Square Foot Gardening Plans

I recently stumbled upon an interesting gardening method called square foot gardening,

and decided we would give it a try. Ive always thought the idea of having a vegetable garden

would be a lot of fun. Walking out to your square foot garden and picking a fresh tomato for

tonights dinner appeals to the self-sufficient nature of most frugal individuals.

I know just enough about gardening to know that I am not very good at it, and that it is a lot of

work. My kids have always been fascinated with the idea of growing things, but our soil and our

dog make planting anything in the yard impossible. Enter square foot gardening.

What is Square Foot Gardening?

The idea behind square foot gardening is that you can plant fruits, vegetables and flowers in raised

beds, above infertile soil and even out of the reach of pets. Seeds are planted in 1X1 square foot

plots, and when harvested a new plant is installed in the square. Raised beds can sit directly on

the ground, or include a bottom layer and be placed on patios, decks or porches. Because of a bad

back, and a dog with a propensity to dig up our new plants, we decided to build a 42 foot table-

top design.

Materials Needed to Set Up a Square Foot Garden

Material costs are variable, depending on the size of garden you plan to build. I personally opted

for a 4 by 2 configuration because it fit the table we were planning to use. Most people typically

start with a 4 by 4 design for their first square foot garden. Ill share with you what materials I

used, but keep in mind the pricing could be higher or lower depending on your local costs of

lumber, soil, etc.

(1) Sheet untreated plywood $0.00 (leftover scrap from a previous home improvement

project)

(2) 26x8 pieces of untreated lumber $7.38

Dont get treated lumber because treatments can seep into the soil and contaminate your planting

area.

(8) #8 x 3 Wood Screws (or deck screws) $2.94

Use these longer screws to connect the corners of the 26s after cutting to the desired length.

(8) #6 x 1 Wood Screws $0.98

These were used to anchor the nylon line to create a grid system for the 11 planting plots. I also

used a few to fasten the sheet of plywood to the 26s to create a bottom to my container.

(1) Pack of Twisted Nylon Line $4.43

I used this and the smaller screws to create a grid system on top of the container, in 11 square

foot patterns.

(2) 2cu ft. bags of Miracle Grow Garden Soil (for flowers and vegetables) $13.54

There were more frugal recipes here for soil, such as 1/3 compost, 1/3 peat moss, and 1/3

vermiculite. However, I could not find the ingredients packaged locally and the individual

ingredients bought separately at the larger home improvement stores were more expensive the

bags of Miracle Grow. If you have some compost to mix, such as soil generated from a Mantis

ComposT-Twin composter, it would really help your soil.

(10-pack) Strawberry plants $3.98

(1) Burpee Seed Pack Super Sugar Snap Peas $1.57

(1) Burpee Seed Pack Tomato, Early & Often Hybrid $2.47

(1) Burpee Seed Pack Cucumber, Burpless Beauty $1.88

(1) Burpee Ambrosia Cantaloupe $1.57*

(1) Burpee Danvers Half-Long Carrots $1.28*

*These last two were just for fun I dont expect much yield on these, but I thought it would be

fun to try. I get seeds from Gurneys Seed and Nursery Co. Click here to receive $20 off your

first order!

Total Start-up Cost: $42.02

Building a Square Foot Gardening Box

It was my daughters idea to use popsicle sticks to mark the type of fruit or veggie planted. We

will fill in the remaining squares after we eat another round of popsicles!

Since we decided to go with raised beds on a table top I checked the dimensions of the

table and came up with a suitable size for our square foot gardening container. Four feet

by two feet would allow for eight square foot plots for planting. First, cut the 8ft. long 26s down

to size. Next, position the 26s on the table in a rectangular pattern, alternating corners to make

the inside box dimensions four feet by two feet (I chose not to alternate corners because the

table I was working with was only 45 inches wide, so I needed it to be a little narrower). Fasten

the sides using the #83 wood screws. If you have trouble with the wood trying to split you may

want to first drill pilot holes.

With the sides now fastened it is time to attach a bottom to the container, unless you are

planning to put the raised bed directly on the ground. If this is the case, use some cardboard or

weed blocking fabric to discourage grass and weeds from coming up through the soil. In my case,

the container will be placed on a table top so I needed to attach a bottom to hold the soil in place.

Fortunately, I had some untreated plywood I ripped to size. The bottom doesnt have to be thick,

so 1/4, 3/8 or 1/2 plywood would do just fine. Fasten the bottom to the container using the

#61 wood screws (assuming you didnt use 1 plywood).

Plan for drainage by raising the box up a couple inches. I ripped a couple scraps from the

remaining 26s and used them to attach four 2 feet for each corner of the box. I also drilled a

few 1/8 thick drainage holes in the bottom of the box to allow standing water to flow out the

bottom.

Create a grid system on top of the square foot gardening container using nylon line and

#61 screws, spaced a foot apart across the width and length of the container. Drill the screws
about half way into the top of the 26s, leaving enough room to tie a knot of nylon line around the

screw. If the end of the nylon line frays after cutting (as mine did), use a lighter to gently melt the

ends to prevent further fraying.

Irrigating a Square Foot Garden

*Unless you already have a drip line and timer prepared for your garden, youll have to

water manually early on to improve seed germination. If the air is particularly dry, or hot,

you will need to constantly keep the soil moist until seeds have sprouted and taken root. One

economical way to do this is to fill used water bottles and poke a small hole or two in one side of

the bottle using a safety pin. Use your finger to dig a 1/2 deep trench the length of the bottle and

lay the bottle on its side, pin-prick side down, over the trench. The water will slowly drip into the

trench, keeping the soil moist for several hours. Obviously when sprouts begin to appear above the

surface you want to be sure not to position a bottle directly on top of the struggling plant.

