A new concept this year in at the Farm is Square Foot Gardening.
Row of Swiss Chard 2008
If you haven’t look to the far right column, you’ll notice that I farm 200 square feet including walking space around the plots. There are 8 plots in on the farm and normally I grow in short rows. The picture to the right is a row of Rainbow Swiss Chard from last year. Since I grow only 200 square feet, I grow pretty tightly together.
Growing tightly together and in small spaces is the mantra of Square Foot Gardening. You understand how serious this book is when you read the background on the author:
When he created the “square foot gardening” method, Mel Bartholomew, a retired engineer and efficiency expert, found the solution to the frustrations of most gardeners.
It takes an efficiency expert to take his work home with him.
I’m a fan of growing in rows (regardless of how inefficient it is) because it looks more professional. I may be an amateur farmer, but I want to do my best to look like the real thing.
Over the winter, I read up on Mel’s Square Foot Gardening methods and realized that in my situation, it should make life a little easier. This year, based upon Mel’s book, I plan to utilize a good part of the garden in square foot blocks. The spinach, radishes, peas, and lettuces are planted to the Square Foot Gardens recommended spacing.
A few notes on my use of Square Foot Gardening:
- The peas are in 4 1-sq-ft blocks along a trellis. If you read the book, you’ll realize that square foot gardening is about spacing plants closely and managing your plants in blocks. Not every plant can fit into a single square. My peas will be 4 feet wide.
- My radishes will be planted in 3 1-sq-ft blocks. One block planted every two to three weeks rotating so I’ll always have 16 radishes every 14 days.
- The lettuces and spinach were planted in 8 1-sq-ft blocks. I plan to trim each differently. Some will be for baby spinach/lettuces, and some will be allowed to let grow more fully.
- I grow huge tomato plants. Regardless of the suggested trimming methods, these will likely take up more room.
Cucumbers, watermelon, herbs, and many others are soon to be in the ground. While I know weeding will be easier, I hope it all works this year. Many pictures and stories to come.
If you are interested in the book:
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