Square Garden Plot, April 2009

This picture was taken this morning and shows one of the square foot gardening plots moist after a good days rain (and the Cubs still got their game in — two wins!).

As I described yesterday, I’m trying square foot gardening this year.  Many of the plots do not have the squares marked with rope, but this one does.  The bottom right square is currently planted with 16 radishes about a week ago.  We should see them sprouting soon with the radishes ready to eat in early May.

Friday will be another day of planting – swiss chard among other early spring plants.

The tomato plants started inside are looking great.

Tomato Plants Inside, April 2009

The tomato plants were started a while back and can go in the ground after the last frost — which is around April 25 for Cook County.  I will probably start letting them outside to acclimate starting this Friday (I’m a nice guy — it’s going to be almost 70).

The plants are about 6 inches tall.  I hope they’ll reach 8 inches before they go in the ground.

I still have many more posts on tomatoes – varieties, growing tips, etc.  I probably spend more time with the tomatoes than any other plant in the garden.

Finally, and not to be forgotten, also growing with the tomatoes are peppers.  The peppers are looking good.  They need much more light under the grow lamp from day one to get strong.  They are about 3 inches tall right now and I will probably baby them a bit longer than the tomato plants.  Below are six sweet pepper plants in the APS seed starters.

Pepper Plants Inside, April 2009

Related articles:

1. Spring Preparations
2. It’s a tough day for a Tomato
3. Seedstarting Mistakes

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:

Related articles:

1. Planted: Radishes
2. On the Farm, June 6, 2009
3. Spring Status

This year I’m growing Giant of Sicily radishes.  The farmers market carries a wide variety of radishes so if I want something special or unique, I can purchase it.  These are everyday radishes.  Radish seeds are generally really small but the Giants of Sicily seeds are huge.

Radishes are simple, do not need much room to grow, and all develop about the same time.  Using the Square Foot Gardening principle, I plant a square foot of radishes (16 seeds) about every 2 weeks.  That will space out the harvest and give us radishes well into the summer.

I’ve heard people talk about saving money by growing vegetables (which is certainly the case, just not my motive).  Radishes are an easy example.  This $2 package contains 300 radish seeds.  Let’s say we plant 150 seeds (about half the package).  That nets you 100 or more radishes (some won’t grow or won’t be edible).  Generally a bunch of 5 radishes is $2.  So this harvest is worth $40.  Not a bad haul for $2 and a little bit of elbow grease.

About the radish:

Giant of Sicily
Large 2″, round, summer radishes are bright red in color. Tasty and good quality. We offer pure Italian seed for this heirloom from Sicily.

Related articles:

1. Peas, Spinach, Radishes and More…Growing
2. Planted: Rocky Top Lettuce
3. On the Farm, June 19, 2009