John, I think might be older than you, as I'll be 70 in January and I see your birthday isn't until February, but I think we're pretty close.

I really don't remember that gardening program. I do remember Crockett's Victory Garden being on for years (the best show ever on PBS). Seems like there was one called Organic Gardening, or some such. John Jeavons was popular back then, with his double digging and intensive gardening, so it may have been a program using his methods. I know I was into wide row intensive gardening as far back as the early 70s, but didn't do boxed in beds until 2002. Here is how my small garden evolved (as opposed to my big garden I grew before we moved into the city):

Garden 2000:

Garden 2002 (I think I actually got more food from a smaller area with this garden than with the one I have now):

Garden 2008:

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

granny you are still a youngster, I got you by 11 Mo.:) I think you are correct about the John Jeavons show. He was probably speaking about plants per square foot and my mind just added garden to the square foot in my memory.

BTW great looking gardens. I used the double row style in my conventional garden, and while I am pleased with the 1st yrs harvest using the SFG style, I do not think it will ever match my old garden. The benefit that I am most interested in, in using SFGing is the no till and no weeds.

Have a great day, John

Here is a link that might be useful: John¡¦s Journal

I hear you about no till and no weeds. The old knees just don't bend as well these days. Even mine, which are MUCH younger than yours *g*.

I have to say, truthfully, I prefer the raised bed, wide row method (2002 garden). I prefer the neat looking wide rows to the solid jumble of mixed plants, and I like having like varieties together for ease of thinning and harvesting. I'm not terribly happy about the way my bush beans are crowding out the beets, and the beets are crowding out the carrots. I might plant fewer actual plants in the wide row method, with 6"-12" space between the rows, but I think I actually get healthier plants and higher yields. I'm seriously considering a minor change to this year's garden beds by converting the four 4x4 beds into 2 4x8 beds and moving my herbs into the 3x4 remaining bed.

Granny

Is this the guy you were thinking of? It was on 1987-1988, then again in 1994-95. He was big into wide row gardening.

{{gwi:1285406}}

Dick Raymond; Joy of Gardening

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

My folks, who are very close to your age (one year off) have been gardening in raised wooden beds for decades. Of course they'd never heard of SFG, but did most of what I do anyway, just without grids.

I'm excited to be gardening now and will continue to be so into my 70s! Thanks folks!

Here is a link that might be useful: Sinfonian's garden adventure!

Granny - your gardens are so beautiful - you should be a designer and make big bucks! Of course, being an artist, you have an eye for beauty and that shows in everything you do!

Thank you for the compliment Betty, but I spewed my morning coffee all over my keyboard when I read that! Me, the "artist"...I'm still banging my head against a brick wall over painting simple designs on birdhouses! I didn't know I'd forget how, after such a few years of not holding a paintbrush in my hand. For some reason, my "creative juices" just will not start flowing. :-(

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

No way was that a simple design!!! - If I could make a birdhouse, I would have to paint stick figures on them!