Square Foot Gardening: Easiest Way to Grow MORE Food in LESS Space

[@epicgardening]

I owe much of my love of gardening to the late Mel Bartholomew, inventor of Square Foot Gardening. I was fortunate enough to mentor with him for a year. May he rest in peace! - Kevin

[@arcan762]

@@bobalman the video at the end says 8 weeks, so presumably 8 weeks ago (probably another week for editing)

[@squarefootgardeningfoundat5435]

Thank you Kevin for your support of our method. We can all be proud of the work we do to help others grow food. It's important to get the word out so the Square Foot Gardening Foundation can help people to get growing! Proceeds of book sales do just that! Thank you!!

[@Heartofahomesteader]

This makes me so happy! My very first garden was a square foot garden that I planted a year or so after my mom passed away...she had the book and I inherited it. Sadly, I don't know where that book disappeared to, but I think I let someone borrow it years ago. I believe I need a new copy! You are a very lucky man to have been able to work with and learn from him, Kevin. I'm pretty sure he would be so very proud of you! We had to throw our garden together this year, but hoping for better organized chaos next year. Keep being amazing, it's much appreciated! (I just wish I had seen the bagged soil test video before we planted out, my peppers are so sad and piddly and my tomatoes aren't doing so great, either. Did start foliar feeding them with a fish emulsion and they are getting little better)

[@reginaldfortunus1596]

Thank you! Great video @epicgardening. What are you doing to keep up with your ipm?

[@greggdehner3078]

I also started gardening following Mel's methods and using his mix. All my beds started with that mix.

[@PamelaC-g1u]

I took your Square Foot Gardening idea one step further this year to make it a lesson for my grandchildren. Our raised garden is 6 x 4 ft. We labeled each of 24 cards with the plants we chose to grow (we actually have 4 squares of 6 different vegetables). We arranged them on a tabletop while making decisions about which plants would do well next to each other and considering which plants might need shade from the sun. When our final decisions were made, we taped the cards together, which created a map of our new garden. When we took our new map outside to the garden, we could easily see where to plant each type of seed since our garden was divided into squares using string. This was a great opportunity for them to go from abstract thinking to the concrete as well as making good decisions about plant placement. This garden has been growing for a month and we will be harvesting soon! We're so excited!

[@kaychaney6102]

Keep us updated please! So awesome!

[@Snakeskii]

Watching this I was really thinking how great this method would be for planting with children. When we have better beds we will give it a shot!

[@carolinasv525]

This made my heart happy, can’t wait to do this one day with my family! (For now I have a container garden and I’m so excited every time I get to harvest something!)

[@lisag9752]

Mel would be pleased and honored by this presentation. You are a fine teacher, Kevin.

[@SPORTS-SHORTS-9111]

Kevin if you care to read this I was inspired to start a garden because of you I have watched all your videos and have a massive garden after just 1 year of watching you -Landon Norton

[@ericarose3486]

This is so great to hear!

[@TheSoftestHeart]

No one we meet is by coincidence! I hope Mel Bartholomew is smiling on this from above. What a beautiful story.

[@mechiahkirton4855]

from the perspective of a viewer, its really insane to think that the garden guy youve been watching was PERSONALLY taught by THE garden guy! the world is so small:)

[@jenjam5441]

Love your channel as a new Gardner I’m soaking in all your tips!❤

[@jmkupihea7630]

Oh gosh, Dad always used Square Foot Gardening and I got his ancient copy of the book rebound in leather hardcover. I miss you Dad, wish you were here to see the giant pumpkin we picked today

[@my3bsfarm863]

I read his book in the 80s and it was such a revelation! When I bought my own home in the mid 90s I carefully followed the square foot gardening method to great success. I now use it for some of my raised beds and am getting ready to move to a large homestead where I will continue to enjoy his words of wisdom! Oh and I use your seeds from Botanical Interest and enjoy and learn from your videos Kevin. So thank you.

[@jerriscott288]

I, too, started gardening using the square foot method and have been veg gardening this way to this day.

[@Bread.139]

"Thank you for sharing your gardening tips! These tricks really give me more confidence to start taking care of my little garden."

