Square Foot Garden

As much as I hate to admit it, I have recently had to use algebra to help with my garden:) That is because I installed a square foot garden- a gardening system created by a gentleman named Mel Bartholmew. The basic logic behind it is to utilize as much possible space for growing, while allowing plants the room they need, and only growing what you will actually use.

For instance- my garden is 6'x4', or 24 square feet. This means I can plant 24 plants that need to be 12" apart from each other, one in each square. Or, I can use one of those squares for something like spinach, that requires 4" spacing and I can plant 9 plants in one square foot. Essentially you can maximize what you grow in a minimal space. Pretty cool stuff. Assuming the wildlife in my backyard doesn't eat it all first;)

Here are the pictures of mine. I filled it with 1 part vermiculite, 1 part peat moss and one part compost. This is the mix recommended by Mel.

Garden Pest

My #$%* dog now has a new nickname, the Garden Pest. Today I was trying to get my plants in the ground, get the other bed frame together, and take some pictures at the same time. I got everything I needed together and in a chair in the backyard. I had forgotten my screws, so I ran back inside for no more than 5 minutes, and came back to find a guilty looking dog... and a camera with teeth marks all over it! After I threw a fit, I realized my camera still worked... and it was my fault for leaving such a tempting treat within his reach.

So I got over it and started mixing up my dirt. All 6 bags went into my bed,with room to spare. I again had to run grab something from another location, and came back in the back to find the GP elbow deep in my bed! He was covered in black, stinky dirt. Since I had caught him in the act, I scolded him. He quickly darted to another side of the yard.

Here he is sulking:

Needless to say, in his mind it is his backyard... so anything I bring back there must be for him, right? I have a feeling my raised bed is going to have to fight to survive!

Selecting the Plants, and the Dirt!

Today my mother and I took a trip out to the Growers Outlet in Snellville. The GO is one of my favorite places to buy plants. They are always healthy, priced very low, and seem to be very well aclimated to GA's soil and weather conditions. I ended up getting some herbs (cilantro, basil, oregano, rosemary, lavender), two tomato plants (roma and beefsteak) and two bell peper plants. Everything cost about $15.

The soil is a little different story! I have been searching the internet for months trying to find the "perfect" soil mix for a raised bed. I haven't found anything! (and of course I bought the plants before I bothered getting dirt!) After speeking with a very helpful gentleman at Home Depot, I ended up buying a bag of Nature's Helper, a bag of Mushroom Compost, 3 bags of topsoil and a bag of Miracle Grow Moisture Control Garden Soil (what can I say- I am a sucker for advertising and they have had some good ads!).

I got everything home and was ready to plant until I realized we were under a tornado watch. So my husband, mother and I quickly unloaded the car, and called it a night.