cycl
tips & tricks
Engineer and efficiency expert
Mel Bartholomew reinvented the
backyard garden in the mid-1970s
when he developed the concept
of square foot gardening. It’s a
concept that still holds water today
and is practiced by gardeners
around the world. A little more than
a year after Bartholomew’s death,
Sara Elliott revisits why square foot
gardening is so successful.
T
hat lyrical inch worm measuring the mari-
golds has a nostalgic kinship with a square
foot garden (SFG)—incremental tick marks play
a big role in one of the most popular cultiva-
tion methods to hit backyards in the last few
decades. The concept that small is beautiful
and efficient has impacted political theory, the
housing market, and even the backyard vege-
table patch. Grab a ruler and let’s take a closer
look at how thinking outside the row, and inside
the grid, can help you construct a better plot
in a smaller space with less work. Oh, if you
happen to be a traditionalist when it comes to
plants, leave your doubts at the gate. This isn’t
your granny’s garden.
The Who and What of Square
Foot Gardening
Mel Bartholomew, construction engineer and
efficiency expert, is considered the father of
square foot gardening. His reinvention of the
backyard garden began in 1975 when he retired,
moved to a new home, and started devoting his
spare time to his own plot of land. Dissatisfied
with the traditional row planting method used
in agriculture and backyard “victory” style
vegetable gardens, he began experimenting
with other growing methods. Through trial and
error, he discovered he could grow more plants
in a smaller footprint while reducing his labor
and efficiently using resources like water. To
provide adequate nutrition to his crops, he
developed a recipe for a lightweight, compost-
rich, water-reten tive growing medium made
up of ingredients that could be sourced at any
local garden center. This foray into organic,
smarter gardening resulted in a best-selling
book on the subject in 1981 and an equally
popular public television series later.