[@k9spot1]

So about peat moss, the issue is it’s often harvested from *peat bogs* in Canada and the UK (various places in the northern hemisphere) which are a very vulnerable ecosystem that takes many many years to replenish (think like an old growth forest but it’s a bog) what you can make sure to do instead is get sustainably farmed artificially decomposed sphagnum moss instead which is the same plant as peat moss just not decomposed for hundreds of years. Doing that is essentially similar to getting sustainably grown wood. Sphagnum is actually a really fast growing plant. You just need to make sure to do your research. The other alternatives also work pretty well in my experience if you want to avoid it altogether.

[@utguy381]

Correct. Peat moss not environmentally sustainable at all. I use coco coir and I love. I got big blocks of it from Amazon and I had good success with it.

[@Levelc]

@@utguy381Amazon? Booooooo. What are you mixing coco with? How are you feeding?

[@utguy381]

@@Levelc I mix it with potting soil and feed with fertilizer

[@miriamrobarts]

That's good to know that farmed sphagnum moss performs similarly to the unsustainable natural peat moss. I hadn't heard about this. (I thought its properties had to do with the years and years of decomposition in the bogs.)

[@lizherbst7393]

Where do you source this product?

[@sonyahogan5673]

This is my first year with raised beds and I used this square foot model. Needlessly say, it has been an "epic" season!😊

[@PaulMartin61]

1982-83 I couldn't get enough of Mel's PBS show. My personal hero's.. James Underwood Crocket and Mel Bartholomew. Thanks for refreshing the memories of Mel and his wonderful education.

[@marciar8909]

This is exactly how I started gardening. To this day(9 yrs later) it was one of my best gardening year. It also helped that, that year I had a small garden and had everything on drip.

[@kiajohnson8595]

I started with sq ft gardening in the 90''s. Still works and I use it now since our family is now just two. Thanks for highlighting this tried and true method.

[@lonnaadkins8282]

Me too. 1994 my first square foot garden with the book in my hand and the cardboard holes I made for various plants

[@shamancarmichael5305]

I started Square Foot gardening many many years ago! So nice to see this tried and true method featured again! Mel Batholomew was a genius, it's so awesome that you got to mentor with him! 👍

[@cheriebrantner5543]

I have his book. It really helps to get started and not be overwhelmed! I had a grid made of wooden slats to fit the size of my bed. ❤

[@carolstettheimer9906]

Love the idea of succession planting within the square. Thanks!

[@laurielangley2306]

Kevin, you are SO blessed that you got to understudy Mel Barthomew! Thank you for sharing!

[@Braddy_Daddy]

What Mel is to you is what you are to us! Love the channel, great video!

[@onemoredoll5791]

I sketched my small suburban backyard out. Then divided it all by how many epic beds I could fit in [12]. I use cattle panels on several beds. Then did all the math for Mels mix. Its my third year but many seasons later and $$$$ of Mels Mix later for the upper portion of the beds (bottom started off as limbs/leaves/bulk mushroom compost from local nursery)... I wouldn't change a thing. Everything grows amazing in the mix. My niece who is a gardner and has raised beds doesnt get the yield I do. I have had to refill beds every season but this past season wasnt as bad. Still amended with Mels Mix. I started off with square foot gardening but now I know I need an entire bed full of different onions and 2 beds all garlic. Love your channel! You have taught me so much. I also now have 2 tower garden thingys which I love. One is all strawberries and the other is basil, lettuces/mizuna and strawberries. This morning was the first time my husband said he was happy that we turned our back yard into a garden. My mix is: 1/3 peat moss (sometimes coco coir but it tends to be too dry in my climate], 1/3 vermiculite, 1/3 equal amounts of chicken poo, cow poo, worm castings, veggie compost, and lastly whatever is available of mushroom compost/bat guano/sea compost

[@loverlyredhead]

The recommendation for filling the bottom of tall beds is something inert (like sand or topsoil). Just fyi if you decide to expand and want to save some money.

[@buuam7555]

​@@loverlyredhead thanks for the sand idea 💡 I'm gonna try that one.

