Square Foot

Or Raised Bed

Gardening

 

It’s been a long cold winter for some of us and we are looking forward to the spring and this years growing season! I love gardening! I get so excited about finally getting to play it the dirt after the long winter. I have a VERY small yard the backyard is only about 50 feet wide and  60 feet long and there’s a big  drop off near either end. I have to grow enough vegetables for my family to make it through the winter and I want a few fruits as well, my yard is mostly ledge and I have a bad back  sound impossible doesn’t it? What to do …

 

Several years ago (1970’s ?) I was watching a public TV program Hosted by a gentleman Named Mel Bartholomew called Square Foot Gardening. As I recall the man was a retired Civil Engineer that just liked gardening and wanted to find an easier way to grow plants and veggies. The man is brilliant! Such a simple idea I don’t know why everyone doesn’t do it.

 

Basically you make 4 foot by 4 foot raised beds from 2 x 12 boards or just about anything your want. Don’t use pressure treated lumber but linseed oil will work fine to protect the wood. I’ve been using the same boards for 15 years and so far (knock, knock, knock) they are still holding up. I’ve seen some really beautiful stone wall beds as well if you have the want to or cash to do it!

 

Here’s the basic planting bed:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fill the beds with a simple mix of 1/3 Compost, 1/3 course vermiculite and 1/3 Peat moss, mix it all up and get ready to plant! Buy your vermiculite and peat moss in large 4 cubic foot bags. Not only is it heaper but you’ll need lots of it!

 

 

 

 

Then each bed is divided into 1 foot squares – hence the name “Square Foot Gardening.”

 

You can use anything you want to divide the beds. I used week wacker line tied to small nails

On the inside of the bed so I don’t it on them.

 

 

 

 

 

Next you divide the squares based on what you will plant in each square.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Because each square is only 12 inches square, it’s easy to make small templates if you wish out of construction paper or cardboard to be used while planting you seeds or plants.

 

So how do you know how many plants to put in each square? Simple! Read the package and use this chart as a guide.

 

 

http://www.squarefootgardening.com/html/images/1dot.jpg1 per square foot:

For plants that are thinned or planted 12 inches apart.

Tomatoes, Peppers, cabbage, Vines and  bushy plants.

 

 

http://www.squarefootgardening.com/html/images/4dots.jpg4 per square foot:

For plants that are thinned or planted 6 inches apart.

Okra, Spices, Small Head lettuces, Small bush plants.

 

 

 

http://www.squarefootgardening.com/html/images/9dots.jpg9 per square foot:

For plants that are thinned or planted 4 inches apart.

Larger spices, Beets, Onions, Garlic large bulb plants.

 

 

16 per square foot:

For plants that are thinned or planted 3 inches apart.

Lettuces, Small Onions, Swiss Chard, leafy plants.

 

I like to plant some things a bit less crowded than you can get by with and rarely use 16 per square for anything but leafy greens. I don’t know why – I just do it that way.

 

This should get you started. For more information please go get Mel Bartholomew’s book. You won’t regret it!

 

 

SquareFoot

 

 

ENjoy!

 

 

Return to the Smoking Meat Menu

 

image008

Site Topical Menu

 

Home      Smoking Meat Menu          Smoking Meat Guides    Herbs and Spice Menu

Making Sausage Menuimage003     Making Cheese Menu       Making Yogurtimage003

Baking Bread Menuimage003   Canning and Freezing Menu          Pickling Menu

       Dehydrating Menu      Brewing Beer Menu     Making Soda Pop Menu image003     

 

Square Foot Gardening          My Family

 

Site Map             Contact Me

Deejay's Smoke Pit Forums  image003

(talk to others, ask questions and share your experiences)

image008

Other Sites by Deejay

 

Deejay's World (Playing Music)            Deejay's Gravestone Page

 

 

image008

 

Stay on top of your DSP recipes and links! Download our FREE Toolbar by clicking the link below!

 

toolbar powered by Conduit

 

 

                      image008

 

http://www.thesmokering.com/images/smokering.gif
A service of
netRelief, Inc.

 The Smoke Ring - A linked list of BBQ websites

 Next  -  Skip Next  -  Next 5  -  Prev  -  Skip Prev  -  Random Site    Join the ring  or  browse

A complete list of The Smoke Ring members

If you discover problems with any of The Smoke Ring sites, please notify the Ringmaster

 

 

 

image005

 

© DJx2 2007