Hi, we’re Steve and Laura Bartholomew, and this is our Square Foot Garden.
We love the Square Foot Gardening Method — and we know people around the world do too, for its simplicity and efficiency. If you’re already familiar with SFG and just looking for ways to get started, you’re in the right place. If you’re new to Square Foot Gardening, visit our main website for resources and educational content at squarefootgardening.org.
Here, we share products we actually use and trust — whether you’re building SFG beds in your community, at your school, or simply in your own backyard. If you give it a try, we think you’ll love it.
Every month, we post simple gardening tips and seasonal updates to help your garden thrive. We’d love to have you along for the journey.
How it all started.
1976
After retiring, Mel joined his local community garden and quickly saw how wasteful and labor-intensive traditional row gardening was. Mel invented Square Foot Gardening, focusing on efficient planting, proper spacing, weed control, and a better growing medium called Mel’s Mix.
His first book, “Square Foot Gardening,” was published in 1981 and became the largest selling gardening book.
1982
Square Foot Gardening aired on PBS and Discovery Channel, television series in which Square Foot Gardening became a household name.
1996
Mel Bartholomew established the Square Foot Gardening Foundation to teach people how to grow nutritious produce with limited resources.
Over the following decades, new books expanded the SFG Method, helping people of all ages garden successfully in schools, community spaces, balconies, rooftops and small backyards.
2016
Steve and Laura Bartholomew honored Mel’s legacy, advancing Square Foot Gardening into the digital world, while expanding educational opportunities especially with children by integrating STEAM principles which perfectly align with SFG Method.
Learn the Square Foot Gardening Method
If you want to learn how the Method works step by step, All-New Square Foot Gardening, 4th Edition is the perfect place to start. It walks you through planning, planting, and caring for your garden with hands-on DIY instructions and illustrated garden plans.
The SFG Planner is a companion journal designed to make gardening more organized — and more fun. Track your seeds, layouts, succession planting, and seasonal notes year after year. When you grow an amazing crop of beefsteak tomatoes, you’ll know exactly what worked so you can do it all again next season.
Ready-to-Use Square Foot Garden Setup
These are two products we personally use and recommend for anyone who wants to skip the setup and start growing right away.
The 4×4 VITA Garden Bed assembles quickly, includes a built-in grid, and makes it easy to get started without building your own bed from scratch. Use code SFG10 for 10% off.
We also love the Garden In Minutes watering grid — we’ve been using it for over five years and can’t recommend it enough. Use code SFG7 for 7% off your order.
We may earn a small commission if you buy through these affiliate links, at no additional cost to you. Proceeds go to help fund our educational programs.
Learn at Your Own Pace
Our online courses are designed for those who want a little more visual guidance and explanation along the way. Start anytime and learn at whatever pace works for you.
We offer both introductory and advanced levels — or grab the bundle for the full system from start to finish. Alongside practical tips and video demonstrations, we go deeper into the science behind the Square Foot Gardening Method, so you understand not just what to do, but why it works.
“I’ve been Square Foot Gardening for 4 years now here in Charleston SC. After years of trying to grow vegetables in our native soil, with little success, I found Mel’s book and haven’t looked back! Thanks for all you do!”
W. Randy Howie
Charleston, South Carolina
“Square Foot Gardening is an amazing system. I am that person who loves to garden but not that into the work it takes to have a good garden. The fact that it’s always full of veg and no weeds is what had me at hello……. 😊 ”
Colleen E.
Saskatoon, Canada
“I’ve always had a garden, but it was the typical row style garden, and of course, I had mixed results. I read Mel’s book and had that “aha!” moment — ohhhhh, that’s what I’m doing wrong. So I committed to the Square Foot Gardening method.
I drew out a plan, tore out the old garden, built the boxes, and brought in all the materials. I decided it needed to be a destination, so I made it a nice spot to have my morning coffee and enjoy the yard.
My plan is to spend 15–30 minutes out there every day, tweaking whatever needs to be done. I love the Square Foot Gardening Method. It just makes sense!”
Rob M.
Long Island, NY
“I always thought I’d start gardening when I retired. I read many ‘regular’ gardening books, and most mentioned Square Foot Gardening in passing. But once I did more research, I knew this was the method for me. I now have the 4th edition book, which is tabbed and highlighted like a high school text book.
I started small my first year with a raised, elevated 2’ x 4’ bed with commercial composts, but this year I’ll be topping it off with homemade compost. Square Foot Gardening is amazing. I believe there is value in starting small, using proven SFG method and then taking on more in the future by putting that knowledge to work.”
Aubrie K.
Northern Alabama
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