Square foot gardening.

[Lumpy]

Hello Snow - You definately don't need a raised bed to do SFG. The books etc seem to show them because raised beds are easy to divide into the 12 inch squares. When we had a much bigger garden we divided our patch with string secured in the dirt with tent pegs.
Like you we now have a tiny growing space and yes we have a couple of very small raised beds but other than that most of what we grow is planted in spud bags, planters of various shapes and sizes, we use the SFG method under our small apple tree to grow onions and garlic in the flower border. Strawberries and winter squash grow in old tyres.
SFG really encourages you to be inventive about where or what you grow in - let your imagination run wild.
Sue

[Snow]

This is interesting to me as I only have a small patch 3 x 2.3 M in size.
I'd love a raised bed but I'm not in a position to do that really. Does that matter or could I still try this SFG method?

[Lumpy]

Oh and this!
http://thefoodproject.org/sites/defa...gGuide2010.pdf

[Lumpy]

Hello All
I found this list quite useful it helped me sort out the chaos of 2 3ftx2ft beds, 1 3ft x3ft bed, 1 3ftx1ft bed and several oblong ex pallet containers as well as the rose arch that grows runners, sugar snaps and clematis.
http://www.gardenforumhorticulture.c...-Gardening.pdf

[Bigmallly]

Don't forget to include flowers Jonnyt to attract beneficial insects.

[Jonnyt]

I fully endorse the principles of square foot gardening after moving house in the spring.

I have around 100 squares worth and you would be amazed at what I've squeezed out of this1

A years supply of onions
Around 50 leaks yet to be harvested
Probably 75 parsnips yet to be harvested
Salad throughout the summer
Russian red kale for every Sunday lunch
Multiple crops of carrots
Broad beans
Mange tout
Lots of French Beans

Trust me the close spacing really works


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What would you say is the best book for a newbie wanting to try SFG??

Hi Cats if you look at the very first post Mallly has put a great pdf link in for SFG, if you carry on going through the thread you will get the blurb for books.

[Rocketron]

What would you say is the best book for a newbie wanting to try SFG??


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This thread, probably.

[Catseyes]

What would you say is the best book for a newbie wanting to try SFG??


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[veggiechicken]

bearded bloke since you read all 4 books why not tell the difference that are shown in methods in the books; since if was only the spacing that was the only important part ofmethod the books would need to be only 30 pages.

Perhaps you should ask Mel Bartholomew why he keeps reissuing his book - or read them yourself and tell us.
There is no need to be controversial on this Forum. If you persist in being argumentative you will be shown the exit.

bearded bloke since you read all 4 books why not tell the difference that are shown in methods in the books; since if was only the spacing that was the only important part ofmethod the books would need to be only 30 pages.

I am guessing they are revised editions so are treated as the same book but updated or more relevant versions so you only need the one book ever. Rather than buying a book and then an add on or supplement (book so and so part two....)

Whether you chose to read all four is personal choice. I don't think we really need BB to do a book review on each version

[bananamelon]

bearded bloke since you read all 4 books why not tell the difference that are shown in methods in the books; since if was only the spacing that was the only important part ofmethod the books would need to be only 30 pages.

[bearded bloke]

The version of the book is academic, the principle is the same throughout, even in the Square Metre Gardening book by the same author, in that one the metre is divided into 9 squares, each 330mm square
so basically a mertication of the original book.
Before you ask,Yes I have read them.

[bananamelon]

which version of square foot method do you use:
the 1981,2005 or all new square foot.

[Bigmallly]

Yup, SFG has 12" squares but SMG has 13" squares............any reason to make a few bucks out of a new book.