[@NitaP1569]

@@buuam7555sand? No

[@lornahuddleston1453]

​@@buuam7555 I've seen people fill the bottom of raised beds with stuff like branches and stuff so you don't need to fill the entire box with all that expensive soil.

[@Notable2Nikki]

That was the first gardening book I ever read! My engineering brain loves his methods. Makes sense since he was one too!

[@bradymcphail9690]

Yeah Kevin, I started vegetable gardening because of Mr. Mel, and was re-acquainted to gardening because of yours and Jacque’s videos. This video is absolutely stellar. It is the best instruction of square food gardening. Thank you dude!

[@evelynmartinez8751]

Kevin drawing on his little pad is giving major Steve (Blues Clue’s) vibes ❤

[@lvs6775]

Yees! Lol Came to find this comment.

[@IjeomaThePlantMama]

VERY handy dandy notebook coded!

[@kyrastuart1920]

Excellent explanation on this method! I am very happy you let Eric have a bed of vegetables. You’re thinking of his health and eating habits, which is quite nice of you.

[@alliphil1]

FINALLY… a video for those of us that grow food for ONE person only (myself!). 😊

[@a.l.a.7847]

OMG, seeing the shot of where the citrus hedge now is in the shot of Kevin mixing the Mel's Mix on the tarp (12:20) really reminds me of how much Kevin and the crew has achieved in the years since starting the homestead.

[@smile30981]

When I started gardening during the pandemic, it was with the SFG method. Even though I have strayed from using the actual grids, all 20 beds (I needed a new hobby when I was housebound LOL) have Mel's Mix, including the few I added last year. I just drop a temporary grid onto the bed, plant then remove the grid!

[@ausfoodgarden]

Fantastic video Kevin! A really good overview of square-foot gardening. Not too complicated, but full of information. 👍 Cheers!

[@therepairsloth]

I absolutely LOVE SFG!!! My first full-scale home garden, that was not container gardening, was a square foot garden, following Mel's method to a T. I had great success, and this video makes me want to go back to those roots!

[@ChaundalePhillips]

I know this is an old video, but I want to thank you. This is my first time to garden at all. I now have a few peppers on my plants and I just saw one Roma tomato baby. Thank you for encouraging me!

[@catherinefrasier4051]

Kevin your video today reminds me of the style you used when you first started your channel in your old house. Lots of very practical info and research backed. You also add options depending on where you are. This was the first method I used, I can't even remember how long ago. Really great refresher for me. Thanks so much for sharing !

[@juneramirez8580]

My son finished making me raised beds that are only two feet wide because they are up against the chicken wire shade room walls. It is easier for this 70 something body to beable to reach. So I intended to mark the beds every two feed down the lengths of the bed

[@aloras405]

I ended up square foot gardening completely by accident. My raised beds came with grids so I bought the book to learn about it and the method has changed my gardening game.

[@adyscript]

That was a lovely tribute to your friend and mentor. Very informative too.

[@pdpierce44]

I loved hearing all the details about Mel's process and preferences! Really filled out this method, humanized it.

[@Kala_333]

New gardener here. This was very informative & helpful. Thank you.

[@cassie_serenity]

I started the square foot gardening method this year as my first experience of gardening and have had great results. I will say I didn't always follow his advice and have got a wee bit bit in the ass for it but it's a learning experience and I love it!

[@aphillips5376]

Yes! Started Sq. Ft. Gardening for the first time last year. I am a new gardener. Mels mix is awesome!!!!

[@PorchGardeningWithPassion]

Awesome video and tribute to Mel! He would be proud Kevin 👊🏻🌻👊🏻

[@beatthescammer]

00:20 - The rooftop garden looks amazing! I never knew you could grow so much in such a small space. 🌿

[@t.kodera2521]

This was so helpful content. I live in a typical apartment in Japan which means that balcony is so small and it has to be used as a drying rack for clothes as well. I can use the concept of square foot gardening for my container gardening at my tiny balcony

[@PepperplacewithShawna]

Thanks, Kevin. Your videos are always packed with great information. ❤

[@calebcoordom3855]

Another EPIC video🎉🎉 Thanks for teaching me to grow different varieties of produce in my climate!! You're the best Kevin and the Epic team!

