Square-Foot Garden Prep 2015

There's not really a lot I need to do to get the garden ready for it's second year, besides adding fresh compost, vermiculite, and peat moss to the mix in the raised bed, as it has settled some over the winter. And I can use leftover peat moss and vermiculite because I stored them carefully in 5-gallon buckets with tight lids.

In the next few days, I will mix a new batch of Mel's Mix (Mel Bartholomew's mix found at http://squarefootgardening.org/square-foot-gardening-method, which is 1/3 peat moss, 1/3 vermiculite, 1/3 blended compost).

Starting fresh isn't necessary, but since I'm adding some containers this year, I would need to buy more anyway. Mel's Mix is inexpensive to make, light and fluffy, and I don't even need a hoe or wheelbarrow. I definitely don't need a tiller, for which I am grateful. I don't have to pick axe the clumps of dirt and remove any rocks or boulders. I don't have to condition my existing soil and wait years and years for a bumper crop. I simply mix and plant. There are virtually no weeds. I'm telling you, this is a lazy girl's garden DREAM!

Below is a photo of last year's garden in early April and again, in August. I think you'll agree, it's a great garden and each 4x4 raised bed will feed one person in abundance.

I used twine to mark off the square feet, since I was trying to keep cost to a minimum, but this year I will have a grid...and I'm sure I'll come up with some more cute signs!

And here's the garden in July!

For my pots on the porch, I added some coffee grinds and egg shells and watered with a mixture of epsom salts and warm water. The flowers look vibrant and healthy even after a couple nights of freeze and frost warnings. A doubled sheet protected the tulips, pansies, rosemary, lavender and irises, which are cold weather plants anyway. I brought in my herbs, since some were more delicate. All is well. Bring on Spring!

And in just a couple days, the tulips bloomed!

I'm so excited to start this year's garden, but we've had some cold temps so I'm trying to be patient. Check back often with composting, planting, and raised bed ideas!