Mel's Sq. Ft. Garden

Mel Bartholomew

in his square foot garden

in Old Field on Long Island

Photo Credit: Roger Thurber

Today, The Hamilton Spectator published my article

entitled: "Mel's Square Foot Garden."

It's a tribute to an innovative gardening guru who,

"dared to suggest that there might be a better way."

I was surprised to receive a lovely acknowledgment

of my article from Steve Bartholomew; Mel's son, and the

Director of the Square Foot Gardening Foundation.

Steve wrote, "Nancy, thank you for your wonderful article

about my Dad. [This] Friday will make one year

since his passing and he is missed dearly." 

I post this Link to The Hamilton Spectator site, and

the text of the article below in his honour.

Special to The Hamilton Spectator

by Nancy Gordon

Back in the early 1980s, traditional vegetable garden philosophy was shaken up by an enterprising retired engineer who dared to suggest that there might be a better way.

A relative unknown, Mel Bartholomew created the unique and engaging gardening method that became the title of his book, "Square Foot Gardening."

The name and method struck a chord with gardeners around the globe.

A square foot garden, as envisioned by its creator, essentially consisted of any number of 4-foot by 4-foot wooden raised frames filled with growing medium and divided into 16 individual gardening squares. Each of these delineated squares could, with a few exceptions, hold one, two, four, nine or 16 plants, depending on growing space required per plant.

For instance, Bartholomew's plan allowed for one plant each of asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, okra or pepper per square; two cucumber plants; four chard, corn, lettuce, potato or strawberry; eight pole bean plants; nine bush bean or spinach plants; 16 small beet, carrot, or onion plants; or one tomato plant (for each of nine squares).

His system allowed even the beginning gardener to mix and match crops, based on their own preference, using the square foot gardening parameters.

No wonder his method was so successful; essentially, Bartholomew predicted that in two months, one 4-foot by 4-foot square foot garden bed could produce at least four heads of romaine, five pounds of peas, nine Japanese turnips, 12 bunches of leaf lettuce, 16 each of scallions and radishes, 18 bunches of spinach and 32 carrots: quite a haul for a garden space of just 16 square feet.

Additionally, Bartholomew advocated vertical frames for climbing support; intermixing vegetables and herbs with annuals for colour as well as disease and pest prevention; and protective features and crop rotation to extend the growing season.

He predicted that his new gardening method would not only eliminate the need for pesticides and all but minimal cultivation, but would also require less watering, thinning and weeding. Simply put, Bartholomew had, "found a better way to garden – one that's more efficient, more manageable, and requires less work."

Immediately taken with the concept, I rushed out to buy "Square Foot Gardening," and convinced my husband to help me put the method into practice in our backyard. It was a great success!

The beginning of my own successful

square foot garden in the 1980's

Years later, I incorporated the same principles in another backyard garden, although on a smaller scale and, recently, the square foot gardening method came back to me while I was researching the incorporation of vegetables and herbs into the perennial pollinator garden in my front yard.

Sadly, during this exploration I discovered that Bartholomew passed away last spring, albeit at the respectable age of 84. And though I only knew him through his book and subsequent television show, reading the unexpected news of Bartholomew's death suddenly made me feel I'd lost someone special.

I still have the book, fittingly battered and well read. It continues to be an inspiration, although I haven't recently applied the concepts in true square foot gardening form.

This spring and summer, however, I'm going to employ some of Bartholomew's tried-and-true methods in my front garden. I believe his "better way to garden" will be transferable, even without the raised beds.

It would also be a nice way to honour the memory of a gardening guru I greatly admire.

The Outsiders

Fifty years ago today, a book called The Outsiders, written by Susan Eloise Hinton while she was still in high school, was published. Credited to Hinton using her gender non-specific initials, S. E. Hinton, this coming of age story has often been described as a book "about teenagers, by a teenager, for teenagers."

