| Author |
Garden Gate:  Square foot gardening  |
|
EastTXFarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
731 Posts
Victoria
Farmgirl #549
TX
USA
731 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 12 2010 : 3:16:03 PM
|
Does anyone practice SFG or has practiced SFG? I am going to try it this year and just looking for some success stories. My house garden has given me fits since we moved here 3 years ago. The house had been abandoned for 8 years and allowed to grow over. The problem is that the original owners had planted several blackberry bushes and they had taken over. I have pulled blackberries until my hands bleed and they still take over the garden. I was trying to clean up the grape vines yesterday and spent all day pulling blackberry vines. I'm hoping that a few years of the SFG will help kill them out in that area. Tell me your experience with square foot gardening if you have any.
Begin each morning with a song in your heart. |
|
|
krbrown@rocketmail.com
Farmgirl in Training
29 Posts
Kim
Allendale
MI
USA
29 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2010 : 6:45:05 PM
|
| I had a square foot garden last year. I loved it. I got more produce in a small space and less weeds. I am going to have it again this summer also. If you are going to have a square foot garden and are going to have plants that like to spread have a good trellis for them. This year I will plant different things in my garden, like I won't put lettuce in my garden, I will put them in long window planters. There are some good books about square foot gardening at the library. Good luck and have fun. Farmgirl Kim |
 |
|
|
cajungal
True Blue Farmgirl
2349 Posts
Catherine Farmgirl Sister #76
Houston Area
Texas
2349 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2010 : 7:26:47 PM
|
I read the first SFG book about 18 years ago and changed from row planting to raised bed square foot planting. I love it. I just saw at the bookstore that Mel has a newer edition. I thumbed through it and saw the changes or new options he had. It's funny....through the years, I've made some of those exact changes/updates. I suggest reading the first book, too....tons of information in there that the second book doesn't have.
I started out with making squares in the flat ground and using wide boards as walkways. (Mel suggested this in the first book) I didn't have much success because the grass and weeds kept creeping in. Then I went to raised beds because I can make the perfect mix of what's needed for our area. It's easy to weedeat around the framing and grass doesn't creep in.
Today, I have 20 "blocks" and one long 30ft block with a trellis stretched across it. For several years the blocks have been framed with untreated wood and as the wood rotted away I'd put down new planks. I started transitioning the framing from wood to concrete blocks.
I use the solid 18 inch blocks and the blocks with two holes in them (holes facing up). 12 concrete blocks makes a square, 3 on each side, lined up end to end. It's not quite exactly 4 ft but for me it's close enough. The holes can be used to plant beneficial flowers like marigolds. Or companion plants. Or plant herbs, etc.... The blocks are 6 inches high so they're a good size for raised beds.
You can set up the concrete blocks and then start throwing your compost into it and slowly build it up until you're ready to plant in it. Or you can just buy some garden soil and fill the block. Or you can get all the things Mel suggests for mixing in with the soil.
During the winter I plant cover crops like rye in the square and then in spring I "till" it all in the square. Makes great green compost adding nutrients to the soil for planting.
I suggest reading up on companion planting. Because SFG is so easy to grow many things, sometimes you may plant things next to each other that shouldn't be near each other for various reasons...competing nutrients, growth inhibiting elements, etc... A great book is "Carrots Love Tomatoes". It is an alphabetical listing of plants, herbs, weeds, flowers, etc.... and lists out what each individual plant thrives with and what each should not be planted with.
Some other relating topics would be bio-intensive gardening/planting and permaculture. Both have theories behind them that can be included with SFG.
OMG! I've almost written a book!
I think you'll love this method of gardening.
One of the best compliments from one of my daughters: "Moma, you smell good...like dirt." |
|
|
|
kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2010 : 7:26:56 PM
|
Victoria, would you like to borrow about 4 goats? They will have those blackberries gone in no time. That's all we had out back a few years ago. There's nothing there now. And they will not be coming back. I wonder if there is someone near you with a few goats. They love blackberry bushes. Well, just about any bush. But they might help you out. Just a thought!
