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Re: Newbie introduction

Hi Kat,

Welcome to the list...from a recent newbie who used to live in the Valley.  This should be a nice time to garden down there (except for the rain and storms), I remember it was harder in the summer when it gets so hot.

I'm also learning by lots of rookie mistakes, such as planting 3 nasturtium seeds in each of my 4' by 4' boxes to deter bugs which are now overwhelming everything.  I don't have the heart to take them out.  However, next year, I will reduce this particular crop!

I was also new to square foot gardening, never having watched the TV show.  I had a friend, though, who swore by the method.  So finally I got a book from the library, then bought my own, and am now a devoted fan.  It suits my garden and style perfectly.  I recently wrote Mel a card and today received a lovely letter, inviting me to become a SQFT activist in my region (Central coast, Monterey area).   I feel a little humbled by this, but would like to help Mel with his mission.  I teach recycling and gardening to the schools here and hope I can get out his message that way.

Mel sounds very sad that his house burned down, but seems to still have a lot of energy for his life's work.

So, any SQFTers from the Central coast out there who can help me???

Anyway, Kat, that's how quick you can go from beginner to expert--almost. So, good luck, and enjoy those little babies of yours.  I talk to mine every day.

Heidi

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From:   Kathreen Kruse[SMTP:katk@EARTHLINK.NET]
Sent:   Tuesday, January 21, 1997 10:13 AM
To:     Multiple recipients of list SQFT
Subject:        Newbie introduction

Hi, am I glad to find this list.  I've spent much of the last 24 hours
picking up stuff from the archives.   I've already added 3 maxims to my list:
     1    Be super attentive to watering
     2    Be sure your soil is very good
     3    Don't get over-ambitious (and overwhelmed)

By way of introduction, I live in the San Fernando valley in So. Calif.
Sunset calls this Zone 18 (is this the same as the US standard zones?).  I'm
new to the list, square foot gardening, and (honestly) gardening in general.

Though I've had THE BOOK for years I've lived in places where I couldn't
garden because of (in reverse order of importance):
     1    Too many dogs
     2    Too much shade
     3    Too little ambition :-)

My total gardening experience to date has been a couple seasons playing in
the corn stalks planted in the backyard (known in Dad vocabulary as the
south 40), putting out the occasional poorly producing tomato, and growing
(and letting die) numerous avocado plants.

This last year we finally got a house of our own, and it has a lovely,
bright back yard.  It also has a 9 ft by 33in brick lined raised bed.  The
former owners had a pair of grapes in it, which we took down.  This struck
me as a perfect place to do a little square foot gardening.  So, the weekend
before last, we dug up the bed and added about 80 lbs of planters mix and a
little gypsum.  This was recommended by the guys at the nursery.

Last week I got inspired (crazed??), grabbed by co-bibles (Mel's book and
Sunset Western Garden book) and began to annoy my hubby with "Do you like
???" questions.  After laying out preliminary plans I just had to get
something into the ground.  So I headed to the nursery and checked out which
plants they had in abundance for current planting.  I came away with some
broccoli, lettuce, and onions.  I went home and (TA TA) started the garden.
I also picked up some seeds that I was told I could start now, spinach,
dwarf peas, peppers, carrots, parsley, savory, chives, and cilantro (coriander).

So now I'm the proud Mama of 6 baby lettuce plants, 8 little onions, and 5
broccolis.  I also seeded a couple more lettuces, 3 spinaches, 4 more
onions, 3 peppers, 8 carrots, the herbs, 2 nasturtiums, and 2 marigolds.  I
believe I may have violated the don't get over-ambitious :-)

I'm looking forward to finding a lot of good ideas from you folks and hope
I'll have something to contribute as time goes by.

Kat in (moderately) sunny Southern California
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