I was in grade 7 when my home room teacher read Hinton's The Outsiders aloud, one chapter a day, to a class of spellbound teenagers. I remember that we couldn’t wait to get to class each day to hear more about Ponyboy Curtis in the engaging story about family, peer pressure, friendship, injustice, rebellion, and acceptance.
 
In opting to read the book aloud to us, our teacher wisely avoided the lack of interest students typically show for books they’re forced to read in school: She exposed us to the relevance and appeal of The Outsiders before she asked us to dissect and analyze Hinton's skillful usage of plot, characters, setting, conflict and resolution.

I believe, her clever strategy actually encouraged some of us to re-read S. E. Hinton's debut book, even after we were out of school: I know that I have revisited The Outsiders countless times over the years, and recommended it to many people.

I recently bought a copy of S. E. Hinton’s classic novel for my 12-year old grand-daughter, who is already an avid reader and fittingly in grade 7. Not surprising, as with generations of readers before her, The Outsiders drew Rachel in and she was hooked: Five chapters into it, she enthused, “It’s my new favourite book!”

I believe The Outsiders continues to resonate with young readers because S. E. Hinton wrote with authority about the people and circumstances she knew from experience; moreover, her easy, youthful, gender non-specific writing style gave The Outsiders an enduring quality that keeps it relevant, even now, fifty years later.

From Hinton's, "When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home," to the story's moving conclusion, The Outsiders is truly memorable.

Therefore, if you know a 12-yr-old or a teenager who hasn't yet discovered the timeless gem that is The Outsiders, rush out now and buy them a copy. You won't be sorry you did; and, fifty years from now they'll probably still be grateful.

Today I celebrate S. E. Hinton and the 50th anniversary of her book, "about teenagers, by a teenager, for teenagers." The Outsiders is a gift that keeps on giving, and you can take that from a clever teacher; and a former teenager and her soon-to-be teenage grand-daughter.

Lost and Found

The other day, the remote start for my husband's van went missing. I know I had it on the Saturday when I locked the van after an outing, but I'd carried the fob on my keyring during various other excursions in my own car for several days before discovering the loss.

Fearing that an expensive replacement loomed in our future, we searched high and low: in our vehicles, the driveway, the garden and the house. I even made an effort to call a few stores I'd visited to see if the fob had been turned in.

Eventually, I found myself in the parking lot of the grocery store I'd shopped in the previous day. Not seeing the remote on the ground anywhere, I was just turning to leave when I noticed something small and black sitting up on the concrete base of a light standard. You can imagine my delight, when upon closer inspection I discovered the "something" to be the remote I had lost.

I took the picture posted here and sent it with the good news in a text message to my husband. His response back was an emphatic, "Wow!"

How lucky we were that some forward thinking stranger not only found the van's remote starter but also placed it out of harm's way and visible, in anticipation of the owner's eventual return.

For that simple act of kindness, we are most grateful.

Feline Friends

River (left) and Louie (right)

At our house, we have a pair of cats, both black with white chest, feet and whiskers. One of our feline's is a male short-hair named Louie, and the other cat is a female long-hair known as River.

Louie belongs to my husband and I: River is the pet of my youngest daughter, her husband and their daughter. The cats have a civil relationship but rarely groom each other or play together. Both cats, however, adore my mother, and the feeling is mutual.

River regularly visits mom, just to say, "Meow," or to sleep somewhere in the sun in mom's apartment. Louie's two favourite sleeping locations are next to my mom on her two-seat couch and on mom's bed, even when she's in it. Mom always provides the beasties with a large bowl of water and much love and affection.

Louie and River are very taken with mom's picture-window ledge that provides viewing access to the front garden, street, and neighbours. When they're not sleeping, our cats can't get enough of lying in the warm sunny window, jockeying for viewing superiority, and taking in the sights.

My mom's days are greatly enhanced by the antics of her feline friends; and, like Louie and River, she enjoys the view from her window at the front of the house and the connection it provides with the great outdoors, even when the weather is inclement.

I'm glad my mom has a personal space in our house with a bright, light, cheery window and view. I’m certain the two cats who share the window and relationship with her are happy about that, too.