We had an interesting question come in to the Square Foot Gardening Foundation recently and thought it would be helpful for everyone. “Does one ever need to change out the soil mix (Mel’s Mix) in the containers completely? How does one amend the soil each year?” This is a great question ...
In The News
Hot off the Press! Spring 2019 Square Foot Gardening Newsletter
Each quarter we publish a newsletter that's full of helpful Square Foot Gardening info. Our Spring 2019 newsletter shares our tips for making Mel's Mix™, how to grow cucumbers and tomatoes in your SFG, and includes a free planting chart from our new book, as well as much more. Click here to ...
Planting Chart Cheat Sheets
Mel wanted every gardener, experienced or beginner, to have a great experience when growing their own food. The awesome planting charts in the back of the Square Foot Gardening books are a tremendous help. While they’re simple to use, we do get a few questions about them from time to time, so we ...
Grids: Prominent and Permanent
Surprisingly, the strongest reaction we get is when we quote Square Foot Gardening creator and author Mel Bartholomew who said, “If your garden box doesn’t have a grid, it’s not a Square Foot Garden.” We get a few inquiries asking why we’re so adamant about it, and occasionally we get a quite ...
Seed Shopping: Tomatoes
There are so many factors to consider when shopping for tomato seeds, but the first consideration should be to pick varieties that will grow in your area. If you’re in the US, the best thing to do is check your state’s cooperative extension service. According to the National Institute of Food and ...
Seed Shopping
“I have seen women looking at jewelry ads with a misty eye and one hand resting on the heart, and I only know what they're feeling because that's how I read the seed catalogs in January.” - Barbara Kingsolver - Animal, Vegetable, Miracle By now, you’ve probably started getting seed catalogs in ...
Composting with Kitchen Scraps
We all know that one of the integral components of Mel's Mix™ is compost, and we recommend using several different types of compost if you buy it, but you can also make your own. (You can make your own and mix it with purchased compost, as well. Tip: if you purchase compost to use, make sure that ...
Winter Square Foot Gardening Tips
Can you grow things in your Square Foot Garden when it looks like this outside: Yes you can! We caught up with Certified Instructor Jim Teahan from Utah for his tips. As you can see from his covered garden, pictured above, he deals with some serious weather. Here what he recommends for winter ...
Salute to Veterans!
Did you know that Mel Bartholomew, creator of the Square Foot Gardening method, was a United States veteran? We have many more talented Certified Instructors and supporters who are also veterans. Here's our salute to you! ...
Elevated Square Foot Gardening Boxes Help Everyone Garden!
Square Foot Gardening helps lots of new gardeners be successful at vegetable gardening. What happens if you're mobility-challenged, though? Traditional Square Foot Gardening involves a raised bed on the ground. Minnesota Certified Instructor Brian Fuder had another idea. He says, "I watched ...