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
|
|
|
EastTXFarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
731 Posts
Victoria
Farmgirl #549
TX
USA
731 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2010 : 8:02:49 PM
|
I did not know that Kristin. As a matter of fact we have a goat farm just down the road. The wheels in my brain started spinning. Catherine and Kim you have given me the encouragement I needed. I have been reading on SFG for the last year but I come from a long line of row farmers. They all think I'm crazy. I have read both the older and newer edition of the SFG book and there is another edition coming out in April. The large produce area that is for market will still be in rows but my house garden is going SF. I am putting in the boxes this weekend. All my seedlings are ready for their new home.
Begin each morning with a song in your heart. |
|
|
|
cajungal
True Blue Farmgirl
2349 Posts
Catherine Farmgirl Sister #76
Houston Area
Texas
2349 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2010 : 8:24:21 PM
|
yepee!! Sounds like you've got a plan.
One of the best compliments from one of my daughters: "Moma, you smell good...like dirt." |
|
|
|
Candy C.
True Blue Farmgirl
823 Posts
Candy
Mescal
AZ
USA
823 Posts |
Posted - Mar 13 2010 : 08:32:04 AM
|
I just started with SFG for my winter garden. So far, it is going great! I had always wanted to try it and these forums kinda gave me the "push" that I needed! :) I only have three 4 x 4 beds so far but plan on adding more with the summer garden.
Candy C.
Farmgirl Sister #977
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. |
|
|
|
Bellepepper
True Blue Farmgirl
1207 Posts
Belle
Coffeyville
KS
USA
1207 Posts |
Posted - Mar 14 2010 : 08:17:22 AM
|
I too, have gardened the square foot way for 18 years. The first boxes were made using 2 X 6's from the front porch we had torn down. We filled them with a combination of compost, peat moss and vermiculite. We made our compost by using the chipper shreadder to chip wood, then kitchen scrapts and cow patties. Our Stuff grew soooooo big. When the boards rotted, we made them out of treated 2 x 6's. After all these years, the weeds are giving us a problem in the boxes. Ummmm, must be the cow and chicken manure. Also having lots of problems with the blight on the tomatoes. So we started a whole new garden using cememt blocks. We have 6 beds that are 4 X 16 ft. Using about the same soil recipe. Our beds are 2 blocks high. We use 4' X 16' cattle panels for things to grow on. Made our tomato cages using concrete reinforcing wire. Some of our tomato plants are 10 feet tall.
Real expensive to build but the cement blocks will last forever. Can be recycled when I am gardening in Heaven.
Belle |
|
|
|
graciegreeneyes
True Blue Farmgirl
3107 Posts
Amy Grace
Rosalia
WA
USA
3107 Posts |
Posted - Mar 14 2010 : 10:34:43 AM
|
Wow Belle - 10 foot tall tomatoes, I'm moving to Kansas:D
Farmgirl #224
"use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without"
|
|
|
|
Kerbear
True Blue Farmgirl
261 Posts
Kerry
Middle
Tennessee
USA
261 Posts |
Posted - Mar 14 2010 : 10:59:08 AM
|
We are planning to square foot garden for the first time this year! I recently got Mel's book at the Tractor Supply but havent had a chance to dive in yet. Thank you ladies for all the great suggestions and success stories.
~Kerry
Farmgirl Sister #975 |
|
|
|
Bellepepper
True Blue Farmgirl
1207 Posts
Belle
Coffeyville
KS
USA
1207 Posts |
Posted - Mar 14 2010 : 11:50:54 AM
|
Kerry, I bought Mel's first book in 1990. He was also on TV. I video taped a lot of his shows. Unfortuantely, we no longer have a VCR. Should try to find some one that can transfer from VCR to DVD. His show was great. Another one of his ideas that we used for many years was making our compost piles using shipping pallets. Unfortunately, the pallets became hard to come by and the pallets seemed to decompose faster than my compost. We are using cement blocks for that too. I have a very large 3 compartment compost bin.
