Square foot gardening.

[Suky]

I plan to have a seperate bed for brassicas so hadn't worried about that

[Bigmallly]

Mally - since I work with AutoCAD - and because I can - I just did a sketch of a 9 and unless you're planting the corner ones more than 2" from the edge of the square, the cloche will miss them.

It'll get 5 of the 9, missing the corner ones but should cover 4s no bother. I don't think it'll cover properly spaced 3s and obviously will be fine for 1s.

They do look suitably cheap and though I'm more likely to make some cloches like mini polytunnels than to buy them... I'm tempted.

Cheers Organic, I picked up 6 cloches. I have taken on board what you are saying & understand. I have just drawn round the cloche & depending on the plant can fit 9 plants in the circular area at 2.5" spacings. Plus have more room outside the cloche if needed. I'm happy with that.

[Bigmallly]

I plan to have a seperate bed for brassicas so hadn't worried about that

Likewise my brassicas are going in there own netted beds.

[organic]

Pipkins - a few options:

1> Search the catalogue - your local library should be able to get the book from another library under the same local authority - alternatively your membership should be to the local authority's library service, not the specific library - in which case you should be able to just go into that library and get the book out there.

2> If it's not available in the whole area, get them to order it - most libraries have some sort of official way to request a book.

3> Failing that, do you work in an area with a different local authority than the one you live under? My dad got membership with Manchester libraries despite living in a neighbouring authority's area-of-oppression - it's my understanding that he was able to do so because he was working in Manchester.

4> As a final - last-ditch gesture of desparation. Buy the book, I seriously don't think you'll be disappointed.

Here's an excerpt I think might sway your thinking on it...
"A square foot garden will yield the same harvest as a single row conventional garden but in only 20% (one-fifth) of the space, That's 80% less - a substantial amount by any standard."
Take that 20% garden, remove all notion of thinning after you sew, reduce the time needed for watering and weeding and you'll see there's a huge time saving involved too.

As it happens I'm planting up the majority of my slightly-smaller-than-half-a-plot allotment with the square foot method, which all but eliminates the time saving aspect (with the exception of thinning - which I'm delighted to say I will not need to do as it always seemed very wasteful to me)... but I can live with that as I'm going to be able to feed (get this) ELEVEN people with in-season veg from that bit of land and still have a decent surplus for canning.
The plan is for some of those 11 to be fed year-round and others to be fed in-season, though it's possible it could provide for all of them year-round with winter varieties - something I intend to try.

I think any difficulties presented by things like brassicas are completely worth it when you consider the time savings involved in growing an equivalent amount of food, or the massive increase in harvest size.

[Bren In Pots]

Pipkins have a look at this link from Google Books :-

square foot gardening

It gives you a glimpse at some of the pages from the book.

[organic]

Good call, Bren.
I'd completely forgotten it was on Google Books.

[Bren In Pots]

From what I remember about google books it lets you see so many pages then it cuts you off.

[maypril]

From what I remember about google books it lets you see so many pages then it cuts you off.

It depends on the wishes of the copyright holder / publisher. Some books can be viewed in full, others can't be viewed at all.

[weekendwellies]

i can see up to page 69

[Bigmallly]

Pipkins have a look at this link from Google Books :-

square foot gardening

It gives you a glimpse at some of the pages from the book.

Great call Bren, I can read up to page 227...........forget that, there are gaps between the pages...........

[pipkins]

You are all lovely peeps,

I will probably buy the book.

Thanks again

[Bigmallly]

This is worth saving.

http://www.austinfoodbank.org/archiv...t-Compiled.pdf

[Bren In Pots]

It does look a good book Pipkins and one I'm hoping to buy once I've got an area of garden to gown in instead of being just in pots/containers.

thanks for the link BM, its saved in my garden folder.

[oldie]

Just had a look and see that the google books version is the original. In the new version he has abandoned his mixes and use of fertiliser for a mix of composts and vermiculite, otherwise it is much the same but his chart showing sowing and planting times is based on weeks before and after last frost dates which may be more useful than the seed packet info.

[Suky]

My book came today from the Book Depository. Can't wait to read it!