Square Foot Gardening

1. Square Foot Gardening Chris Becker

3. 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!

4. 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).

5. 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.

6. 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

7. 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.

8. Benefits of Square Foot Gardening • No physical limitations… can place gardens on legs. Provides better access and easier harvest.

9. 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.

10. Benefits of Square Foot Gardening • Dense planting techniques result in higher production per square foot of garden and helps reduce weed seed germination.

11. Benefits of Square Foot Gardening • Square foot gardening can be an aesthetic addition to any landscape. Can be formally designed or natural looking.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. Construction

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. 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.

21. 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

22. 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.

23. 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.

26. 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.

27. 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)

28. 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.

37. 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/