[@lrogers707]

Kevin is well spoken...interesting to listen to. thank you

[@lanibearmcevoy6882]

Omg I’ve been fumbling around in my novice garden, this is brilliant

[@evrimerbil4910]

Thank you Kevin for sharing this! I also started with this method and it taught me a lot about the soil, about the plants and about the climate etc. And nowadays I'm trying to show how easy it is to grow in a square foot garden to the people around me 😊

[@sandi-midnight-mueller6550]

I used to watch him on PBS with my dad! I now have my dad's copy of Square foot gardening from 1981 and the 4 beds he built in 1986 when he build the house I now live in 😊 All my life my dad had the typical 100 × 20 ft garden. Me and my brother always got stuck weeding it... he hadn't planted the garden for a couple years when we ran across the show one day... we just kept looking at each other like dang!! He hunted down the book right after seeing that first show... I still love using my beds ❤

[@SusanHilesCreates]

I so much enjoyed this video. I’m glad that you showed updates every couple weeks. It was fun to see the progress of the seeds without having to wait weeks.

[@cubanmama4564]

We have been gardening for decades (backyard flower beds and containers) using the square foot method. It is a great way to maximize space when you live in an urban environment and most of the backyard is cement.

[@FamilySqaud247]

Your channel helps me everyday with my garden thank you

[@christajennings3828]

I started with Square Foot Gardening in the 80s. I still use a lot of his spacing.

[@rhondawhite5202]

My mom gave me this book. The best garden I've ever had was my square foot garden!

[@SuperJusten12]

This video has got me so excited to do my own garden. I have a question. How do i do some companion plants in this style of bed? Ive sent your video link to all my friends and 8 of us are going to do this. Its very exciting to me. I just love being in the garden. Very happy space. Thanks kevin ❤

[@ncaporal]

I bought this book years ago and finally this year made my two beds! Then I came across your channel this year and I was so happy to see you mention him and his methods. I like you decided pen and paper were the best methods and definitely studied hard and planted according or to the best of my abilities after ALOT of reading and buying. I am actually growing things! For the first time. But now I am having to learn the lesson of patience and I am also grateful to learn this. I have a profound respect for all gardeners and farmers out there. Thanks for also sharing your knowledge you have helped me tremendously along with all your team.

[@JULIAHOLLINGSWORTH-v4p]

I’ve been square gardening from the beginning but I also add companion plants where I can fit them. I put basil next to my tomato plants. They both grow to be huge & never put brassica’s near a non companion plant. Tonight (11/09/2024) we are having our first freeze watch and my plants are still thriving and giving a terrific crop

[@Rabellaka.]

I might try this some time. I do more intercropping or companion planting, with my tomatoes, eggplant, and tomatillos closer together than recommended, with basil, chives, marigolds, etc planted in between. Or squash growing on a trellis with beans planted in between.

[@craftynfamilyfun]

I thought I was the only one who would sketch everything out first..😅 Is a perfect way to not be overwhelmed! especially for beginners like me. Love this video!

[@zevab3178]

I also use sq ft gardening. And grow in containers too. I just like the look of that type of gardening. I like things to be neat.

[@mrgoats]

Grid paper makes drawing our designs so much easier.

[@BoneFrossil]

Bought this book years ago upon your recommendation, well worth it.

[@cainacosta1475]

Thank you so much Kevin, I actually watched one of your old vids on square foot gardening and I have a couple strawberry plants and a three foot monster of a tomato plant that Ive been scared to prune😂 actually doing it today. This video was great thx!

[@talmadgemew5400]

I made a square foot template out of a scrap piece of panelling. cut it 12 inches on each side and drilled pencil sized holes for all the patterns (1,2,4.8.9.16) and marked each. I just drop it in the square to plant and push a pencil through to mark the pattern I need. It saves me time and only cost the time it took to make. Your presentation was very good and even reminded me of a couple things I had forgotten over the years of doing this method.

[@Mykoledavid]

Just got into gardening and been combing through your videos. Love the way you break it down and glad I found your channel!

[@pattiethompson9154]

Thank you Kevin. Very informative. I just turned my daughter on to Epic Gardening. She is new to gardening. I've learned so much from you and Jacque.❤

[@AK27inAZ]

You’re such a great teacher!

[@valsalas666]

5:11 “then i’m gonna get a little fruity here and ill throw a cantaloupe in” 😂 i love it

[@SomeOneHigh]

😂 CANTALOUPE is " Melon " a Typical Strain/Variety of Melons , for example " Hooney Dew " is another Strain/Variety Of Melons , i dont understand why People Use Fancy-Shmency words 😂😂😂 P.S.: i am growing All types of Strawberries from Seed And they All Strawberries 😂😂😂❤❤❤ doesnt Matter if Thornless Raspberrie Or Ever-Bearing Raspberry , its still Darn Delicious Raspberries 😂😂😂❤❤❤👍

[@hartwellrainey7095]

Instant transmission at 2:30 was epic lol😂! Love the videos, have helped me tremendously, Thank you!

[@BethLovison]

This is fantastic. I've watched a few of your videos now and I'm pretty sure you're going to be my go-to guy for garden bed advice. I'll be purchasing Mel's book but looking to you for video which I prefer. Well done - your tone, speed, and enthusiasm levels are spot on, and the amount of detail you provide seems just right.

[@kellyblinkhorn6088]

This video was exactly what I needed right now!! I've been trying to get my garden going for 2 years now. Last summer was spent actually clearing/creating the space and amending the soil but I did manage to grow some blue lake bush beans in a raised bed, got about 2-3 lbs of harvest off 4 plants total. This year we had very cold spring here in Rhode Island which push my last frost date back but then I was sick on top of it!!! So now here it is mid June and I have some potatoes in a grow bag and a tray seedlings that burned in my little greenhouse bc it wasn't ventilated enough!! I feel like I am so behind, I still have raised beds that need to be setup, filled and then get sowing... I've been feeling so overwhelmed but watching this gave me a bit of a new game plan to work with and my confidence is starting to come back!!!!! ❤❤ thank you and happy growing

[@tphoskin]

Just keep at it, it's worth it

[@nancyperez6678]

NYC girl (living in FL) attempting to garden for a few years on and off and although I get some crops, and I am proud of the little veggies/fruits here and there, I do not succeed to get a full salad. This year, with your video I am inspired to try sq ft gardening as I do get a crazy garden that at times its overwhelming. Organization is key and so here we go to sq off my raised beds! Thanx for the info!

[@michellecolledge2355]

Brilliant. I have just finished filling a new bed and didn't know how to design it. Now, I do.

[@rachelhoward1970]

As a beginner, this was very helpful! Thank you!

[@samanthamorgan8351]

I loved this video. Great information, beautiful presentation, so much knowledge. I think Mel would be honored.

[@irenetrautluft6822]

I cannot wait to have a garden to try this out. Literally taking notes for the gardener I want to be.

[@dubcindub15]

Good stuff Kevin, Mel taught you well. I've a big slug problem around my raised bed which is 16*4 so would have 64 spaces ideally. I think next year I'll be sacrificing 1in from each square to give me a 2in perimeter border to plant garlic, onion, lavender, smelly stuff etc. According to calculations I'll be 0.897 square foot gardening next year :D

[@Culinaryreject]

Not only do I have the sq ft garden book, but I found Botanical Gardens seeds at my local nursery and bought several varieties. It’s so cool that I was watching the channel the whole time without even knowing that it was all on and the same 😁

[@cindy_says]

Thank you for all these wonderful teaching videos, giving us the confidence to start a garden, and giving us back the power of what we eat

[@suek6859]

I like planting Egyptian Spinach during the 'hot' season. Tastes like Spinach, but doesn't bolt during the summer!

[@vee5032]

Planning on adding 2 new beds and this is perfect, thank you Kevin you make it look fun and easy ❤

[@slademurf2620]

Love this! Thank you for all the work that goes into distilling so much information into teaching videos!

