With space at a premium in many of our yards we must find a way to best use the amount of garden area we have available. Enter the new twist on an old form of gardening.
Many of us are familiar with the concept of the raised garden. Square Foot Gardening takes the next step.
Here are some simple steps to make every square foot of your garden produce
results.
1. Depending on the types of plants you want to grow, pick a sunny or shady spot.
2. Build a raised garden using lumber, composite wood, concrete block or another suitable material. The best size is usually about a 3-foot by 4-foot or 4-foot by 4-foot bed. This size is easily reached from all sides. Space the beds about 3 feet apart. If you need longer beds, adjust as necessary.
3. Fill the raised beds with a mix of 1/3 compost, 1/3 peat moss and 1/3 coarse vermiculite. This will keep the time needed for weeding down.
4. Once you have your raised garden in place, it is just a matter of dividing the space into square foot sections. This is easily accomplished by using slats of wood and placing them in a grid pattern.
5. Plant a different flower, vegetable or herb crop in each square foot, using 1, 4, 9 or 16 plants per square foot. Conserve seeds by planting only a pinch (2 or 3 seeds) per hole. Plant transplants in a slight saucer-shaped depression.
6. Water by hand from a bucket of sun-warmed water.
7. When you finish harvesting one section, add compost and replant the area with a new and different crop.
From the book
All New Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew
