Remembering Mel

Remembering Mel Bartholomew
Founder of Square Foot Gardening
1931 - 2016

Today is the two-year anniversary of the passing of Square Foot Gardening founder, Mel Bartholomew.

Since I wrote my article, "Mel's Square Foot Garden" for the Hamilton Spectator last April, I've noticed a resurgence of Square Foot Gardening talk and articles, particularly in online blogs.

Some people are blogging about "their own" Square Foot Gardens, and businesses are giving voice to the Square Foot Gardening method as a professional boost, but none of them seem to be giving credit to the inventor himself or providing a link to the Square Foot Gardening Website.

By not giving proper credit to Mr. Bartholomew, these individuals and businesses are essentially taking credit for something not their own; and, while Mel Bartholomew is no longer living on this earth, I believe that he still deserves recognition for his creative and ground-breaking gardening method, that enhanced this earth.

I am, therefore, appealing to other writers and especially fellow bloggers, to carefully research the subjects of which you write. Give full credit to those whose methods are the basis for what you do and say, otherwise, it’s plagiarism.

Mel Bartholomew gave the gardening world a wonderful new approach that revolutionized vegetable gardens world-wide; and, he and other pioneers who have gone before deserve their due.

The 1st Warm Day

After a long and lingering period of what can only be described by anyone with an itchy gardening boot as TOO-MUCH-COLD-WEATHER, the spring temperatures we’d expected near the 20th of March finally arrived on a distant April 21st this year; and, the elation of gardeners in southern Ontario was profound!

With the warmth in the air suddenly peaking at 48℉ / 9℃, I spent the whole marvelous afternoon outdoors: shifting last autumn’s leaf mulch from around the base of my newly sprouting perennials; retrieving my mother’s front-porch swing from it’s winter home under a tarp in the backyard; tucking in plant tags that eager squirrels had dislodged; marveling at the appearance of garlic sprouts grown as an experiment from cloves planted last fall; and admiring the beauty of the yellow, white and purple crocus flowers gracing my rockery.

My 6-yr-old grand-daughter, eager to get her hands dirty and help with the work, began as an asset with more energy than skill; however, her interest quickly waned when playing with gravel and the lure of the neighbour’s dogs proved more exciting. I continued alone, thinking the quiet solitude just fine, until one of the dogs followed his new friend back to our yard, restructured my pile of leaves, and planted himself on my newly sprouted garlic.

The afternoon was filled with unexpected, unforgettable, and even unwanted moments that, looking back, I wouldn’t trade for anything: Spring finally got its foot in the door; and, the first warm day heralded the beginning of a new, exciting gardening adventure. May it, too, be long and lingering.

What a Difference

April 16th vs April 17th

"What a difference a day made: Twenty-four little hours, brought the sun and the flowers where there used to be rain ..."

English lyrics by Stanley Adams

The evocative lyrics of the Dinah Washington classic recording jumped out at me today when I heard it playing: They well described the dramatic weather changes we've been experiencing during April of 2018.

And though, April’s raindrops proverbially encourage May flowers, and unseasonal weather early in the month is not generally out of the ordinary; a brutal ice and snow storm on the 15th of the month seemed almost unimaginable when I remembered sowing peas outdoors at the same time last year.

Many will attribute the unsettled weather and unseasonal temperatures to the global warming phenomena, and they may not be far off the mark. Traditional timelines for seeding, planting and harvesting are certainly being challenged in recent years; and, birds and pollinators are struggling for survival because of climate changes.

For my part, I’m going to endeavour to adapt my gardening practices to the current growing conditions and continue my journey towards a more sustainable living and working environment for the pollinating species upon which all earthly creatures rely. It’s one small way of being part of the solution rather than compounding the problem. 

By continuing with the writing of my blog, The Pollinator Potager Project, I’m recommitting to the documentation of my efforts, education, enjoyment, and harvest; while giving positive voice to successes and disappointments alike. 

If a day can make the difference between a brutal ice storm and bright sunny skies, surely there's hope for the coming growing season, and for a future filled with beauty, bounty and memories aplenty.

Let's share them together!