He condensed his garden to above-the-ground, 6-inch deep plots measuring four feet by four feet, which yielded 100 percent of the harvest in 20 percent of the space—without all the hard work and drudgery of single-row gardening.

This method is easy to understand even for beginners. A square foot garden requires 80 percent less space and can be located anywhere—even on a patio, balcony or driveway. But you can expect twice the harvest of a regular-sized garden.

A square foot garden, which can be as small as two feet square, is simple to protect from weather and pests. And, best of all, this kind of garden is very productive.

A square foot garden can be created and maintained by those with physical limitations, as the boxes  can be raised to an appropriate height.

You can start a square foot garden in any season. Planting requires no thinning, no tilling and very few seeds. And did I mention no weeds? None. Zip. Nada.

Choose a location

1. Pick an area that gets six to eight hours of sunshine daily.

2. Stay clear of trees and shrubs where roots and shade may interfere.

3. Have it close to the house for convenience.

4. Existing soil is not really important as you won’t be using it.

5. The area should not puddle after a heavy rain.

Ten basics

Layout. Arrange your garden in squares, not rows. Lay out 4 foot by 4 foot planting areas with wide walkways between them.

Boxes. Build garden box frames no wider than 4 feet, and 6 to 8 inches deep. The length is not as important, but a recommended size for your first time is one 4 foot by 4 foot frame. You can, of course, go smaller. A 2 foot by 2 foot box works great on patios and 3 foot by 3 foot box is ideal for kids.

Frames can be made from almost any material except treated wood, which has toxic chemicals that might leach into the soil. One-by-six (known as a 1x6) lumber is ideal and comes in 8-foot lengths. Most lumber yards will cut it in half at little or no cost. Exact dimensions are not critical. Deck screws work best to fasten the boards together. Rotate or alternate corners to end up with a square inside.

Aisles. If you plan to have more than one garden box, separate them by two or three feet to form walkways.

Soil. Fill frame with Mel’s Mix, something you make yourself, which is a mixture of 1/3 compost, 1/3 peat moss and 1/3 coarse vermiculite (no dirt needed).

You need a blended compost made from many ingredients to provide all the nutrients the plants require (no chemical fertilizers needed). It’s best to make your own compost because you will know what’s in it. But if you have to buy it, make sure it is truly compost. Some stores sell mulch or humus and other ground covers and call it compost.

Most commercial compost is made from one or two ingredients, so to be safe, don’t buy all of one kind but one of each kind until you have enough for your garden.