I will be trying out the square foot gardening method in my raised bed in the back yard. Do you think I should replace the soil with Mel's mix? I must admit that part of the attraction to this method is that my maiden name is Bartholomew...no relation to the author of this method though. The raised bed now gets late afternoon shade, however that is much improved because a large weeping willow was removed to the south of my yard.
I am thinking the girls will enjoy planting using this method because it should be a very productive garden. What should I do with the improved soil that I will remove from the bed? I have been adding compost to it for the last five years or so...so it is pretty good soil!
I think I will use the wonderful suggestions from My Square Food Garden to plan the bed. The current space is 4 by 8 ft which is just about perfect. I want to grow peas, lettuce, kale, carrots, radishes, a miniature tomato, a pepper and some herbs in this garden. We will definitely inter-plant with flowers. Maybe a bush cucumber to round things out.
So who has done the square foot method and what did you think of it? I can see planting fall crops and over winter crops in this spot so I want to be sure that I have great fertility in this bed. I think onions, leeks, and garlic, along with chard and kale should round out my seasons. I might even put in some mums to add some color in the fall.
So who has suggestions? Cautions? Encouragement?
Thanks for reading!
I am thinking the girls will enjoy planting using this method because it should be a very productive garden. What should I do with the improved soil that I will remove from the bed? I have been adding compost to it for the last five years or so...so it is pretty good soil!
I think I will use the wonderful suggestions from My Square Food Garden to plan the bed. The current space is 4 by 8 ft which is just about perfect. I want to grow peas, lettuce, kale, carrots, radishes, a miniature tomato, a pepper and some herbs in this garden. We will definitely inter-plant with flowers. Maybe a bush cucumber to round things out.
So who has done the square foot method and what did you think of it? I can see planting fall crops and over winter crops in this spot so I want to be sure that I have great fertility in this bed. I think onions, leeks, and garlic, along with chard and kale should round out my seasons. I might even put in some mums to add some color in the fall.
So who has suggestions? Cautions? Encouragement?
Thanks for reading!
Wow! I love your beds! Today we have 29 inches of snow on the ground so I can't even see my lawn. I am enjoying your pictures as it showed me Spring will arrive soon hopefully.
ReplyDeleteI have never used beds, I would love to. I used to plant directly in the ground, but now my commute is just too long and not enough time to work on it. Last year I grew tomatoes, peppers and an herb garden. This year I would like to make small beds for them.
I must confess- those beds are not mine! Mine are still under about 6 inches of crusted over snow! Dreaming of what the next year will bring keeps me sane!
ReplyDeleteKatie, I tried the square-foot gardening method 3 years ago ( 2 beds, 3 feet wide by 16 feet long) and the first year, I had terrific results using a modified Mel's mix; two parts peat, one part manure, two parts compost, one part vermiculite & perlite. It was really great the first year, but the second year was underwhelming and the third year was less than productive...
ReplyDeleteI think that to make it work, year to year, you do have to put lots and lots of fresh compost on top of each bed, each year (and I seem to recall, when I read the book, that Mel does mention this).
While my square foot garden beds became less productive each year, my other garden beds, managed with other methods (permaculture) in less ideal conditions (less sun, less water, no purchased inputs/soil-amendments) got better each year.
I will be adding compost this year to the SF beds and I plan to use my square foot bed for only medicinal herbs in the future because It is such an intensive gardening space, if you take a lot out, you have to put a lot back in, and since my SF beds are in the front yard, I have to try to keep them presentable and a chop and drop mulch/compost technique is not quite front-yard presentable... The department of making-you-sad, might come by and harass me if I transformed the frontyard to real sustainability...
Good luck on your garden this year!
(Have you ever looked at doing a straw-bale garden? You might like it)
Love the topic! I started getting my new bed moved this past week to an area that hopefully gets more sun and considering it is only 13 inches wide, I was pretty much considering SFG. All I want to grow are tomatoes and green beans (growl - mine NEVER produce beans) and maybe a watermelon. That's all hubby asks me to grow for him, green beans and watermelon and they have failed for the last 4 years! Ah- hope springs eternal for the gardener though, doesn't it?
ReplyDelete