Get ready for all new Square Foot Gardening! It’s the book that helped millions of home gardeners grow more fresh produce in less space with less work.
Now updated and packed with more projects, information, photos, and illustrations, this new 3rd edition is launching a whole new generation of food growers. Our Weekly Easy Vegetable Garden Sowing Plan can get you started today.
All New Square Foot Gardening
Image from the All New Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew are used with permission from The Quarto Book Group.
The Book That Inspired a Million New Gardeners
I wish I had a dollar for every time a gardener has told me that they got started in food growing after hearing about the square foot gardening method.
Since its original publication in 1981, this book has encouraged so many new gardeners—and veggie growers looking for better methods—to grow incredible amounts of delicious, fresh produce in small spaces.
The success is in the simplicity. Grab some seeds or starter plants, follow the book, mark out your squares, and grow!
Related: 10 Best Vegetables for Clay Soils
How Square Foot Gardening Works
If you’re new to Square Foot Gardening, the idea is that you can grow a good amount of produce in a small space, working in square foot (12-inch square) sections.
The book guides you through from start to finish, showing everything you need to know to grow delicious, fresh food.
You choose the veggies you want, and get growing.
Here’s a sample planting plan:
Related: Get a Simple Vegetable Garden Plan Here
Here’s what you can harvest:
It really is amazing how much food you can grow in a small space.
Here’s a living example of a square foot garden:
If you don’t have a raised garden bed, you can do the same thing in large flower pots.
Related: Seed Starting for Beginners
And it doesn’t just have to be veggies: add flowers and herbs for a beautiful checkerboard of colors and textures.
That’s Mel Bartholomew who started this whole revolution.
by Mel Bartholomew
This newest edition is very nicely updated with good images and information but if you own an older copy (there’s millions out there), dust it off and use it.
If you’re new to this, the All New Square Foot Gardening is an excellent beginner resource. Or, maybe you’ve dabbled in veggie growing but want a reliable easy-to-follow system.
I love the idea of giving the book to friends who have expressed an interest in veggie gardening but do not know where to start.
The ultimate (to me) is to give it to kids at that age where they’re ready to get their hands in the soil and sow some seeds.
Listen
~Melissa the Empress of Dirt â™›
