Square foot gardening.

[Suky]

My SFB has really filled out with the rain and warmth. Harvested some salads already and the spaces filled again. Broad beans busy making little beans

[Welsh Wizard]

Looks great Suky, your plants look very happy! I have chosen to keep my strawbs in individual pots as I was worried they might runner too much in the SFG. One problem with my layout of 4x8 ft beds is many crops I like such as toms, climbing cucumbers/squash, corn, climbing beans want height, and only 8 squares at the North end of each bed can really accommodate trellis/wigwams without shading out the rest of the bed. I then have too many "low" squares for my wants on the South side. I prefer climbing french beans, but have had to go for dwarf mostly this year due to lack of North side squares.

I am finding the SFG really comes into its own with the salad crops, I am getting enough leafy salad for the 4 of us easily from my patch. Lollo Rossa lettuce, land cress, all year round lettuce and rocket harvested today. Immediately resowed the squares with radish, carrots, flowers and cobnut squash.

[Welsh Wizard]

Also, anyone else think the 4 strawbs to a square foot recommendation is too crowded? After they have runner-ed it will be a right carpet of strawbs!

[chris]

Dwarf french beans but yeah cause of the 3 sisters thing They probably won't get enough sun but we shall see, whats the worst that can happen lol

I like the poles over your bed, growing some beans over the top?

Nah, their similar to yours - conduit - for laying the netting over.. but now I've flowering stuff in there, I've taken it off. I just have to give the cat that likes to try and use it as a loo (hence the net) a blast with the hose now :/

[Suky]

Also, anyone else think the 4 strawbs to a square foot recommendation is too crowded? After they have runner-ed it will be a right carpet of strawbs!

I only have one per square and they fill the area. I have them in edge squares, if they were in 'middle' squares then they could be a bit invasive. I am removing runners this year as I don't want many new plants yet.

[kingkano]

My SFB has really filled out with the rain and warmth. Harvested some salads already and the spaces filled again. Broad beans busy making little beans

Looking good Suky! Very lush and filled in!

[Bigmallly]

Just thought I'd put some SFG update pics. I'm pleased with my first years attempt but must remember next year to sow less Salad leaves & Spinach.......

[Suky]

Looking very good

[cazp]

Can anyone suggest any good books on square foot gardening suited to the UK climate? or is the Mel Bartholomew one, the one to go for?

[BigShot]

Everything in the book is related to last frost dates so in that respect it is universal. Some things he mentions are really greenhouse crops in the UK and some of the hardware he suggests using for supports isn't as easy to find in the UK as it is in the USA but other than that I'd say it is fine for UK readers.

As for other books, I didn't think there were any. He patented the system so I thought he was the only one publishing books on it.

[Bigmallly]

Although the book was written in the states, this section was adapted for the UK.......I think.

Square foot gardening

[Bigmallly]

I thought this thread was worthy of a bump especially for first timers. I've just got in from watering the beds & it certainly gets the thumbs up from me.I thought I would take some snaps while I was out there. I hope others that are using this method are also getting good results.

[broadway]

looking good BM

[Patchninja]

It's brilliant for us two. More than we can eat of spinach, cabbage, lettuce, salad, mangetout peas, PSB..... would like more space for beetroot, and other brassicas. Am trying some small caulis.
French beans are coming along a treat. It's easy to maintain and very pretty to boot!

[maytreefrannie]

The photos here look great - I usually do small beds, but I think the SFG beds look really attractive with so much variety.