square foot gardening and other questions...

[tweety]

Hello,

last year I tried to grow veg in containers and the results were quite encouraging... although I was still glad the supermarket was there , but it was really nice to taste fresh strawberries and tomato straight from the garden...

anyway, this year I have been offered a small raised bed and I have some questions.
I have divided it in 9 squares as I have read here about the square foot gardening method and it seems to me I'll be able to grow more than in rows...
I am planning to grow salad and salad leaves, carrots, radish.
I would also be interested in mini cabbage or cauliflowers but it seems they take forever to grow...
so the 1st question would be : can I plant cauliflower seeds and something else in the same square so I don't have an "empty" space for months ? and if I can, what could I plant ?

I have also read about crop rotation in the raised bed and it said when the crop has been harvested plant something else... but does this means that as soon as I harvested my lettuce I have to plant something else or does it means that when the growing season is over I need to plan for a new crop next year ? does this even make sense ? let's say I plant some lettuce, can I not plant some more lettuce or do I need to plant carrots or something else ?

sorry I made it this long and thanks in advance to all who can answer and help me.

stephanie

[organic]

Have you read the Square Foot Gardening book? He does a great job of explaining it all. You can get a preview of it on Google Books Square Foot Gardening: A New Way to ... - Google Books

At this point I'd usually suggest trying your local library, but being in a rather helpful mood I just searched the Renfrewshire library catalogue to find out which branches had a copy but it appears that they don't have it anywhere. Pity.

It's definitely possible to plant a fast maturing crop in the same square as a slow one... in fact, Mel Bartholomew (creator of the Square Foot system) suggests doing exactly that.

If you go to Page 23 of that preview on google books you'll see his explanation using a pepper plant as the main thing and spring onions (scallions), radishes and the likes in the space around the pepper. It's under the heading "Interplanting".

With some things that grow very slowly, he actually suggests planting them in a seed bed and then transferring them into one of the squares when they are getting big enough to need the space. Of course, plants that don't like moving will need to be planted in a square and left to grow. If you don't have a seed bed, maybe containers or larger pots would do the job.

As for planting the next crop... if you're harvesting one thing and there's time to grow something else there the same year - get it in. If you're not using it until the next year it's probably worth planting a green manure or something to keep the square covered and then turn it into the soil in time for the next thing that's going in.

[Two_Sheds]

I am planning to grow salad and salad leaves, carrots, radish.
I would also be interested in mini cabbage or cauliflowers

You can plant quick-growers (salads) around the cabbages/caulis, yes.
With salad, as soon as you pick some, sow some more for a continuous supply.

[Patchninja]

The aim is to keep the squares crammed full as much of the time as possible. That's why you'll want to have small plants ready to pop in when you harvest a square. Also, you'll find that you'll pick veggies when they're smaller than if they were in a huge veg patch. The idea is for a quick turnover.

[Bigmallly]

Also, you'll find that you'll pick veggies when they're smaller than if they were in a huge veg patch.

I hope that is not the case, I intend to limit the number of plants in a square dependant on veg type. i.e 16 spring onions but only 9 beetroot, 4 lettuce etc therefore they should grow to normal size.

[tweety]

Hi,

thanks all for your reply...
I have note the book suggestion and will try to find it and I'll go to google books.

[Suky]

I bought mine from, I think, the Book Depository. No postage and a good price.
As with all things, I am reading the book, taking the bits I like the sound of and probably discarding the 'American' stuff. I am aiming for the best of both worlds, one SFG bed, 8x4' and 3 beds the same size for potatoes, beans and brassicas.

[BUFFS]

whatever else you grow,try some perpetual spinach,i grew some last year to treat the chooks,wife kept using it,birds kept eating it and after all the bad weather it is growing away again...and it tastes great,that square would really be productive..

[organic]

Buffs - for no reason of productivity, I've been thinking about growing some of that too. You just made sure I will.

[tweety]

whatever else you grow,try some perpetual spinach,i grew some last year to treat the chooks,wife kept using it,birds kept eating it and after all the bad weather it is growing away again...and it tastes great,that square would really be productive..

thanks for the suggestion, I will look into it as I am not to sure what this veg is and / or what to do with it once it has been grown !

[organic]

tweety, unless Buffs and I are thinking of different things, it's a Leaf Beet which, as I understand it, is used pretty much the same way as spinach.
The Organic Gardening Catalogue