Square foot gardening

[moocher]

Anyone tried this?
Basically a four foot square bed divided into 16 sections by string or canes laid down,
And seeds sown directly where they would grow,
I think the quantities per square were 1,4,9,16 depending on type of veg grown.

[Ian]

Yes, I bought the book, made the growing mix at vast cost and grew. But it was not the super success that people claim, it just does not work as neatly as one would wish, nature takes its course.

Over time the vermiculite has broken down and vanished and the worms have converted the patches back to soil, so that is what I am using, sprinkling compost on top every autumn and hoeing in, no digging, never treading on the soil.

Two things came from the trial and that is, one, just to plant stuff where you can, don't bother with rows and geometry, where there is a space, bung it in. Trying to get an organised sequence is folly as, if one crop matures late the next will be delayed and in my case never mature. I ran out of growing season. The second is to plant individual seeds, never broadcast or sprinkle along a drill. You get too many plants and waste seed.

Planting in rows might be OK for a farmer but for the amature it is not necessary.

[moocher]

Thank you Ian.

[jansman]

Like Ian, I have had poor results, or not as good as expected. I built a 24 foot square bed this year and I will not be square footing it again. Nuff said.

[diamond lil]

Think this year's been a total waste of time - nothing came at the right time and everybody in the same boat even the farmers. There's always next year

[jansman]

Think this year's been a total waste of time - nothing came at the right time and everybody in the same boat even the farmers. There's always next year

Optimism - good trait that!

[Ian]

Not just this year Lil. I gave up on the square foot thing about four years ago as it had not 'delivered the goods' over a period of five or so years of trying.

Just poke things in where there is space, some crops look good in a flower bed. Respect the planting distances between seeds, otherwise just fill a patch and when that crop is done plant something that is ready in the gap. Maximise the dirt production. Forget straight lines, plenty compost, plenty water and keep the weeds down seems to do it.

[diamond lil]

I really really want raised beds though, with slug pellets on the ground around them so the wee buggers cant climb up the sides. My youngest son's a joiner and says he hasn't time to make them

[Technik]

Here's mine. Built it this year and this is also my first year of veg gardening. So far it's looking great. The recent downpour has affected the veg a bit but all in I'm happy with the results. So far had: spinach, lettuce, radish, beet and potatoes. No snails or slugs climbing the box!
Lil, it's dead easy to build, if you want I can give you a list of things needed along with all measurements and places to go around Edinburgh to get them from. It's a very basic box that you are building so all you need is a hammer and nails

[Moony]

That looks very neat tecknik ! You seem to be growing quite alot there with what some people would call no garden at all, a great use of space

You are lucky with the slugs and snails though, they decimated about 1/2 of my veg this year..a bit disheartening as it's my first year trying too