs on YouTube. Please give me one example where super powers are preventing someone from gardening.

[lzputnam22]

@megalodonNL

The bill you cited, S510, is not codified as law. I looked up the bill on FedSys and the latest action, which was over a year ago, is indicated as "engrossed in Senate" meaning that version of the bill did not get passed by the house in identical form. It was intended to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. So I looked this up in the statutes and looked for recent amendments to this act (to see if anything resembling S.510 had become enrolled and passed.)

[lzputnam22]

@megalodonNL @megalodonNL cont'd from previous message. The latest amendment to pass was on January 4th, 2011. It is known as the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. I read the Act almost in its entirety, and while I did find scary mentioning of Department of Homeland Security taking control over some regulations, there was no mention of the prohibited act of saving seeds. A text search for "seed" yielded zero results in the Act.

[lzputnam22]

@megalodonNL In fact, the section on "Standards for Produce Safety" stated that nothing in the section will apply to individuals growing produce for personal use. The Act also appears to be quite lenient to CSA's and farms selling direct to consumers. There is no mention of prohibiting or regulating gardening at home, or even having a farm for your own production of food. Rest easy, nothing you have mentioned is actually law. Its codified as Public Law 111-353 if you would like to read.

[kevin22262]

@megalodonNL SB 510 is a dead bill.

[itsjustdeb579]

@200xowner Ive gardened for quite some time now. My grandparents, parents and now myself and my children have gardens... to date Ive not had any superpower tell me i couldnt have a garden.

[zuckersteinchen]

very nice video

[guyotville06]

Très belle vidéo bravo!

André

[AngelikavonDeutschla]

Sorry to say. I have built one last year. Cause it was a failure. I have been gardening and farming all my life. I must say that the old way of vegetable gardening works better.

[OrganicTexas]

@AngelikavonDeutschla Like most things in life, your mileage will vary. I wonder what exactly caused your SFG garden to fail? As a commenter pointed out, SFG has been around since the middle ages, and I consider that "old way" in my book. I've seen plenty of SFGs in life & on YouTube to know it works with great results. Please share your trials & errors so others may know what to do or not do.

[JuneMarieaddme]

great video

[Reckadreaming]

Planter!

[michaelko2]

nice :)

[blockstarful]

nice

[PatricioDiez76]

this is the best gardening system, I use it on my Gronomics Elevated Gardening Planter. Check out their youtube video here: v=wXja7ji_YKQ

[MrAlexanderM]

"square foot gardening" has been in use since the Middel Ages anno 1300, sir.

[OrganicTexas]

@MrAlexanderM Indeed, sir!

[PIGGLEWIGGINS]

I've used this method for years and you just can't beat it. My garden was even on the front page of the local paper once.

[jimprice09]

I have a question let say you use Mel's mix...

And put a condo for the worm...

Would you have to change the earth after couple of year?

Or the worm would be enough for fertilizing ?

thanks

[UnoRaza]

This is one of the reasons they came up with SB 510; too much competition for the corporate chemical "farmers".

[patriotsrisenow]

love it best way to go buy the books i own all of them.

[Allen2045]

I just checked out your book at the library. Read the 1st chapter then went on line and bought it at Walmart.

[Praxxus55712]

Mel is in a league of his own when it comes to gardening. :)

[happymundo]

This is the BEST video on Square Foot Gardening...no BS just what we need to hear.

[xxnoangelxx]

Mel you are my Hero! You changed my life. I have used your system for three years and I have marvelous results. It's so easy! No back breaking work once you set up. I have change my diet built around my garden. I have improved my culinary skills . I am healthier and happier. With corporate farming controlling our food source and letting contaminates enter our food supply it's more important than ever that you know your food source.

[OrganicTexas]

@xxnoangelxx I'm not Mel, but thank you for the awesome feedback!

[pepperjoe12]

Good stuff, Mel. Check out my YouTube Garden videos.

[bbbustedflush]

Well isnt this just wonderful. Im 60 years old and Mel just taught Ive been a gardening dummy all my life. But we always did it this way. Well no more. Thank you Mel. Who says you cant teach an old dog new tricks.

