Square foot gardening

oh yes… I read about this many years ago (I’m talking decades) in a Mother Earth magazine. I was never able to convince my husband (who grew up on a farm, growing vegetables as part of what they did) to give it a try.

Last year I was able to convince Rick (who hadn’t ever really had a garden) to give it a try and we put our carrots in, in this manner. What a success!!
This year, we were going to do it again and get bales of straw to cover the section with, so we could have fresh carrots from the garden almost all winter. This year – we got DUD seeds and we have NO carrots :(

But we did plant our tomato plants and our pepper plants in a “square” section of the garden. (We haven’t tried the raised beds yet.)

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Covering carrots with straw? Never heard of such a thing. Is that covering the greens and all? Still exposed to the winter temperature?

-- http://woodsongsfurniture.com

yes.
A friend of mine piles leaves on hers … I’m guessing that it is 12” deep or more of leaves. You can dig the carrots all winter.

I’ll read up on it for you and get back with details.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

I can’t find the one resource that I had but another source confirms the 12” depth of cover. It also mentions putting a chicken wire cover over it.
I think that a tarp over the entire area would also help by keeping the rain/snow/ice out of the straw/leaves so you can easily move it to get to the carrots.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Just a guess, but it would probably work with turnips and beets.

-- http://woodsongsfurniture.com

turnips are fine I’m sure.. I’ve heard that they are actually meant to be dug up in the spring… (so I’ve heard)

and as for beets, I think I read that they can’t handle the winter.
But I’m not an expert, it’s just what I’ve heard.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Dad has done Square foot gardening, and he loaned me the book. I’ve tried getting into it – which should be super easy – but it’s easier to start out with good intentions and then sit back and hope for the best. (well, it works for zucchini!) Plus it’s sooo hard to see all those carrots coming up, and then have to sacrifice so many of them for the greater good (and overall better harvest).

Finished regrading the backyard this summer…. anxious to get some (lots and lots of) veggies going this spring!

-- southern NH. - smack dab in the middle of 5a and 5b - with lots of shade and full sun, in all the wrong places.

Scott, if you pull the baby carrots when they are the delicious size then it’s like you planted them intentionally to be pulled early and it won’t hurt as much. Then, leave the rest to grow full-size.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Raised beds are the best way of gardening that I know. I built my 1st raised bed garden 30 years ago in my parents yard. Mother Earth News for me too Deb. Also Rodale’s Organic Gardening. When we 1st got our house I tried a traditional garden and had some success but nothing like the raised beds. The following year I built some and have used them ever since. The volume of plants per sq ft is so much higher and if done right (tight plantings and mulch) the weeds are minimal. I grew 14’ russian mammoth sunflowers that withstood Hurricane Bob. I’ve never read square foot gardening but I think I follow the methods anyway. I overplant and then take out the weakest and don’t leave much room for weeds.

I’m rebuilding my gardens this spring too Scott. We had a new septic system put in and it totally destroyed what I had for veggie gardens. It was either that or the water garden and I wasn’t destroying that.

-- Bob, Carver MA USA, Zone 6b, Annual Rainfall 48" http://capecodbaychallenge.org

Organic Gardening and Mother Earth News where two of my favorite, they changed and I don’t even know if Organic Gardening is still around. I use to plant my veggies in raised beds, and companion plant to help deter certain pest, I also lined the bottom with small chicken wire to stop the gofers. I have a larger garden area now and still plant onions between plants and marigolds and nasturtiums. I plant lettuce between my broccoli and the lettuce is mature before the broccoli needs more room. I plant more than my wife and I consume.

-- Central Valley California

companion planting—that’s another topic that we need to delve into.
We sure have a lot of planning to do before spring!

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

companion planting, something I wish I knew more about. My knowledge of this topic ends with marigolds helping to keep pests from tomatoes.

Actually Debbie – every carrot I’ve pulled has been eaten straight away. they just smell and taste to good to toss… If I had slightly more willpower they could always garnish a salad or get mixed into a sandwich. (Lightbulb moment)

I’ve loved Organic Gardening. My Grandfather used to subscribe, and I did too for a few years, but one complaint was that the most of the advice tended to come just a tad late, and I had to file it away for next year. I’d like to check to see if this is no longer the case. I’ve also bought an issue of Mother Earth so much of the content appeals.

Good advice about the chicken wire Ron. I’ve put down newspaper in the past for weed control, didn’t think of underground pests. Since I’ll be creating new planting areas from scratch I should do it right. I may not have gophers but the chipmunks and squirrels (and/or the raccoons and skunks) can be a bit of a nuisance. Something even emptied one of my compost bins, and kept it free of fruits and veg the whole summer.

-- southern NH. - smack dab in the middle of 5a and 5b - with lots of shade and full sun, in all the wrong places.

Rick’s going to love GT.com :)
haha.. I want raised beds next year with square foot gardening and companion planting and natural pest /weed control and and and :)

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

is there a “best height” for raised beds?

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Not that I know of…in fact, I’ve seen some designs for raised beds that are off the ground…which helps those with disabilities still get to enjoy gardening. Most of the raised beds I’ve seen are more dependent on what you intend to grow. In other words, simple annuals can be in much shallower beds (say, 4-6”), whereas root veg and bulbs need some more dirt to spread their roots (maybe 8-12”).

Keep in mind that raised beds will freeze much sooner and much more solidly than terra firma. Also, since the soil in the raised beds is subject to that freezing, the boundaries need to be reinforced. We lost a few beds due to “lateral” heaving one winter season that experienced many quick freeze/thaw periods.

-- Living on the square...Metro Detroit

good tips.
I’m going to put at least one bed in this year … give it a try and “prove” its value..

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

I recall reading in OG about lining the back wall of your cold frame with gallon jugs filled with water – to increase the absorption and retention of passive solar heat… there must be a way to apply that same theory, along with lots of insulation – perhaps a border of hay bales? to keep you plot nice and toasty – or at least an average of a few degrees warmer.

-- southern NH. - smack dab in the middle of 5a and 5b - with lots of shade and full sun, in all the wrong places.

never heard of the water jog theory before. Interesting

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Ours use 10” boards. I figure that is a suitable depth for carrots and heavy feeders. It’s probably to deep for radishes and lettuces but we wanted them all the same size.

-- Xploreorganics, 5b Canada, LFD 06-20

Lee Valley has metal corners for sale and then you stack the board frames to different heights.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

I think I saw those on Gardening by the Yard…those look pretty cool!

-- Living on the square...Metro Detroit