mirkwood
05-29-2009, 02:02 PM
SQUARE FOOT GARDENING
No Weeding, No Digging, No Tilling, No Kidding! By Mel Bartholomew
"We encourage you to grow all the food that you feasibly can on your own property . . . Grow vegetables and eat them [fresh] from your own yard. Even those residing in apartments or condominiums can generally grow a little food in pots and planters. Study the best methods of providing your own foods. Make your garden . . . neat and attractive as well as productive. If there are children in your home, involve them in the process with assigned responsibilities." - Spencer W. Kimball, Essentials of Home Production .
What is Square Foot Gardening?
A simple, unique and versatile system that adapts to all levels of experience, physical ability, and geographical location. Grow all you want and need in only 20% of the space of a conventional row garden. Save time, water, work and money.
This week we're going to first talk about locating your garden, and next, we will review the 10 basic steps of Square Foot Gardening.
LOCATING YOUR GARDEN
The location of your vegetable/flower garden is very easy because it involves just 5 things. First, remember that a Square Foot Garden produces 100% of the harvest of a single row garden, but in only 20% of the space. That means 80% of the space in a single row garden is totally wasted and unnecessary. Yet, we used to fertilize, rototill, and weed, all of that unused, unnecessary space. Since the SFG takes up so little room, you have a much wider choice of where it can be located. Since you pay more attention to something close by, the best location is right next to your back door, as close to the kitchen as possible. That way, you'll see it, and appreciate it more often, as well as take better care of it. You'll harvest continually, and your SFG will prove more of a convenience and joy rather than the drudgery of work way out back, that always needs attention and weeding.
THE 5 ITEMS OF LOCATION
http://www.meridianmagazine.com/gardening/images/090520square_clip_image002.gifPick an area that gets 6-9 hours of sunshine daily.
http://www.meridianmagazine.com/gardening/images/090520square_clip_image004.gifStay clear of trees/shrubs where roots/shade may interfere.
http://www.meridianmagazine.com/gardening/images/090520square_clip_image006.gif (http://www.meridianmagazine.com/gardening/images/090520square_clip_image006.gif)Have it close to the house for convenience and protection.
http://www.meridianmagazine.com/gardening/images/090520square_clip_image008.gifExisting soil is not really important. You won't be using it.
http://www.meridianmagazine.com/gardening/images/090520square_clip_image010.gifArea must not puddle after a heavy rain.
THE TEN BASICS OF SQUARE FOOT GARDENING
http://www.meridianmagazine.com/gardening/images/SFG%20Book%20Photograph%200001SM.jpg
(http://www.meridianmagazine.com/gardening/images/SFG%20Book%20Photograph%200001.jpg)Click to Enlarge
LAYOUT ? Arrange your garden in planting squares, not rows. Lay out 4 ft. by 4 ft. planting areas separated by 3 foot wide walking aisles.
BOXES ? Build 4 ft by 4 ft by 6 in deep bottomless boxes to hold a special soil mix above ground.
SOIL ?You don't dig up your existing ground, just remove any weeds or grass inside the box, lay down a weed cloth, then just fill boxes with a special soil mix: 1/3 compost (made from many different ingredients), 1/3 peat moss, 1/3 coarse vermiculite
GRID ? Make a square foot grid for the top of each box to organize the garden for planting.
CARE ? Never walk on the growing soil. Tend your garden from the aisles. Soil then stays loose and friable.
VERTICAL FRAME . ? Build a sturdy vertical frame to train all vine crops to grow up to conserve ground space.
ELECT ? Plant a different flower, vegetable, or herb crop in each square foot, using spacing of 1, 4, 9 or 16 plants per square foot. Crop rotation happens automatically thereafter.
PLANT ? Conserve seeds. Plant only a pinch (2 or 3 seeds) per hole. or place transplants in a slight saucer-shaped depression. Plant only what you will use during each season. No waste. from overplanting
WATER ? Nurture plants by watering by hand from a bucket of sun-warmed water (hose or drip system okay).
HARVEST ? When you finish harvesting a square foot, add a handful of compost to replenish nutrients and replant with a new and different crop.
http://www.meridianmagazine.com/gardening/images/SFG%20Book%20Photograph%200002SM.jpg
(http://www.meridianmagazine.com/gardening/images/SFG%20Book%20Photograph%200002.jpg)Click to Enlarge
THE ADVANTAGES OF SQUARE FOOT GARDENING in percentages
In conclusion, a Square Foot Garden takes only
20% of the space
10% of the water
5% of the seeds
2% of the work
and there are no weeds in Square Foot Gardening.
Give it a try. You won't be disappointed. It is truly the simplest, easiest, most productive method known.
Next week, we will be talking in more detail about building your boxes and mixing your special soil. If you can't wait, go to our web-site or read up in the ALL NEW Square Foot Gardening Book, the largest selling gardening book in America, Ever.
Official SFG Website: www.squarefootgardening.com (http://www.squarefootgardening.com/)
E-mail: [email protected]
Ordering information: Please see the Catalog Page on the website to order SFG books and Products or call toll-free at 1-877-828-1188.
