Square Foot Gardening 2012

[cazp]

Hi.. I hope its ok opening up a new square foot gardening thread for this year.

This is my first year with raised beds and trying square foot gardening - I would love to share notes with others using same method and hearing of successes and otherwise!

At the moment I am planning my layout (almost done) and spacings and seed lists. The hardest part has been choosing varieties and working out best position on the beds, given height, companions etc. I have limited space so only 2 x 4ft squre beds and crop rotation will be a challenge.

Already in the beds are overwintered broad beens, red onions, and garlic and they are doing lovely - but then we have had mild weather.

Look forward to sharing info!

[Suky]

Only have one 8ft x 4ft bed as a square foot bed as I now have a lottie but I find it ideal for salads and a few veggies at home so my Mum can pick the bits she wants without a trip down the road. Mine is mostly full of strawberries at the moment as a couple of plants took over when I wasn't looking last autumn but I plan to pot them up and eventually move them down to the lottie.

[solway cropper]

Don't worry about crop rotation if you are growing on the square foot principle. The groups of different plants are so close together rotation becomes pointless.

I've used the technique for the last couple of years and will be doing so again this year but on a smaller scale. Having removed salads, carrots and parsnips from the equation which I'll be growing in containers, then having toms and peppers, etc. in the greenhouse and potatoes and onions in their own beds it doesn't leave much to be square footed.

For those with limited space it is an excellent way to get a lot of food from a small area. As proof I offer 8 lbs of onions from two and a half square feet.


the recycled gardener

[cazp]

It's encouraging to see that 8lb of onions really can grow in such a small space. I hope my red onions grow as well (9 per square).

I would like to think I could grow a nice vining variety of courgette vertically in a north square using one square foot seeing as I successfully grew a very productrive courgette plant in a morrisons flower bucket last year, but is that wishful thinking perhaps?

It's not just the limited space I have that lead me to square foot gardening, but also the fact it is supposed to be lower maintenace - but only time will tell on that one!

[broadhead]

I did my first year of growing last year, some of it SFG and some in rows:

It's encouraging to see that 8lb of onions really can grow in such a small space. I hope my red onions grow as well (9 per square).

I had no problems with onions at that spacing, they grew well and tasted great - shallots I went to 12 per square and they were really successful too.

I would like to think I could grow a nice vining variety of courgette vertically in a north square using one square foot seeing as I successfully grew a very productrive courgette plant in a morrisons flower bucket last year, but is that wishful thinking perhaps?

My big mistake was putting tall bushy tomatoes into the SFG box - they really took off and overshadowed nearby squares, ruining or limiting their crops...

It's not just the limited space I have that lead me to square foot gardening, but also the fact it is supposed to be lower maintenace - but only time will tell on that one!

The clear spacings really make weeding easy - I was never in doubt as to the invaders, unlike my row-sown onions.. I'm keeping the 4ft box gridded this year but going for 9 larger squares to give more room and increase plantings per crop.

[zazen999]

I would like to think I could grow a nice vining variety of courgette vertically in a north square using one square foot seeing as I successfully grew a very productrive courgette plant in a morrisons flower bucket last year, but is that wishful thinking perhaps?

If you use a corner of the SFG, then can the vine trail along the surrounding fence/path/grass?

Alternatively, I used canes 1 ft apart, you need at least 5 - and weaved other canes vertically through them - again 1 ft apart. I grew squashes up this last year and the frame is still standing.

[VirginVegGrower]

And I intend to pinch that idea ^^^ this year

[cazp]

I like the idea growing a courgette from a corner square and letting it sprawl as there is space around the beds to do this.

About the tomatoes though - was it a vining type that overshaddowed the other plants?. I have some "sweet million" seeds and was going to grow one plant in a north square so that it could go up the trellis frame next to the beans.

[broadhead]

About the tomatoes though - was it a vining type that overshaddowed the other plants?. I have some "sweet million" seeds and was going to grow one plant in a north square so that it could go up the trellis frame next to the beans.

Yes, it was a vine type.

I think the trellis method might work, I grew mine up a wigwam so they were central in their square. Your way will keep most of the bulk away from the bed so it might not have the same impact. But I won't be growing toms in mine again!

[cazp]

I'll let you know how they go! I have planned all the really tall stuff for the north squares so fingers crossed. Talking of overshaddowing, it does bring to mind what happens when a middle square is ready for replanting - with all the tall plants around it did you find this a problem? I had planned to replace my garlic with some winter vegetable in around June time.

[broadhead]

Talking of overshaddowing, it does bring to mind what happens when a middle square is ready for replanting - with all the tall plants around it did you find this a problem? I had planned to replace my garlic with some winter vegetable in around June time.

A second sowing of lettuces along the south edge never took off when surrounded by taller plants.
A minor annoyance that wasn't a real problem was the onion stalks flopping over onto everything nearby - could be an issue with your garlic. Easily fixed with some wire or string .

[cazp]

Does anyone have any experience growing leeks in a square foot bed and have advice on variety and spacing?

[solway cropper]

I grow leeks that way and space them according to what size I want them to grow to. Nine to a square lets them reach a decent size and sixteen or more allows you to pick as baby leeks. The only problem with growing them close is lifting them out without disturbing everything around them as mine are popped into holes made with a dibber and go a long way down. Not so bad this time of year when there's not much else left but if you want leeks in autumn when the plot is still full it's a fiddle.

As to variety I grow Zermatt for early baby leeks and the usual old favourites for maincrop.

[cazp]

Thanks for the advice and I will give leeks a go. I might try this with the free packet of Lyon 2 Prizetaker seeds I have.

[Thriftygreen]

has anyone tried growing a squash i one of the squares up a support?