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Square Foot Gardening. Chris Becker. What is Square Foot Gardening?. http://www.squarefootgardening.com/. A simple system that adapts to all levels of experience, physical ability, and geographical location.
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Square Foot Gardening Chris Becker
What is Square Foot Gardening? http://www.squarefootgardening.com/ A simple system that adapts to all levels of experience, physical ability, and geographical location. Grow all you want and need in only 20% of the space of a conventional row garden. Save time, water, work and money!
What is Square Foot Gardening? http://www.squarefootgardening.com/ Mel Bartholomew – Father of Square Foot Gardening. In the 1970’s, a retired civil engineer devised a method of gardening that would enable people to produce enough greens and vegetables during the growing season for a family of 4 in one or more 4x4 foot garden(s).
Mel set out “to replace the traditional wasteful single row gardening method with a better way to garden, one that's more efficient, more manageable, and less work." His answer was to invent the Square Foot Gardening system.
Benefits of Square Foot Gardening • Requires up to 80% less space than conventional gardening. Can be done in as little space as 4 feet by 4 feet, or even 2 feet by 2 feet. Can also be much larger
Benefitsof Square Foot Gardening • Very low maintenance from season to season. No heavy equipment needed. Never have to even enter the bed, can be maintained from the perimeter.
Benefits of Square Foot Gardening • No physical limitations… can place gardens on legs. Provides better access and easier harvest.
Benefits of Square Foot Gardening • Soil raised above the ground tends to drain better and warms up much quicker in the spring allowing for faster seed germination and transplant growth.
Benefits of Square Foot Gardening • Dense planting techniques result in higher production per square foot of garden and helps reduce weed seed germination.
Benefits of Square Foot Gardening • Square foot gardening can be an aesthetic addition to any landscape. Can be formally designed or natural looking.
Location, Location, Location • Pick an area that gets 6-8 hours of sunshine daily. • Stay clear of trees and shrubs where roots and shade may interfere. • Have it close to the house for convenience. • Existing soil is not really important, since you won't be using it. • Area should not puddle after a heavy rain.
Construction • Square foot gardens can be constructed from many different materials. • The most common material used is wood. • Many gardeners caution against using treated lumber as it may be toxic to some plants. • Alternative construction materials could be brick, stones, block, plastic lumber, commercial kits and even recycled car tires.
Construction • Box frames no wider than 4 feet, and 8 to 12 inches deep. • 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. • Allow 2-3 feet between boxes for walking aisle.
Construction • Crops such as tomato, squash, zucchini, etc., do best when grown on a trellis. • Trellis system does not have to be elaborate. Simpler the better, as long as it functions properly. • Can be made from electrical conduit, chain link fence posts, copper tubing, wood and string. • Needs to be anchored in the soil very well.
Grid • On top of each frame place a permanent grid that divides the box into one foot squares. • Grids can be made from nearly any material; wood, plastic strips, old venetian blinds, etc. • Use screws or rivets to attach them where they cross. • On a 4 foot by 4 foot frame, the grid divides the frame into 16 easy-to-manage spaces, for up to 16 different crops. • Leave the grid in place all season. • The grid can be cut long enough to fit across the top of the box or cut shorter to lay on the soil inside the box.
Soil • Mel's Mix, a mixture of 1/3 compost, 1/3 peat moss, and 1/3 coarse vermiculite • Soil Conditioner – Fine Pine Bark Mulch • Mushroom Compost • Composted Manures
Planting • Depending on the mature size of the plant, grow 1, 4, 9, or 16 equally spaced plants per square foot. • If the seed packet recommends plant spacing be 12 inches apart, plant one plant per square foot. • If 6 inch spacing; 4 per square foot. • If 4 inch spacing; 9 per square foot. • If 3 inch spacing; 16 per square foot.
Planting • Plant one or two seeds in each spot by making a shallow hole with your finger. • Cover, but do not pack the soil. • Thinning is all but eliminated, seeds are not wasted. • Plant only as much of any one crop as you will use. • This 4 foot by 4 foot box will grow more than a conventional garden that is 8 foot by 10 foot.
Watering • Water only as much as each plant needs. • Water often, especially at first, and on very hot dry days, if possible, water by hand (uses a lot less water)with a cup from a sun-warmed bucket of water. • Warm water helps the soil warm up in early and late season. • Harvest rainwater for irrigating the garden.
Harvesting • When you finish harvesting a square foot, add compost and replant it with a new and different crop. • Replant a different family of crop. • Tomato, pepper, potato (Solaneous crops) • Squash, cucumber, zucchini, etc (Cucurbits) • Cabbage, lettuce, broccoli, etc (Brassicas, Cole crops) • Onion, garlic, scallion, leek, etc (alliums) • Carrots, radish, beet, sweet potato (root Crops)
Challenges of Square Foot Gardening • Soil mixes tend to dry out quicker • Increased plant density may lead to increased foliar diseases. • Large sprawling crops such as pumpkins, watermelons, etc. tend to take over the garden.
Square Foot Gardening • Information and pictures were obtained in part from the following sources: • Raised Bed Gardening: by Shane Harris - Regional Extension Agent (Alabama Cooperative Extension System) • http://www.vegetable-gardening-online.com/vegetable-garden-layout.html • http://www.squarefootgardening.com/