ALL of the proceeds from our sales go to our Educational and Humanitarian projects around the world.
No Weeding, No Digging, No Tilling, No Kidding! By Mel Bartholomew
"We encourage you to grow all the food that you feasibly can on your own property . . . Grow vegetables and eat them [fresh] from your own yard. Even those residing in apartments or condominiums can generally grow a little food in pots and planters. Study the best methods of providing your own foods. Make your garden . . . neat and attractive as well as productive. If there are children in your home, involve them in the process with assigned responsibilities." - Spencer W. Kimball, Essentials of Home Production .
What is Square Foot Gardening?
A simple, unique and versatile system that adapts to all levels of experience, physical ability, and geographical location. Grow all you want and need in only 20% of the space of a conventional row garden. Save time, water, work and money.
This week we're going to first talk about locating your garden, and next, we will review the 10 basic steps of Square Foot Gardening.
LOCATING YOUR GARDEN
The location of your vegetable/flower garden is very easy because it involves just 5 things. First, remember that a Square Foot Garden produces 100% of the harvest of a single row garden, but in only 20% of the space. That means 80% of the space in a single row garden is totally wasted and unnecessary. Yet, we used to fertilize, rototill, and weed, all of that unused, unnecessary space. Since the SFG takes up so little room, you have a much wider choice of where it can be located. Since you pay more attention to something close by, the best location is right next to your back door, as close to the kitchen as possible. That way, you'll see it, and appreciate it more often, as well as take better care of it. You'll harvest continually, and your SFG will prove more of a convenience and joy rather than the drudgery of work way out back, that always needs attention and weeding.
THE 5 ITEMS OF LOCATION
http://www.meridianmagazine.com/gardening/images/090520square_clip_image002.gifPick an area that gets 6-9 hours of sunshine daily.
http://www.meridianmagazine.com/gardening/images/090520square_clip_image004.gifStay clear of trees/shrubs where roots/shade may interfere.
http://www.meridianmagazine.com/gardening/images/090520square_clip_image006.gif (http://www.meridianmagazine.com/gardening/images/090520square_clip_image006.gif)Have it close to the house for convenience and protection.
http://www.meridianmagazine.com/gardening/images/090520square_clip_image008.gifExisting soil is not really important. You won't be using it.
http://www.meridianmagazine.com/gardening/images/090520square_clip_image010.gifArea must not puddle after a heavy rain.
THE TEN BASICS OF SQUARE FOOT GARDENING
http://www.meridianmagazine.com/gardening/images/SFG%20Book%20Photograph%200001SM.jpg
(http://www.meridianmagazine.com/gardening/images/SFG%20Book%20Photograph%200001.jpg)Click to Enlarge
LAYOUT ? Arrange your garden in planting squares, not rows. Lay out 4 ft. by 4 ft. planting areas separated by 3 foot wide walking aisles.
BOXES ? Build 4 ft by 4 ft by 6 in deep bottomless boxes to hold a special soil mix above ground.
SOIL ?You don't dig up your existing ground, just remove any weeds or grass inside the box, lay down a weed cloth, then just fill boxes with a special soil mix: 1/3 compost (made from many different ingredients), 1/3 peat moss, 1/3 coarse vermiculite
GRID ? Make a square foot grid for the top of each box to organize the garden for planting.
CARE ? Never walk on the growing soil. Tend your garden from the aisles. Soil then stays loose and friable.
VERTICAL FRAME . ? Build a sturdy vertical frame to train all vine crops to grow up to conserve ground space.
ELECT ? Plant a different flower, vegetable, or herb crop in each square foot, using spacing of 1, 4, 9 or 16 plants per square foot. Crop rotation happens automatically thereafter.
PLANT ? Conserve seeds. Plant only a pinch (2 or 3 seeds) per hole. or place transplants in a slight saucer-shaped depression. Plant only what you will use during each season. No waste. from overplanting
WATER ? Nurture plants by watering by hand from a bucket of sun-warmed water (hose or drip system okay).
HARVEST ? When you finish harvesting a square foot, add a handful of compost to replenish nutrients and replant with a new and different crop.
http://www.meridianmagazine.com/gardening/images/SFG%20Book%20Photograph%200002SM.jpg
(http://www.meridianmagazine.com/gardening/images/SFG%20Book%20Photograph%200002.jpg)Click to Enlarge
THE ADVANTAGES OF SQUARE FOOT GARDENING in percentages
In conclusion, a Square Foot Garden takes only
20% of the space
10% of the water
5% of the seeds
2% of the work
and there are no weeds in Square Foot Gardening.
Give it a try. You won't be disappointed. It is truly the simplest, easiest, most productive method known.
Next week, we will be talking in more detail about building your boxes and mixing your special soil. If you can't wait, go to our web-site or read up in the ALL NEW Square Foot Gardening Book, the largest selling gardening book in America, Ever.
Official SFG Website: www.squarefootgardening.com (http://www.squarefootgardening.com/)
E-mail: [email protected]
Ordering information: Please see the Catalog Page on the website to order SFG books and Products or call toll-free at 1-877-828-1188.
ALL of the proceeds from our sales go to our Educational and Humanitarian projects around the world.