Want to grow vegetables but have limited space? Square Foot Gardening lets you garden in the smallest of spaces.
Vegetables from your own garden? Often this idea has to be abandoned simply because there is not enough space to plant a vegetable garden. With “gardening squared”, on the other hand, a lot becomes possible. Instead of growing in long rows, the vegetables are grown in small squares. Mixed culture is the magic word and a rich harvest in a small space is guaranteed. Gardeners in raised beds also correspond to a current trend.
Square Foot Gardening - gardening in a small space
The concept described here was already developed in the 1980s. The American Mel Bartholomew was reluctant to grow vegetables in long rows. Therefore, he divided the bed into grids and compensated for the cultivation area to clear squares of 30 by 30 centimeters.
The idea of the square garden should make work easier, save water and avoid weed growth. Since most vegetables have relatively shallow roots in an area four to twelve centimeters deep, they are ideal for cultivation in a small raised bed filled with fresh soil.
Mel Bartholomew's plan worked. With his new concept, he managed to save 80 percent space, 80 percent irrigation water and 80 percent weeds.
How is Square Foot Gardening structured?
A square foot corresponds to a foot length, i.e. about 30 centimeters. In the square garden, the mini beds are divided into 3 x 3 grid dimensions. Each square has an area of 30 x 30 centimetres.
Tip: The same principle can also be implemented with a 4 x 4 grid.
So that the division into the individual squares remains clearly visible, the raised bed is provided with a wooden border. This grid should not measure more than 120 centimeters per side, so that unhindered gardening is guaranteed from all sides and the entire area can be used.
The manageable dimensions of the raised bed mean that the plant can also be used in the smallest gardens or even on the balcony or terrace.
Hobby gardeners are welcome to get creative. about thatTo loosen up the picture, some squares can be planted with colorful farmhouse flowers. Furthermore, you are not stubbornly bound to the given squares. Triangular gardens or the creation of round mini-beds are also possible.
Find the right substrate
The inventor of Square Foot Gardening relied on the following substrate mixture:
- peat
- Perlite
- Compost
One third of each is used. Those who do not want to use peat due to its environmental compatibility will find suitable alternatives in coconut fibers or bark compost.
Tip: The substrate is not mixed by weight but by volume.
It is important that the soil can store a lot of moisture, but at the same time does not allow waterlogging to occur. The loose structure makes it easier to work with. Furthermore, the substrate is suitable for almost all plants and no replacement is necessary.
Square foot gardening can also be done with good top soil mixed with compost. In order to ensure consistently high soil quality, fertilization should be carried out regularly.
Square Foot Gardening - the planting plan
Once the square garden has been prepared, it only needs to be filled with the right plants. To make gardening easier for beginners, it is divided into four categories depending on the space required by the plants:
- very large=one plant per square
- large=four plants per square
- medium=nine plants per square
- small=16 plants per square
According to this classification, the plants can be classified as follows:
| Category | suitable plants |
|---|---|
| very large | Broccoli Tomatoes Peppers Cucumber Eggplant |
| large | Leek Leek Chard Lettuce Marigold flowers |
| medium | Carrots Beetroot Spinach Peas French Beans |
| small | Onions Radishes Garlic Lamb's lettuce Shallots |
Mixed culture - good neighbors
In the square garden, a wide variety of plants come together in a small space. In order for this not to be detrimental to growth and development, the plants at Square Foot Gardening should prove to be good neighbors.
If you choose the right plants for your mixed culture in the raised bed, you will benefit from he althy growth, becausethe plants influence each other positively. No plant is prevented from growing and every crop receives all the necessary nutrients.
The following overview will help you to find the right plants for the square garden.
| Plant | good plant neighbors | bad plant neighbors |
|---|---|---|
| Carrots | Peas Garlic Radish Radish Tomato Onion | Beetroot |
| Radish | Spinach Peas Tomatoes Carrots Swiss Chard French Beans | Cucumber Radish Brussels Sprouts Onions |
| Onions | Cucumber Lettuce Dill Strawberries Lamb's lettuce Leek | Peas Potatoes Radishes Cabbage |
| celery | Cucumber Garlic Kohlrabi Tomato Leek | lettuce potatoes |
| Beetroot | Cucumber Garlic Onion French Beans Lettuce | Carrots Potatoes Spinach Leeks Leek |
| Peas | Cucumber Cabbage Carrots Radish Zucchini | Potatoes Garlic Tomatoes Onions |
| Strawberries | Radish Spinach Onions Radish Lettuce | Cabbage |
Square Foot Gardening - advantages and disadvantages at a glance
Advantages:
✔ ideal for small gardens
✔ can also be realized on the balcony or terrace
✔ little maintenance
✔ little time
✔ hardly any weeds✔ ideal for beginners
✔ light physical work
✔ versatile design possible
Cons:
✘ Acquisition costs for the raised bed
✘ The weather resistance of the wood should be taken into account
✘ Mixed cultures should be taken into account
✘ Not suitable for very large plants such as cauliflower or pumpkin✘ Yield only satisfies small households
✘ Pests can penetrate the raised bed more easily
✘ Raised beds dry out quickly and need more water