Hi Lynn. 🙂 I’m a SFG Certified Instructor. What you’re describing is Mel’s original method. The “all new” method is a lot different and a lot easier.
1. Your native soil is not used at all. We make a soil-less growing medium.
2. The grid is used to help gardeners not become overwhelmed or helps them not plant more than they want/need. It encourages succession planting. It’s based on the “thin to” directions. Thin to 12” = 1 plant per square like tomatoes,peppers, eggplants. Thin to 6” = 4 plant per sf like leaf lettuces. 4” = 9 plants like beets and spinach. 3” = 16 plants like radishes, green onions, carrots. So we really do pack thing in pretty well.
3. It’s true that hand watering is preferred, IF people want to save water. The All New Square Foot Gardening 3rd edition book even features instructions to make a PVC watering grid.

Hope this helps.

Here is the link for the PVC trellis system https://thelivingfarm.org/project/tomato-trellis/. It’s easy to build and produces such an abundant garden!

Where do I find instructions for the pvc trellis?

Great question Helene! When comparing our system to the original Square Foot Gardening methods here are the differences:
1. Square foot gardening uses the native soil with amendments in raised beds. In our high performance garden systems (like the Abundance Garden system) we prefer to build our own soil without using the native soil. This way we can insure the success of our plants and not have to deal with the weeds. Because we are also boosting our mineral content we can raise the nutrient density of the produce grown. This makes for healthier plants that will be more resistant to disease. In the square foot gardening method the main way to feed the garden is through compost, which will not insure the proper minerals needed for a healthy garden.
2. In a high performance garden system we prefer to plant tightly together and in large groupings, making sure to delineate the heavy feeders from the light feeders. In Square Foot Gardening there is a grid and pattern that you follow that constrains you to smaller areas that are not as densely packed.
3. The watering system is different. In the first edition of the Square Foot Gardener it is recommended to use a cup and a bucket when watering plants. In the high performance garden systems: such as the Leafy Greens Container Garden and the Abundance Garden we learn how to water overhead with a hose which saves time while giving you complete control.

Those are the main ways that we differ from each other. We do have very similar approaches, with just a few differences. One of my favorite differences is that you can send in an email and always get answers from us! If you have any more questions please feel free to email lynn@thelivingfarm.org to get your gardening questions answered.

Thanks for the question, it just might inspire a future blogpost!

May your garden be easy, fun, productive and always organic!