Square foot gardening.

[Bigmallly]

Sounds like you are overworrying it IE...........Put crop rotation out of your head when it comes to Sq Ft growing. Once a square becomes available just plant it up with something different to what came out even if it's flowers.

[IndigoElectron]

So - I have planned my SFG taking into account the space I have, and companion planting.

Now I come to crop rotation and I am a bit stuck!

I have a small border, approximately 12 ft by 2-3 ft (the width varies along the border) that I will be using as my square foot garden.

The SFG book says not to worry too much about crop rotation as it will take care of itself. I was planning however to make note of what is going where, to make sure I do have some sort of rotation system. The thing is, the SFG uses raised beds, whereas I won't be using these for the moment, so all the veg will be in the same soil.

My question is, how far away does a crop have to be from its original location to count as being 'rotated'? My plot is quite small so the crops will be fairly close together wherever I put them. I was looking at the Seedaholic website and found this dire warning:

Remember: Rotate your crops!
Planting brassicas, of any kinds, in the same ground more often than once every four years runs the risk of club root infestation and once you have it, the ground is useless for up to a decade. Don't take needless chances, even with "catch crops" of radishes.

I wasn't even aware that radishes were a brassica!

So, instead of my original plan, would I be better to put all of the brassicas in one part of the border (e.g. the first quarter), and the onions and roots in another (e.g. the second quarter)? Then I could move them along every year (I don't have any potatoes or tomatoes in the border). This does still leave me with a problem regarding my corn, beans and peas, because these are all being grown at the back along the fence, there isn't anywhere else to put them.

How do other people manage to rotate their SFG?

Am I worrying too much about this?

[Bigmallly]

There is no reason at why it cannot be done on open ground. The raised beds are immaterial unless you go down the road of mixing the bed ingredients as suggested by the main man.

[.commander]

Has anyone has success doing this not in raised beds?

[IndigoElectron]

I've nearly finished double digging my plot (what a job that was!) and am nearly ready to mark out my squares and start planting. I found the gardeners.com kitchen garden planner really useful for planning what I was going to do, along with a list of companion plants from the gardens ablaze website. Can't wait to get started :-)

[Bigmallly]

Jobs a good 'un Mumbles...........don't forget to put your tallest plants on the north side of the bed.

[Mumbles]

Have just measured the bed I dug a few months back thinking I'd get about 6 squares in it but I clearly have no sense of distance as it'll fit 18! Very happy bunny 😀🌱


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[Bigmallly]

Just play with it & do whatever suits you.

[Mumbles]

Good to know thanks


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[Bigmallly]

I did 2 foot x 1 foot and found it more manageable.

[Mumbles]

I'm going to give it a try this year I think. It's a rectangle bed but I'm assuming this is ok? So long as the individual squares are the right size


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[Bigmallly]

I did a few beds a couple of years ago and had brilliant results, I think the different types of veg & flowers mixed together confuses the beasties...........It looks good too IMO.

[Mumbles]

Ok thanks I can get my head round that one!


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[Bigmallly]

It's most likely because of different types of veg. If a whole sq ft bed was planted with say onions, it wouldn't look any different to planting in rows with the exception of the foot markers.

[Mumbles]

Must just be the pictures I've seen then as square foot veg always seems loads closer...


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