[speedproductions797]

This guy who invented this program/system gardening invention is a genius.

[speedproductions797]

Wow! That's super extrmeley and awesomely cool!

I'm going to buy the books!!!

Cool!

[lheartlondon]

hi mel!!! i just bought 2 of your books. i luv it!!! thanks so much for all the info on gardening

[TnWormsCastings]

I JUST GOT THE NEW BOOK IT IS GREAT!!

[ccm800]

Doesn't one plant shade out the other?

[OrganicTexas]

hey ccm800... Mel's book has a plant spacing guide so you space out the veggies & other plants appropriately in each square.

[donze52]

might if you want to take the extra step, grow and use wild gourds. The leaves are the only plant that no bug will eat. so making a sun tea with the leaves means after you spay it on your plants--no bugs.

if you are in the mood.

[imoveatparaderest]

You can also use small planting pots, a barrel or a small tub and grow things. Like I've got potatoes in a small barrel, and every time the plant gets to be about five inches tall, I cover it up 3/4 way with dirt, then it produces more potatoes, cuz it has to grow taller. Try it out for yourself.

[kathyrclark]

Love your book. And love my raised garden beds in my back yard.  We have eaten great veggies and fruit all summer.

[OrganicTexas]

I'm not Mel, but thanks! :-) Sounds like you're doing great- keep up the good work. We need more of these Prosperity Gardens across the American landscape.

[strasheep]

thats only 87%... what about the other 13% huh?

[CyrusDawes]

Fun!!! [sarcasm]

[godlikemicko]

mel bartholomew is going to save the world

[19dcs93]

i chose the old way becasue your optimise space if you do it right but these look very nice

[theblackhen]

We've been doing SFG for a couple years now and it is so much better than the old way. Lower costs (especially after getting started), less waste, less water, and a lot less weeding. I spend more time getting my crops ready for the table.

[ck4b3d]

I love SFG, I live in a city and have limited space so this system is wonderful. We have fruitfull crops year rounds thanks to SFG. The only improvment I ask for is translating SFG to crcular barrel type planters because I have 4 of those and would like to maximize their use as well.

[OrganicTexas]

David Will, founder of the Organic Living Club (OLC) in South Texas discussed using barrels to grow produce during our December meeting. You can watch it here:

watch?v=HivTEa6BMx4

or look for it on my YouTube homepage. -OT

[noobie64]

This guy is no alan chadwick.

Raised bed gardening is great and attractive. I think row planting is best for large plots and more farm scale stuff. Intensive planting requires a lot of water. True the shade of the leaves holds it in the ground but the close planting causes a lot of competition for water among the plants.

[Benitamartin]

What a tosser. He never invented this. It was being used in France well before he was even thought of!! What a cheek to claim HE invented it. The shame

[Seedcovers]

Thanks for this video, i have never been successful at gardening. This seems easy? Does the box have a bottom in in?

[OrganicTexas]

It is easy! The box is bottomless. I recommend a different mixture than what Mel uses. Pet moss is antimicrobial & good, healthy soil is teaming w/ microbes. I recommend the following mixture: 40% compost, 40% coconut fiber, 10% expanded shale, 10% mix of lava sand, green-sand, and alfalfa meal. Also use stone, brick or concrete bricks for your SFG, instead of wood or any other material. Good luck & keep us posted!

[Seedcovers]

Thanks for all this beautiful information. Where can you get these ingredients? Hardware store or Home Depot?

[OrganicTexas]

I'd stick to a local nursery for the ingredients- they need your support more than the box stores. Fertile Garden Supply carries quality organic products and will ship'em anywhere if its legal to do. Google'em and you'll find'em.

[Seedcovers]

Thank you so much :-D

[itsalovelydaytoday]

thank you so much for posting this video - it helps to be able to share the information via a quick introduction and inspire people to buy the excellent book and video and then go make their gardens - so needed in today's world!

[rachelh923]

Square foot gardening has been a revolution in backyard gardens. Couldn't be easier.