Square Foot Gardening

[eskymo]

Hi All

Does anyone garden the square foot gardening way? I'm thinking of trying it out this year. I bought the book, but its very Americanised, repetitive and a bit annoying to be honest - so don't buy it as it's not worth the money. All you need to know is the basic principle and plan your planting and you should be fine - that's what I'm hoping anyway.

I marked out one plot today - didn't measure it, so it's not exact but I've got a long strip of 16 squares - 8 squares across and 2 squares deep. I got into successional planting of salads and radishes etc last year and I think this method is going to make that a lot easier. Plus I think the garden will look busier and more interesting as there will constantly be active areas all over the place.

Next task is to clean out the greehouse so that I can start planting!Can't wait!

Would love to get some tips on SqFtGa if anyone has any.

[Alice]

Hello Eskymo, lovely to see you. Haven't seen you for ages. Good luck with the square foot gardening - I'm planning some myself. Jaxom had a very post on the subject and I hope this link will take you straight to that thread posted by Bibliobeck.
Square Foot Gardening

[eskymo]

Thanks for the link, it's nice to be back - sorry for going AWOL for so long - i did a search for Square Foot earlier and got no results, so not sure why that thread didn't come up. very intersting stuff. I'm really looking to this years garden! Today was the first time I've ventured out in ages and I might go out again this w/e if it doesn't rain. I want to start some seeds off in the greenhouse.

[taylorlej]

totaly agree with you about the book eskimo
gd luck with the method!!!

[denise]

Good luck with your SFP eskimo. i am going to try this at workwith my students - we have wooden planters that we will divide in to 6 squares. we have mad a plan it has been fun to work out what every likes that we can grow. Trying to fing things that will crop before the summer hols is the problem.
I will post our pics if you post yours !

[Alice]

Good blog Denise. Thanks for letting us see it. Your corn looks fabulous. I saw a mention of your 3 sisters area. Did you grow the corn by that method. You may have noticed we're running a trial of the method. Anything you want to tell us about it. Good points, snags, success rate ?

[borage]

As I only have a very small garden area to plant this is the method I have decided to try this year using crops that mature quickly. The link was very useful as I have only just joined the site and have not had chance to go back through old posts.

[bramble]

Hallo Borage and welcome. When you get time to read over all the info on here you will get loads of good advice and ideas.
Hope you enjoy your time on here and have a great growing season.
happy planting,

[denise]

Hi Alice Thank you fot youe kind words about my blog, it is a pleasure to sgare it with you. not sure what varieties I grew last year, because getting the plot so late i went to the Garden center to get something to grow - anything! Having grown the 3 sisters method a few years back thought it was a good way to get as much as possible from the small area we had prepared.
Going to plant that way again this year using Bodacious F1 sweet corn / Polestar runners / venus F1 courgettes. will keep you posted.
Ilike this way of growing, getting as much from a small space as poss, low maintain time - leaves keep weeds down, and it only needs watering as beans flower and corn begings to form.
I trust every one giving it a go on here feels this way too.

[knollgardener]

Hi ther,
I read your plog with interest. I shall give squarefooting a go as well this year. And I will also try to combine the traditional gardening ways with squarefoot planting. I too think that we just need to know the basics, but still like to have my squarefoot book just for reference.
Best of luck to your efforts. Maybe we can compare successes a little later in the year.
Sarina.