[@Sproutupgardening]

Love this video. I've been gardening for a few years and I always learn something new from your channel whether it's a beginner video or advanced. Love your channel.

[@LaraFabans]

I found Mel's book a long while ago and it inspired me. I also was inspired by the Mittleider method. Of course, I tended to use self watering containers but I played around a bit with the spacing. Now I have two raised beds and lots of soft containers and can't wait to play around some more. I think it's time to plant the second round of tomatoes but I'll hold off on the brassicas until August.

[@kariannecrysler640]

I would add that people consider their water source/supply in their garden design. How much hose do you need or how far will you have to lug containers full of water? 💗

[@colbymarsh2074]

I don’t know how I didn’t know botanical interests is your company until THIS video, no wonder they are by far my favorite! I’m currently growing some Tokyo white bunching onions as well as some King Richard leeks, I just love how the packages have so much information to reference quickly while planning my garden

[@Volfor321]

I started several extra seeds this year and initially planted what I wanted and left the extras in the seed trays. Needless to say, the plants I left in the tray got 'stretchy' and one of my super sweet 100s fell over into the next soil cube and rooted in there as well. I decided to plant that one in a 5 gallon bucket a couple of weeks later and had to use the trench method. Let me tell you, that one has put the others too shame! All of the earlier plantings are already damaged in some way and are limping along and budding like crazy with ok-ish plant growth. The one that I trenched hasn't flowered at all and has far outgrown the others and looks perfectly healthy. I'm sure weather has played a small role in the differences between plants but just the growth rate is insane. I'm a believer in the trench method!

[@peaceofourtime71]

I bought this about 6 months ago. It's amazing!

[@alexien2716]

Excellent presentation!! 💚 One day, I might eventually be able to have some of these. 😢 When asked, my landlord "kindly" would allow me a small raised bed... in an area that would get sun for about three hours but has a tree over it.

[@JackelineFilionPino]

Thank you for this. I have been watching you for a long time but have been intimidated to start. But this video has me pumped and might just get it done soon.

[@RobMyself]

Another good idea for aeration are both rice hulls pumice. Especially the rice hulls as they provide needed silica.

[@NicolaiAAA]

I too, have a square foot garden! 3, in fact. 😄 And the book. One thing that does get glossed over a lot though, that another KZbinr pointed out, is the fact that once peat moss gets dry it becomes hydrophobic. Whereas coco coir does not. And having seen that for myself, I am _never_ going back to peat moss. Coco coir all the way!

[@Mardi-LovetheLandHomestead]

Love this method! Great for small yards

[@ruthconstantino6861]

This is so encouraging and makes planting our own veg entirely doable. Thank you 🤗. PS: I've shared your channel with homesteading youtubers in Portugal who'd been gardening beginners. Since our Cali climates and Portugal climates can be very similar, your tutelage is a help out there, too❣

[@princesasdensueno9247]

Love this video! Moving into a new home in a few months and these are incredibly helpful ❤ thank you!

[@joellynshort3949]

Great episode! I didn’t realize Mel Bartholomew was a fellow San Diegan. 😊

[@leannecarroll9347]

I love the idea of using the garden in minutes drip irrigation in the square foot garden method

[@GardenInMinutes]

Thanks 😊

[@dethmaul]

PLANT TENDRILS ARE THE CUTEST Lil grabby hands grabbing for support

[@leannecarroll9347]

I love that book so much!!!

[@michaelsedor6807]

I just restarted gardening after 4 years. My son is a vegetarian now and he wanted to get the garden going again. It’s been a great bonding activity.

[@brianriley9055]

How bout that! Just a few months ago, I got my hands on a secondhand copy of Square Foot Gardening! Synchronicity is a funny thing

[@josephdonais4778]

I was 10 with my first garden. I had no problems and great watermelons, pumpkins, peppers and tomatoes.

[@suek6859]

Also, I'm trying 'Winged Beans' for my hot climate here in the Gulf Coast. Tastes like a cross between Asparagus & Beans. Planted on my arch!