Some kids look forward to inheiriting $. My kids are only going to get cement blocks.
Belle |
|
|
|
clothedinscarlet
True Blue Farmgirl
1333 Posts
Siobhan
Battle Creek
MI
USA
1333 Posts |
Posted - Mar 14 2010 : 1:09:46 PM
|
I am also planning my first square foot garden this year! I am suer excited about it! Catherine, I love your suggestion of using concrete block and then planting in the holes! Wonderful idea! Yay! Kerry, my penpal will be square foot gardening right along with me! We will get our gardens right this year, girl! I am still waiting for my held copy of Mel's book to transfer to my local library. I am sure it will be in tomorrow. Right now I am using www.mysquarefootgarden.net for most of my planning. Right now on her blog, she has a companion planting excel file that you can download that is REALLY cool. You can click on one or two different veggies and it will give you from bad to best what to plant next to it or between the two. Check it out! I also got a book from the library which my gardening group leader suggested called "The Vegetable Gardener's Bible" and that has a lot about companion planting and raised beds and organic methods and such. I plan on starting off this year with one 3X9 bed for smaller veggies and then a garbage can of potatoes. I found that idea somewhere online. And a salad garden (lettuces and herbs and such) up near my house. I haven't figured out what I'm going to do about my squash and maters yet.
Farmgirl Sister #1110
Siobhan, wife to my best friend, Trent, and mommy to Camden (11/28/05) and Bennett (7/11/07). and Truman (7/28/09) |
|
|
|
Kerbear
True Blue Farmgirl
261 Posts
Kerry
Middle
Tennessee
USA
261 Posts |
Posted - Mar 14 2010 : 1:58:46 PM
|
Well I hope to have a good garden this year, Siobhan! The farmer's cows got out last year and ate my veggies!! 3 times!!!! Thanks for the website Siobhan! I am going to check that out. Trash can, huh? Interesting!
What are yall planning on planting this year? I feel I have too many for my small garden-- I may have to expand! Right now I am growing (inside) green beans, tomatoes, broccoli, lettuce, spinach, okra, peppers, cantelope, and a pumpkin. I also have rhubarb, asparagus, and strawberries that I need to find a permanent place for. I started composting for the first time a few months ago. Lovin' it! Does anyone use red wigglers in their compost? Where can I get some? I am so excited for spring!!
Belle, my husband can convert VHS to DVD (at least he has in the past). I will check with him to see if we still have everything thats needed to convert into DVD's. But if so, I bet he wouldnt mind converting the VHS's (especially if I made him a pie) if you like... then return them to you. Is it just one VHS? Or more?
~Kerry
Farmgirl Sister #975 |
|
|
|
EastTXFarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
731 Posts
Victoria
Farmgirl #549
TX
USA
731 Posts |
Posted - Mar 14 2010 : 7:21:28 PM
|
Well, my husband started my boxes today. I am starting with 6. After running to town and picking up supplies we only had time to complete 2 of them. I have my seedlings started and ready. I have a few questions for those of you that have been doing this awhile. We like squash. Mainly zucchini and yellow squash. In the book he talks about vine squash and bush squash. I am assuming that both are bush squash. Have any of you grown squash in your boxes? How do you suggest doing it? I would also like to try butternut and acorn squash but (I'm ashame to admit) I have never seen the plant of either so I don't know how it grows or how big it gets. Any suggestions? Also, are there any plants you have found that just didn't work out using SFG? Belle, did you do like he describes in the book and cut the tomato to one branch? That scares me a little. I don't know that I will do it right. I really don't want to mess up my tomatoes.