Perform this routine first thing in the morning so soil gradually soaks and then dries

throughout the day, and is driest overnight. This reduces the chance of fungus or diseases

developing. This is even more important when the plants begin to develop leaves avoid wetting
leaves at all costs as it encourages disease.

*Ive since improved on this irrigation system as I became more aware of the dangers of heated

plastic leeching bad things into the soil

Im not sure what to expect from this effort in terms of food yields, but just the process

of building the box, filling it with dirt and planting seeds with my kids was worth the

$40. If the small garden yields a few fruits and veggies during the spring and summer then all the

better. Who knows, if we can cultivate a good crop we may build more boxes next summer and

section off an area of the yard so the dog does not eat our produce.
I think over time it will help my kids understand the true value of things. Those strawberries dont

just wind up in the produce section of our local grocery stores. As I pointed out to my daughter

today someone has to plant the seeds, water the plants, harvest the crops, clean the strawberries,

package them, and transport them to a distributor.

Try asking at local wine shop for wooden wine containers fill with compost (last
a couple of seasons.

Fill frame with Mel's Mix, a mixture of 1/3 compost, 1/3 peat moss, and 1/3 coarse vermiculite (no dirt needed). A
blended compost made from many ingredients provides all the nutrients the plants require (no chemical fertilizers
needed). Peat moss and vermiculite help hold moisture and keep the soil loose. It's best to make your own
compost from many ingredients but if you have to buy it, make sure it is truly compost. Some stores sell mulch or
humus and other ground covers but call it compost. Most commercial compost is made from one or two
ingredients so to be safe, don't buy all of one kind but one of each kind until you have enough for your garden.
It's really best to make your own compost, then you know what goes in it. When buying vermiculite, be sure to get
the coarse grade, and get the more economical 4 cubic foot size bags. If placing frames over grass you can dig
out the grass or cover it with cardboard or landscape cloth to discourage grass and weeds from coming up
through your new garden soil.

Growing Herbs
Posted on April 26th, 2009 by emilyrhp

Ive had several requests for information about herbs, so here it is!

Basil

Basil is one of the most popular herbs to grow-there is nothing better than cooking with fresh
basil! For earliest basil production, start seeds indoors 6 weeks before the last frost date.
Harden off, then transplant the week of the last frost date. If youre not in a big hurry, just
wait until the week of the frost date to plant outside. Harvest leaves as you need them,
leaving about 4 per stem. Be sure to pinch off the growing tips, since this promotes more
bushy side-growth.

One of the biggest benefits of basil that I have experiencedaphids dont like it. So, I plant
one in every square foot of lettuce and next to my tomatoes. If youre growing them as
helpers, squeeze them in anywhere (like the middle of 4 lettuce plants, or the edges of
tomatoes). If you want to dedicate an entire square to basil just plant 1 per square.

Chives

Ive personally never grown chives, but here is what I researched. Start seeds indoors 10
weeks before the last frost date. Harden off, then transplant the week of the frost date. Or,
plant outside the week of the frost date. Warningchives take about 3 weeks to germinate, so
it will be a while until you can harvest them if you start outside. You can also buy chive
transplants. Plant 9 per square.

Harvest by cutting up to 1/3 off the ends after they reach 6 tall. Chives are a perennial plant,
and will multiply. Youll need to divide them every 2-3 years.

Cilantro

Personally, I think there is nothing better than fresh salsa with cilantro! Ive gotten mixed
reviews about starting cilantro indoors, but since some sources say you can, I say go for it!
Start seeds indoors in peat pots 6 weeks before the last frost date. Harden off, then transplant
the week of the last frost datebe careful not to disturb the roots. You can also plant them
outside the week of the frost date. Plant 4 or 9 per square.

Harvest leaves anytime after they reach 6 tall. My experience is that cilantro will bolt
(flower and go to seed) when it gets hot. So if you can, choose a partially shaded spot for this
herb.

Dill

I developed a love for dill when I lived for a short time in Eastern Europe. I know its not
such a popular American herb (with the exception of using it for pickling), but I love to cook
with dill! Again, my sources do not suggest starting dill inside. But I have for two years, and
its been very successful!

Start indoors 6 weeks before the last frost date. Harden off, then transplant the week of the
last frost date. Or, plant outside the week of the last frost date. Plant 1 per square.

Harvest leaves before the flowers appear, and store them in the fridge in a cup with a little
water. Or, you can freeze it. If you want to use the seeds, wait until the lower part of a seed
cluster is ripe. Dill can grow rather tall, so you may need to support it if your garden is
subject to a lot of wind.

Garlic

Plant garlic bulbs in the fall, during October and November. You can purchase garlic through
a catalog, or just use some from the grocery store. Plant the largest bulbs pointy side up, 1-3
inches below the surface. Plant 4-9 per square.

Harvest in the summer after tops have fallen over, but before they have dried out.

Mint

Mint is a weed. Okay, not technically but it spreads and grows like a weed. For this reason, I
do not suggest planting mint in the garden. Either keep it in a pot, or in a contained section of
a flower bed. Buy a transplant, or get a little start from a friend or neighbor. Plant it, and
away it will go! It will send out runners and spread relatively quickly.

To harvest, cut back a stem to 2 leaves.

Oregano

Start seeds indoors 6 weeks before the last frost date. Harden off, then transplant the week of
the last frost date. If youre not in a big hurry, just wait until the week of the frost date to
plant outside. Plant 1 per square. Harvest leaves as you need them, leaving about 2 per stem.

Rosemary

Start seeds indoors 10 weeks before the last frost date. Harden off, then transplant the week
of the frost date. Plant 1 per square.

Thyme

Start seeds indoors 6 weeks before the last frost date. Harden off, then transplant the week of
the last frost date. Plant 1 per square.