MEL BARTHOLOMEW is the originator and inventor of the Square Foot Gardening™ method. His vision was simple yet profound: to empower gardeners everywhere with a practical, life-changing skill — one that enables anyone to create their own sustainable, self-sufficient, and reliable source of fresh food.

Mel also believed deeply that teaching people in underserved communities around the world to grow their own produce was not just a noble idea, but a real and achievable solution to world hunger.

Square Foot Gardening translates seamlessly into Square Meter Gardening and has been proven to work in virtually every corner of the globe. Its power lies in the self-sufficiency it fosters — giving individuals, families, and communities both the food they need and, in many cases, an income-producing opportunity.

The method is remarkably efficient. It requires a fraction of the land of a traditional row garden and uses only 10% of the water. No machinery, chemical fertilizers, or heavy tools are needed, and no prior gardening knowledge or horticultural experience is required. Anyone can do it.

The Square Foot Gardening Foundation believes that communities worldwide can grow much of their own food in a very small space — regardless of where they live, their soil conditions, or their personal circumstances. Gardens can even be mounted on wheels or elevated to accommodate wheelchairs and those with limited mobility, making this method truly accessible to all.

We invite you to start your own Square Foot Garden and inspire others to do the same. With an open mind and an open heart, together we can work toward a world without hunger — one square foot at a time.

— Laura and Steve Bartholomew­ 

The  Square Foot Gardening Foundation