SQUARE FOOT GARDENING

SQUARE FOOT GARDENING
SQUARE FOOT GARDENING
A CHANGING PRACTICE
The First Book About 1975
The First Book About 1975
The Original Garden Layout
The Original Garden Layout Features of the Original Design
Features of the Original Design
• The garden used regular soil,
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• It had no containing structure, just 4’X4’ squares dug into the ground • Walkways between the 4’X 4’ squares were 1X12 boards (at $10 each today I could not afford them)
• Fertilizer was used
Fertilizer was used
• Excess water could easily be a problem
• Weeds were a continuous problem
Weeds were a continuous problem
• The beds would need to be redug once in a while
• Following is another view of the garden
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A little better organized old style garden.
View Showing Growing Plants Vertically
All New Square foot Gardening About 1981 Revised 2005
All New Square foot Gardening About 1981 Revised 2005
All New Square Foot Gardening
All New Square Foot Gardening
• New system uses boards concrete blocks or stone for edging and to make a raised bed
• Uses a home‐made soil not yours
• Pathways between beds (at least 3
Pathways between beds (at least 3’ wide) may be left wide) may be left
to grass or covered by mulch, gravel, etc.
• Uses a permanently attached grid to aid in plant spacing
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• Built above ground with landscape cloth spread on g
ground to prevent weeds
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• No fertilizer is used
• Excess water drains out easily
Recommended Square Foot Garden Ready to Plant
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This is the soil you will make for your garden
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• If
If you buy compost in a bag he is you buy compost in a bag he is
recommending you buy five different kinds If you buy compost in a bag you should be aware
If
you buy compost in a bag you should be aware
That most of these are the recycling leftovers of their main product. As such they may contain only one ingredient. That is why he refers to “Blended Compost”. It would be much better if Y
You could make your own compost. Or you could
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buy it in bulk from a local nursery. A good portion
of what is available comes from Silver Creek
of what is available comes from Silver Creek Materials. Fort Worth residents can get free Compost from the piles across the road from
Tarrant County Community College South Campus. Refinements for the Garden
Refinements for the Garden
Uses for the Tent Poles
Uses for the Tent Poles
Made with two 10
Made
with two 10’ one‐half inch PVC pipes with
one half inch PVC pipes with
a screw through the intersection for strength
Drape with frost cloth or an old blanket Cover with chicken wire to keep out varmints (and
your neighbors’ cat).
Using clear plastic and allowing a place for heat to
escape it will make a nice greenhouse.
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If you have plants that need more room the permanent
grid will be a problem
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Disadvantages of Square Foot
Gardening (Did you think it was
Gardening (Did you think it was
miraculous)
Watering required is one to two cups of water Watering
required is one to two cups of water
once a week to every single plant with sun warmed (not cool) water.
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)
The system assumes you will spend some time
in the garden every day.
To get a reasonable production you must replant
To
get a reasonable production you must replant
as soon as you harvest anything.