Another question on Square Foot Gardening

[ProudGrandma]

We have HORRIBLE soil here for planting veggies, so this is the way I intended to go...but after pricing out the cost for the Mel's Mix alone, it will cost me about $200 for the boxes we would want and I was wondering if there was a cheaper way to go...but I don't want to go cheaper only to be disappointed and end up spending that kind of money later thus wasting money in the long run. Can anybody here give me advice? thanks.

[Carrie12345]

My only recommendation for cheaper is taking the next year to work the soil you have and create your own compost.

 

We just spent $200 to add another 2x10 bed (including fencing), but we find it well worth it. We don't really have soil to work with. We're all rock, and we slacked on our composting this year.

[Denise in Florida]

I had that problem also. I have a couple of alternatives/suggestions for you.

 

First start small. I added one 4 x 4 bed this year. I bought potting soil at walmart, vermiculite from a guy on craigslist and compost from a landscaping company (no bags, haul it home in large tubs). I plan to add a bed or two each year. I have an active compost system going now which should help next spring.

 

Second, try hay bale gardening. There are several sites on the internet and a really awesome guy on facebook that explain this. Basically I bought 2 bales of hay (not great hay $5 each), soaked them and let them start to rot (you can speed this process with some yard chemicals, check the link). eta You then put a small layer of soil on top and plant seedings (not seeds) directly in the bale. I started my own squash and melons.

 

http://clay.ifas.ufl.edu/documents/MG/Haybale_garden.pdf

 

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Straw-Bale-Gardening-No-weeding-no-hoeing-no-tilling/106143169423324

 

I have planted tomatoes, peppers and basil in the square foot bed and zucchinni and cantaloupe in the hay bales. I also have several potted plants (strawberrys, pineapple).

 

Do not get stuck on one method.

 

have fun

Edited April 27, 2011 by Denise in Florida
missing sentence

[Tammyla]

The local Extension Office of 4-H will have lots of local gardening information.

 

That sounds pretty high for Mel's Mix...Our boxes run around $60 the first year, but after that it's just amending and much less.

 

We have HORRIBLE soil here for planting veggies, so this is the way I intended to go...but after pricing out the cost for the Mel's Mix alone, it will cost me about $200 for the boxes we would want and I was wondering if there was a cheaper way to go...but I don't want to go cheaper only to be disappointed and end up spending that kind of money later thus wasting money in the long run. Can anybody here give me advice? thanks.

[Carol in Cal.]

Start with things that are expensive if you have to buy them, and/or easy to grow in bad soil.

 

I suggest herbs. They thrive on neglect and in bad soil, they are expensive to buy fresh, they are extremely nutritious if used in large quantities (more concentrated nutrition than most vegetables), and they are easy to dry--no canning needed to preserve them.

 

Second priority--probably tomatoes, not because they cost a lot at the store, but because they are prolific and taste SO MUCH better from the garden. Improve the heck out of the soil you plant them in, and start there.

 

If you like winter squashes like pumpkins, etc., those are another thing that keep really well pretty easily; although I find them hard to grow. And it's disheartening to have a huge, sprawling vine and end up with just one pumpkin. (OTOH, it makes it look like you have a big garden. Nice illusion at times!)

 

This is not an all or nothing proposition. Start small, and see how it goes.

[ProudGrandma]

The local Extension Office of 4-H will have lots of local gardening information.

 

That sounds pretty high for Mel's Mix...Our boxes run around $60 the first year, but after that it's just amending and much less.

 

we are planning four 3 x 6 boxes, three 1 x 3 boxes plus 2 jumbo sized potato bags.

[myfunnybunch]

The local Extension Office of 4-H will have lots of local gardening information.

 

I agree. Start here. Are you thinking of buying bagged? Buying planting mix in bags from a garden store is considerably more costly than buying in "bulk". The extension service may know of a local garden products business that will deliver a load of soil for considerably less. We just spent $125 for a huge mound of organic planting mix that filled two large new garden boxes, filled holes and made a top layer for our new blueberry patch, filled our new rhubarb planters, will top off several more existing garden boxes, and there will be plenty for dh to do some lawn work in the back yard, probably with leftovers for me to pile in the garden for a future project.

 

It is a bit more work, as you've got to wheelbarrow it to where it needs to be. We've been extra busy and it's been pouring rain on and off, so most of it is still sitting in the driveway....Urg. But my boys l-o-v-e to help shovel dirt, lol.

 

Cat

[jenangelcat]

You don't need to use Mel's Mix. Just buy a good quality screened topsoil and supplement it with some manure.

 

Or you could go lasagna route and make your beds out of newspaper, straw, leaves etc and let that break down, maybe topping it with a little soil.

[ProudGrandma]

You don't need to use Mel's Mix. Just buy a good quality screened topsoil and supplement it with some manure.

 

Or you could go lasagna route and make your beds out of newspaper, straw, leaves etc and let that break down, maybe topping it with a little soil.

 

tell me more about this...lasagna route....how exactly is that done??

[ktgrok]

We couldn't even find vermiculite so we ended up buying compost by the truckload. A local nursery sells a cubic yard (1 pickup truck full) for 35 dollars. Or, if we wanted to dig it out ourselves the county has free compost. So there are other options for sure!

[ProudGrandma]

We couldn't even find vermiculite so we ended up buying compost by the truckload. A local nursery sells a cubic yard (1 pickup truck full) for 35 dollars. Or, if we wanted to dig it out ourselves the county has free compost. So there are other options for sure!

 

did you have good results with your garden?

[jenangelcat]

http://organicgardening.about.com/od/startinganorganicgarden/a/lasagnagarden.htm

 

It's also called sheet mulching.

[kamom]

Our county has free compost too. Call around. I go there with large tubs and haul it home. Had beautiful results last yr, with just digging up lawn, a thick layer of newpaper and free compost. You can add your lawn clippings and leaves too!

[ProudGrandma]

http://organicgardening.about.com/od/startinganorganicgarden/a/lasagnagarden.htm

 

It's also called sheet mulching.

 

can you do this in a raised bed? It sounds like you need to just do it in a regular garden spot? Has anybody had success using this method in a raised bed??

[jenbrdsly]

I have done square foot gardening for four years. Here's a picture: http://teachingmybabytoread.blog.com/2011/05/18/learning-in-the-garden/

 

I would suggest laying down giant pieces of gardboard over your grass, and then putting down a truckload of good quality compost. Don't buy it in bags at Lowes, that would be too expensive! Have it delivered from a compost dealer. It will be about $20 a square yard.

 

The first year of a vegetable garden is really expensive (and hard to talk your husband into!) But in later years it is really cheap. If you have bad soil in your area, I would also suggest making your own compost. All of the other ideas people have posted are really good. An herb garden is a great idea.