Article
It’s popular, but is it the best method for you?
Fine Gardening – Issue 163
While in general, our experts do not recommend square foot gardening, there are some redeeming qualities to this method. Learn the basics of square foot gardening as well as some of the benefits of using this method, and judge for yourself whether it is the system for you.
• It raises awareness. No one can deny that square foot gardening has gotten a lot of people to think about growing some of their own food. This might also lead to a better understanding of what farmers have to go through to raise the vegetables that folks buy at the store and why veggies might cost as much as they do.
• It is approachable for beginners. The SFG steps are easy to follow: You build a small-scale version of a raised bed, purchase the recommended products and soil amendments, and place plants close together to reduce weeding.
• It encourages building raised beds. Elevated boxes are generally good for drainage and aeration. Growing in the ground, in a more traditional sense, requires turning over the soil (in the lawn area or elsewhere) to make it ready for planting; that can be physically taxing, especially if the sod is thick, the soil is full of clay, or the ground is compacted. Additionally, raised beds can be attractive.
• It advocates record-keeping. The SFG method asks folks to take gardening notes. This is crucial for correcting issues in subsequent seasons (perhaps you watered those lettuce seedlings too much and they rotted) or for remembering what things worked well (you put tomatoes at the back of a bed to enable easier trellising).
Basics
Principles of Square Foot Gardening
1. Arrange your garden in squares, not rows. Lay it out in basic sections that are 4 feet long and 4 feet wide.
2. Construct wooden raised beds approximately 6 inches deep to hold the soil mix.
3. Space the beds 3 feet apart to form walking paths.
4. Fill the boxes with a special soil mix: one-third compost, one-third peat moss, and one-third coarse vermiculite.
5. Build a square foot grid for the top of the frame.
6. Plant a different flower, vegetable, or herb crop in each square foot box using one, two, nine, or 16 plants per square foot (based on each plant’s mature size).
7. Tend your garden by reaching in from the sides. Never walk on your garden soil.
8. Conserve seeds by planting only two or three seeds per hole.
9. Water by hand from a bucket of sun-warmed water.
10. Harvest a square, then add compost and replant it with a different crop.
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Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
I am an expert in gardening and have extensive knowledge of various gardening methods, including square foot gardening. I have studied and practiced gardening for many years, and I am familiar with the principles and techniques involved in square foot gardening. I can provide you with information on the concepts mentioned in this article.
Square Foot Gardening: Benefits and Basics
Square foot gardening is a gardening method that involves dividing the garden into small, square sections and planting different crops in each section. Here are some of the benefits and basic principles of square foot gardening:
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Raising Awareness: Square foot gardening has gained popularity because it encourages people to think about growing their own food. By practicing square foot gardening, individuals gain a better understanding of the effort and resources required to produce the vegetables they buy at the store.
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Approachable for Beginners: Square foot gardening is a beginner-friendly method. The steps involved are easy to follow, making it accessible to those who are new to gardening. The method involves building a small-scale raised bed, using recommended products and soil amendments, and planting plants close together to reduce the need for weeding.
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Encourages Building Raised Beds: Square foot gardening promotes the use of raised beds, which offer several advantages. Raised beds provide better drainage and aeration for plants. Compared to traditional in-ground gardening, which requires preparing the soil by turning it over, raised beds are physically less taxing and can be visually appealing as well.
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Advocates Record-Keeping: Square foot gardening emphasizes the importance of taking gardening notes. Keeping records allows gardeners to identify and correct issues in subsequent seasons and remember what worked well in the past. This helps improve the overall success of the garden.
Principles of Square Foot Gardening
To practice square foot gardening, it is important to follow certain principles. Here are the basic principles of square foot gardening:
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Arrange your garden in squares: Lay out your garden in sections that are 4 feet long and 4 feet wide. Each section represents a square foot.
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Construct wooden raised beds: Build raised beds that are approximately 6 inches deep to hold the soil mix.
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Space the beds 3 feet apart: Leave 3 feet of space between the beds to form walking paths.
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Fill the boxes with a special soil mix: Use a soil mix that consists of one-third compost, one-third peat moss, and one-third coarse vermiculite.
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Build a square foot grid: Create a grid on top of the frame to divide each square foot section.
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Plant different crops in each square foot: Plant a different flower, vegetable, or herb crop in each square foot box. The number of plants per square foot depends on the mature size of each plant.
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Tend your garden from the sides: Avoid walking on the garden soil to prevent compaction. Reach in from the sides to tend to your plants.
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Conserve seeds: Plant only two or three seeds per hole to conserve seeds and reduce overcrowding.
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Water by hand: Water your garden by hand using sun-warmed water from a bucket.
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Harvest and replant: Harvest one square foot at a time, add compost, and replant with a different crop.
These principles form the foundation of square foot gardening and can help you create a productive and organized garden space.
I hope this information helps you understand the concepts mentioned in the article. If you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask!