Begin each morning with a song in your heart. |
|
|
|
Kerbear
True Blue Farmgirl
261 Posts
Kerry
Middle
Tennessee
USA
261 Posts |
Posted - Mar 14 2010 : 8:05:59 PM
|
Victoria,
The book "Storey's Basic County Skills: A Practical Guide to Self-Reliance" says that squash grows best in raised beds-- warm and moist. In Mel's SFG book, he says that most varieties of squash are sold as bush types, and that you will need more space for one plant. However, if you do have the vine type then you can use vertical frames to save space. Mel does say that zucchini can be trained to grow vertically. Call the 1-800 number on the seed packet to confirm bush versus vine if needed.
About tomatoes, Mel says that you will need to prune off side brances (suckers) weekly for vine types and guide plant tops up through the netting. Prune off lower dead or yellow leaves. Keep adding mulch as the seasons gets hotter.
Hope this helps some!
~Kerry Anne
Farmgirl Sister #975 |
|
|
|
EastTXFarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
731 Posts
Victoria
Farmgirl #549
TX
USA
731 Posts |
Posted - Mar 15 2010 : 06:26:13 AM
|
Thanks Kerry. I read the book but sometimes there is a big gap in reading and doing. I just want to know if someone has actually tried it and how it worked out.
Begin each morning with a song in your heart. |
|
|
|
Bellepepper
True Blue Farmgirl
1207 Posts
Belle
Coffeyville
KS
USA
1207 Posts |
Posted - Mar 15 2010 : 08:01:22 AM
|
I don't prune my tomato plants. I might at the beginning but am not consistant. I know one gardener that prunes off the leafs and keeps the suckers.
I plant my yellow and zucchini in the 4' square. I put about 3 seeds in the middle of the box. It will bush out and go all over the place but don't think it would work to try to tie it up to a trellis. They don't vine like a cucumber. I have not had very good luck growing winter squash. Can't seem to be able to control the squash bugs.
Belle |
|
|
|
EastTXFarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
731 Posts
Victoria
Farmgirl #549
TX
USA
731 Posts |
Posted - Mar 15 2010 : 3:23:51 PM
|
Wow I hate to devote that much into one plant I may rethink the squash thing. I know they get that big when you plant them in the ground but I'm not spending that much money on regular dirt. They may go out in a different part of the garden.
Begin each morning with a song in your heart. |
|
|
|
phonelady
True Blue Farmgirl
323 Posts
Carla
Loveland
Colorado
323 Posts |
Posted - Mar 15 2010 : 6:58:03 PM
|
I do SFG along with lasagna gardening because the place I'm renting has such a small space for gardening - but the last folks that where here let the sticker weeds get knee high and nothing else.
The best way to kill all those off and not have to get a roto-tiller after it was raised bed, card board covering the weeds [after I stomped them down with my boots], newspaper, soil, brown stuff like dead leaves, green stuff [like when I mow the lawn, more newspaper and so on. Six or seven inches thick left for three months and I had no weeds and WORMS!
The SFG makes it easier for me to reach the plants to garden [I have FM and it goes off whenever it wants, so I don't plant acres].
The lasagna gardening promotes soil conservation and can be done on any size lot.
Smiles!
Carla
It's not just Life-
It's an Adventure! |
|
|
|
Kerbear
True Blue Farmgirl
261 Posts
Kerry
Middle
Tennessee
USA
261 Posts |
Posted - Mar 15 2010 : 7:24:29 PM
|
Carla,
What is lasagna gardening? I have never heard of that.
Thanks!
~Kerry Anne
Farmgirl Sister #975 |
|
|
|
phonelady
True Blue Farmgirl
323 Posts
Carla
Loveland
Colorado
323 Posts |
Posted - Mar 16 2010 : 08:43:58 AM
|
Hi Kerry Anne,
It's great!
Look at this quick blurb on this link.
http://organicgardening.about.com/od/startinganorganicgarden/a/lasagnagarden.htm
No digging
Organic
No weeds
Here's a bit from the bottom of that page:
* Few weeds, thanks to the newspaper suppressing them from below and the mulch covering the soil from above.
