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Re: Advice on setting up first square foot garden

DAVISJ@VAX.CS.HSCSYR.EDU wrote:
> >    What I would like is enough to feed a family of four.  Since at this
> point I have never canned, and do not own a freezer other than what I use
> for everyday food, I won't be able to store much of it.

Joanne,
         Probably the most helpful thing I can say is going to sound
discouraging no matter how I say it. You should most likely start small.
Mel's book recommends it and so do I. Because of the condition of your
soil, the unavailability of a truck, and your inexperience with the SqFt
method (and (am I right?) truck gardening in general?) you are much more
likely to enjoy the learning process if you are not overwhelmed the
first year by the needs of a large garden.
        Perhaps 2 (or 4) Four by fours close to where you would walk out every
day. This is not too much to expect to be able to build up the soil of
by hand. Your .SIG says that you are in NY so you have part of the
winter to work the soil yet (or do you, after today? The front just
passed through here bringing thunderstorms and a 30` drop in temps).
Someone with more knowledge of your soil type may be able to give you
info on the best way to do that. I've heard many say that Clay can be
worked quite easily but I forget how.
        Then do the four by fours according to the book for the first season.
Look/talk around and see what grows easily in your area. Learn to can
anything you have a little excess of. By the next season you will have a
very good Idea of how much you can expand and still stay within your
ability to manage physically.
        So for now (even if you want to go ahead and prepare the whole thing)
we should probably talk about how to get your soil built up.
        Anyone? Am I off base here? If I had another year or two of the No-Till
method under my belt, I might recommend that.
--
        Bill DeWitt
        East Central Florida
        Ask me why Worker's Compensation Laws need to be changed.

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