Square foot gardening.

[Bigmallly]

I don't think the spacing is any different, Brassicas are still planted 1 foot apart, onions 4", likewise with beetroot etc. It just gives an advantage for someone with limited growing space to increase their types of crops without planting a full row.

[Mumbles]

I'm confused. Why can you fit so many veg in a square with square foot gardening but when planting in rows they have to be so far apart? I would like to give this method a try but I can't get my head around how it works!


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[IndigoElectron]

Brilliant, thank you :-) I've just measured my growing space and have loads more room than I thought - in total there are around 36 squares, though these vary in size because the border varies in size too. So I will need to do a bit of juggling. But overall I'm really happy with what I will be able to do and can't wait to get started!

As an aside, I've started reading the Square Foot gardening book on Google books and it is brilliant, really well written and such an inspiration. I will be popping to our local library later on and seeing if they have it in.

[Bigmallly]

My question is, is it possible to do square foot gardening without raised beds? And can I just use the soil that is there, with some compost dug in? Thanks!

Yes & Yes.........just prepare your bed as you would normally, bare in mind when using manure if growing carrots & parsnips though. Use canes or string to mark your Sq Ft bed..........36 squares should give you plenty to start with...........enjoy.

[IndigoElectron]

I just came on the forum to post a question about square foot gardening and found this post, it is just what I was looking for! I need to have a good read through but I expect this question has been asked, my apologies for asking it again.

I have a border in my back garden which is my main planting space, though I have space for quite a few pots too. It is about 4 metres long and around 1/2 metre wide (although the width varies along the border), I might try to remove some of the crazy paving to make it a bit wider but it won't be wider than 1 metre. My long term plan is to build raised beds, but I can't afford it this year (it's my first proper year of gardening) so was just going to plant in the border and see what happens.

My question is, is it possible to do square foot gardening without raised beds? And can I just use the soil that is there, with some compost dug in?

Thanks!

[Bigmallly]

Your note about carrots and parsnips completely baffled me.

Carrots & Parsnips grown in recently manured ground often grow into strange shapes known as forking.

[AllInContainers]

Welcome aboard! This is only my second year gardening, so I'll let others give you more specific advice, however ...

My philosophy last year was try everything feed the head one year (learn), and feed the belly the next. I grew a lot of stuff successfully in my first year, and I made a total hash of other stuff ... but I learned from it and this year I am better prepared

Although it's angled more for growing in containers, there's a few thoughts and summaries after my first year, here ....

Top Tips | All In Containers <<< clicky
(part of a new blog I started just a couple of weeks ago)

Oh, and I'm as far North as you (on the other side of the hills), and with a North facing walled garden .... and still grew lots of stuff

[Nicolafred]

Firstly welcome to the vine.......
Ok from your list my 1st thoughts are:
Sweet Potatoes, Cucumbers & Toms may want to be in a greenhouse depending on variety.
Potatoes & Cauliflower will take up 1 sq ft per plant.
Lettuce, you may get 4 to a sq ft if you choose a small variety.
Carrots & Parsnips will be ok if the soil is not manured as they will fork.
Onions grow well in sq ft beds.
Sweetcorn, should be able to get 4 in a sq ft. Put at North end of bed so as not to cast a shadow.
Strawbs, one plant per sq ft but will then throw runners into adjacent beds.
Peas,should be ok at the North end of the beds so as not to cast a shadow.

Most of all..........enjoy & have fun.

Thank you, that answers a lot of my questions. Your note about carrots and parsnips completely baffled me... Off to google, lol. Everything else seems common sense! Thank you. Now I just need to decide how and when to start!

[Bigmallly]

Firstly welcome to the vine.......
Ok from your list my 1st thoughts are:
Sweet Potatoes, Cucumbers & Toms may want to be in a greenhouse depending on variety.
Potatoes & Cauliflower will take up 1 sq ft per plant.
Lettuce, you may get 4 to a sq ft if you choose a small variety.
Carrots & Parsnips will be ok if the soil is not manured as they will fork.
Onions grow well in sq ft beds.
Sweetcorn, should be able to get 4 in a sq ft. Put at North end of bed so as not to cast a shadow.
Strawbs, one plant per sq ft but will then throw runners into adjacent beds.
Peas,should be ok at the North end of the beds so as not to cast a shadow.

Most of all..........enjoy & have fun.

[Nicolafred]

Hello everyone.
I have been reading your stories and doing a bit of my own research and decided I want to have a go at sq ft gardening. A few yrs a go I tried to grow a few things in pots in a little greenhouse but nothing really worked and I had a big problem with slugs. It was my first time growing anything and I went a little two footed into it all. I'm pretty sure I didn't water things enough and it was either too cold or too hot to grow things. I ended up buying tomato plants and growing them (kinda) in my porch. Only got a handful of barely red tomatoes from 2 plants.

I know what you're all thinking... There's not a chance for me, lol. But I am really determined to give it a go and wanted to get your thoughts on it.

I have a potential space for a 9 x 3 space behind my shed against my fence but I'm aware of shade and that having 27 squares might be a bit too much for me.

I really fancy growing:-
Tomatoes (cherry/plum)
Carrots
Potatoes
Peas
Parsnips
Cauliflower
Onions
Corn
Cucumber
Sweet potatoes
Lettuce
Strawberries

However, im also realistic and know I should probably concentrate my efforts until I'm more experienced and willing to grow easy things first.

My question is... Do I need a greenhouse or do I need to cover my veg plot? I'm based in Manchester, UK and how should I start and when?? Sow straight into the plot or grow indoors?

OR should I get a walk in greenhouse, some cheap grow bags and do it that way?

Any help would be VERY appreciated. X

[Polytastic]

Wow this thread is filling me with enthusiasm and after being entirely inspired by all of you guys, I am now left wondering what to plant nowwwwwwwwwwwwww Lol. Thank you to all of you for your selfless contributions this means so much to me to feel enthused afresh.

[hamesy]

My square foot bed is coming along nicely. I started sowing at the end of the bed at the beginning of the year and worked across. I've got some nice looking beetroot, carrots, onions and dwarf beans.

[Brett_Haughan]

Thanks for the link! Just want I needed!

[greenjelly]

Square Foot Gardening

I've just been to BBC Gardeners World Live and I've bought a book about this by Mel Bartholomew. I've been reading it at the weekend and I've become a fan.

I'm definitely going to try some of the basic principles on my plot. I have a fairly small plot and also with only the 2 of us we don't need to grow rows and rows of everything.

This sounds a brilliant idea to me.

[bearded bloke]

Hey BM & other SFG's,this might be worth a bookmark bottom of each variety page it tells how many to the square ..... Organic Gardening Vegetable Index