* Better water retention, due to the fact that compost (which is what you made by layering all of those materials) holds water better than regular garden soil, especially if your native soil is sandy or deficient in organic matter.
* Less need for fertilizer, because you planted your garden in almost pure compost, which is very nutrient-rich.
* Soil that is easy to work: crumbly, loose, and fluffy.
Smiles!
Carla
It's not just Life-
It's an Adventure! |
|
|
|
Ms. Hannigan
True Blue Farmgirl
57 Posts
Shari
Middle
TN
USA
57 Posts |
Posted - Mar 21 2010 : 7:50:19 PM
|
We got our new garden built! 286 sq ft of garden filled with beautiful soil w/ organic worm castings! So far I have lettuces, cabbage, onions, chard, and spinach. I'm so excited! There are pictures on my blog, check it out!
...some women are drippin' with diamonds... some women are drippin' with pearls... look at me, lucky me, the only thing I'm drippin' with is... little girls...
Farmgirl #1158
blog: http://www.lifegetsmessy.com
website: http://www.eatlocaltn.com |
|
|
|
phonelady
True Blue Farmgirl
323 Posts
Carla
Loveland
Colorado
323 Posts |
Posted - Mar 22 2010 : 07:37:26 AM
|
Wow Shari!
That looks great!
You have my garden envy [I have a little place out here [I'm in a rental].
HaHa. I do the same thing -I'm just itchin' to jump out there and plant - but it's too early. And we are still having that weird cold weather that comes rippin through.
Have fun with your dirt!
Carla
"You shot it Tarzan-
You eat it."
Dave Ramsey |
|
|
|
Chels
Farmgirl in Training
14 Posts
Chelsie
Layton
Utah
USA
14 Posts |
Posted - Mar 22 2010 : 6:03:32 PM
|
I started a SFG last year and I am so grateful! I wish I would have started it sooner. Originally the soil mixture suggested is a monetary investment...but so worth it! Make sure you pack it down and really fill each "box". The soil really "shrinks" during the season and some of the plants uproot a bit. Other than that, ENJOY! It is wonderful! Weeds are not an issue and watering is a breeze!
quote:
Originally posted by EastTXFarmgirl
Does anyone practice SFG or has practiced SFG? I am going to try it this year and just looking for some success stories. My house garden has given me fits since we moved here 3 years ago. The house had been abandoned for 8 years and allowed to grow over. The problem is that the original owners had planted several blackberry bushes and they had taken over. I have pulled blackberries until my hands bleed and they still take over the garden. I was trying to clean up the grape vines yesterday and spent all day pulling blackberry vines. I'm hoping that a few years of the SFG will help kill them out in that area. Tell me your experience with square foot gardening if you have any.
Begin each morning with a song in your heart.
|
|
|
|
Chels
Farmgirl in Training
14 Posts
Chelsie
Layton
Utah
USA
14 Posts |
Posted - Mar 22 2010 : 6:07:15 PM
|
| I just planted my first rhubarb plant (bulb?). Any suggestions? |
|
|
|
Kerbear
True Blue Farmgirl
261 Posts
Kerry
Middle
Tennessee
USA
261 Posts |
Posted - Mar 22 2010 : 8:37:13 PM
|
Thanks Carla! I am going to read over the website. I have heard of newspaper gardening, it sounds similar to what you are describing.
Chelsie, I will be planting rhubarb this summer too for the first time. I heard that it is easy to grow like celery (which I have never grown either). I think it grows better up north (further north than TN).
Shari, I am so jealous you already have part of your garden planted. We still need to "till" everything up. I am probably a little behind; however, I have started the seeds inside.
~Kerry Anne
Farmgirl Sister #975 |
|
|
|
Garden Gate: Square foot gardening |
|
Square foot gardening
