Square Foot Gardening
by Mel Bartholomew
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Book Summary Information
Author: Mel BartholomewEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1981-02-15
ISBN: 0878573410
Number of pages: 347
Publisher: Rodale Books
Book Reviews of Square Foot Gardening
Book Review: Revolutionize Your Gardening Style!
Summary: 5 Stars
A couple of years ago I got involved in a community garden at my work here at UCI. The plot I inherited had, like any of the others, a serious problem with gophers, and since it was an organic gardening environment, I needed to find a realistic way to deal with the gophers. A dear friend named Karen recommended an old book she had, and low and behold, I've been a convert ever since. Besides the down-to-earth nature of Mel's gardening style, the addition of chicken wire or similar hardware cloths affixed to the square foot frame to keep the varments from tunneling up into my planting box made the whole experience completely do-able, easy, and practical. Now residing in a totally different community garden (still at UCI) and having added two square foot garden boxes to my fairly small condo back patio, I can tell you this system really works.
Ironically, those who do not know or understand SFG will think you are a perfectionist, anal-retentive gardener due to the grid you create (apparently I have been referred to as the "precision gardener!") but for all the reasons the other reviewers have cited, Mel's system works so incredibly well and whether you are a closet perfectionist or just simply a mellow gardener, it works so well. The work really is cut. Your crops grow in pure food that is friable and nutrient-rich (Mel's mix is 1/3 compost, 1/3 course vermiculite, and 1/3 peat moss). You'll have a manageable amount of food rather than an insane bumper crop of veggies (after all, you can only have so much zuccini bread) and if indeed you are working in a garden area that has gophers, forget the planting garlic or the planting certain bulbs - they just tunnel around them. Just line your boxes with 1" sized chicken wire and you won't have any problems.
I wish there was a newer edition of this book, but Mel's too busy taking his SFG around the world to help create self-reliant farmers and families. [...] He's all about simplifying and enjoying the gardening experience. So I suggest use both this great book and his [...] to create your own garden space that will be so much more manageable and enjoyable.
One last thing: my husband who is a 4th grade teacher brought the SFG system to his school's nature center. The kids loved it. Interestingly enough, he was able to weave many state learning standards into his gardening lessons - beyond science really. It incorporated simple math, estimation, measurement, etc. And it turned out truly successful.
My thanks to friend Karen for her wonderful recommendation. I now pass the recommendation onto you!
Summary of Square Foot Gardening
Twice as much in half the space!
* A complete garden book for both the beginner and the expert
* A new way to garden with 80 percent less space and work
* The companion book to the nationally acclaimed television series
* Over 900,000 copies in print
Square Foot Gardening presents a new way to garden in less space with less work.
* Grow a perfect garden in only 10 minutes a day.
* Harvest the biggest tomatoes.
* Enjoy spectacular flowers every day.
* Ideal for beginners from 4 to 94.
* Simple, easy, attractive and rewarding gardens.
* A complete garden book for both the beginner and the expert
* A new way to garden with 80 percent less space and work
* The companion book to the nationally acclaimed television series
* Over 900,000 copies in print
Square Foot Gardening presents a new way to garden in less space with less work.
* Grow a perfect garden in only 10 minutes a day.
* Harvest the biggest tomatoes.
* Enjoy spectacular flowers every day.
* Ideal for beginners from 4 to 94.
* Simple, easy, attractive and rewarding gardens.
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