Finished shooting with Mel

[gardengirl72]

Finished shooting with Mel, and am working on Next years written stuff. With Mel we shot Mel's monthly tips to release next year in our ezines and newsletter. It's kinda like me a Mel in a talk show, like the actors studio without the audience, just gardening.

I think it is super cool to listen to Mel and his wisdom and I think it will be helpful and fun to listen to Mel.

[plantoneonme]

I cannot wait...when do you expect it to be out??? I am so anxious to see and read this.

Kim

[Cynthia]

I am so glad to know it went well - looking forward to reading and seeing your work together.

[Sinfonian]

Great, I can't wait! Well, I guess I'll have to. I hope you had fun.

I've been dying to ask... did he say anything about you not following his method to the letter? I have always believed he wouldn't care if someone followed his method perfectly as long as they gardened because of it. But then again, he was an engineer, and sometimes those folks are perfectionists. Just cuious!

[nandmsmom]

I can't wait to hear what he had to say.

[gardengirl72]

Well Rich it is funny you should ask. Although he didn't directly say "you are doing it wrong" he would say on camera: "the key to success is not to deviate from the book...."

But the thing that bothered him the most is not having the grids in place. If you read his first book, he just scratched the lines in the dirt, which is what I do. Of course in the the "all new book" he is super big on the grids and I'm not.

What I do is different though, but totally inspired by Square Foot Gardeing. My method is a combination of SFG, Chicken Tractor, and Four Season Gardening. But personally, I love all gardens: Row, no till, lasanga, you name it and it works and has it's benefits.

I think he was happy to have an on camera partner though to let him do his thing. For me, it was an honor and privilege to help bring Mel out and accessible to the people again. He has so much to share.

[herb girl]

That's what i like about you Patti. Your very on board with whatever method works for the individual, and very supportive of many alternative gardening methods. It's refreshing to hear someone that is so encouraging.

[MoniDew]

I totally agree!


That's what i like about you Patti. Your very on board with whatever method works for the individual, and very supportive of many alternative gardening methods. It's refreshing to hear someone that is so encouraging.

[ecogirl]

Cant wait!!!!!!!

[Sinfonian]

Hehe, exactly what I expected Patti! And you've done more for his system than most, so I'm sure he's happy. Oh, and for grids I just use twine that is already decomposing after one year. I like them for spacial reckoning. I'm not very good at it. I know you use rows, but so far I'm happy with the SF planting.

And I totally agree with you about whatever works. Heck, if I had acreage, I'd be much more interested in Steve Solomon's methods. But as I grow in 260 SF of space, SFG is the only way to go...

[gardengirl72]

Twine is a great idea. I've always wondered if there is such a thing as tape that has ruler lines on it. I could just put that along my beds and plant. Using the wood to make the square feet would interfere with my cages.

[Sinfonian]

I've had the thought before to mark up the bed boards to create measurements just like you said. I'll have to replace the twine as it decomposed too fast. No biggie, but I may want a more permanent solution like that.

I agree that grids would interfere with your tractors.

Oh, and Mel saying the key to success is not to deviate from his book. Hog wash! I'm a perfect example that you put a seed in the ground and get out of it's way. It wants to grow!

Still can't wait to see the videos, and I owe a ton to Mel and his method. I just think there's 100 ways to grow a tomato...

[plantoneonme]

Of all times to come up with an idea, when I need to get some sleep before going into work tonight...no luck sleeping, just ideas. Anyway Patti I had an idea for a removable grid you could use with your chicken tractors. I was thinking a grid made of something lightweight like bamboo laid out in the grid pattern and tied together at the intersections with twisty ties and laid inside the raised bed frames. It would be easy to move or untie and store.

Kim