An Introduction to the �Square Foot Gardening Method

A PowerPoint for Group Leaders to present to Pod Members

This information was adapted from the Square Foot Gardening Foundations materials created for the Gardening Webinar (available on PPC’s YouTube channel)

The Original Square Foot Garden (SFG)

Mel Bartholomew created the SFG method to:

• Make gardening fun
• Reduce the hard work
• Be more efficient with time and resources

All New Book!

• For more information and a full guide to SFG’ing we recommend using the All New Square Foot Gardening 3^rd Edition book
• Buy on Amazon for a communal Pod resource
• Rent from your local library

What is the SFG Method?

• Space saving
• No waste
• Mel’s Mix- special growing soil
• Grid for plant spacing
• Weed barriers- easy maintenance
• Easy for beginners

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The 10 Basics

1. Layout – Arrange in squares, not rows.
2. Boxes – Build boxes to hold new soil (Mel’s Mix) only 6 inches deep
3. Aisles – Space boxes 3 feet apart to form walking aisles.
4. Soil – Fill boxes with Mel’s Mix: 1/3 compost, 1/3 peat moss, 1/3 Coarse vermiculite, no worries about what contaminants old soil may have.
5. Grid – Make a square foot grid for the top of each box to organize garden for planting.
6. Care – Never walk on growing soil. Tend garden from aisles, pulling few weeds if any with fingers.
7. Select – Plant different herbs or vegetables using spacing of 1, 4, 9 or 16 plants per square foot.
8. Plant – Plant only a pinch (2 or 3 seeds) per hole. No waste.
9. Water – Best to hand water from a bucket of sun warmed water. Hose or drip system OK.
10. Harvest- After harvesting a square foot, add compost to replenish nutrients and replant with new and different crop.

Advantages of the SFG Method

• Saves space
• Saves water usage
• Strengthens communities
• Encourages children & families to garden for nutritious food
• Emphasizes the 3 Rs - Reduce, Reuse & Recycle
• Positively impacts climate change and sustainability
• Promotes healthy plant-based/animal-friendly lifestyle
• Perfect for community groups, restaurants, civic organizations, hospitals, veteran's groups, volunteer groups

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Advantages of the SFG Method continued

Advantages of the SFG Method continued

Family Gardening

Community involvement

Advantages of the SFG Method continued

Reduce water, waste, seeds

Reuse old building materials, re-plant squares

Recycle food scraps, compost

8 Steps of Building Your SFG

1. Planning your garden

2. Laying out a SFG

3. Building boxes and grids

4. Building box accessories

5. Creating Mel's Mix

6. Planting

7. Maintaining

8. Harvesting

1. Planning Your Garden

• Plan your boxes to provide the amount of produce you’ll likely need
• Tip: put taller plants on the north side of the box

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Chapter 3

2. Laying out a SFG

• Chapter 4 will teach you how to plan the shape and configuration of your SFG boxes and map out where they will be located in your yard or patio
• A simple 4’ x 4’ is recommended, but space or sunlight may determine an alternate shape

3. Building boxes and grids

• Chapter 5 provides instructions for not only the basic 4’ x 4’ box that is 6 inches deep but also a variety of other box shapes and sizes.
• Re-use old building materials to create your box!

4. Building Box Accessories

• Get the maximum productivity and convenience out of your SFG by adding trellises, protective covers, or other accessories
• Or, using a standard box with a grid is just fine as well

A top hat for root veggies

5. Creating Mel’s Mix

• One of the most important steps is creating a special growing medium
• Mel’s mix will last for 10 years with adding compost
• The mix is friable and soft, weed(s) easily removed by hand
• Increased water retention
• 1/3 compost, 1/3 peat moss, 1/3 coarse vermiculite

Chapter 7

5. Creating Mel’s Mix continued

Materials:

• Large tarp
• Particle mask for dust
• Shovel and rake
• 5-gallon bucket
• Compost (if using store bought, use at least 5 different kinds if possible)
• Coarse vermiculite
• Peat moss
• Wheelbarrow
• Water supply

5. Creating Mel’s Mix continued

Making Mel’s Mix:

1. Spread out a tarp and empty compost onto it
2. Drag to mix
3. Add peat moss, mist lightly with hose
4. Add coarse vermiculite – mix well
5. Transfer to garden box
6. Add your grid

6. Planting

• Chapter 8 will provide you all the details about planting practices used in SFG’ing
• No seeds are wasted
• Transplanted seedlings almost never fail to thrive in Mel’s Mix

6. Planting continued

• Divide your squares
• Think of plants in sizes of small, medium, large, and extra large
• SFG’ing uses the 1, 4, 9, 16 spacing rule

6. Planting continued

• 1 per square for extra-large crops such as broccoli, cabbage and peppers.
• 4 per square for large crops such as leaf lettuce, Swiss chard, or even flowers like marigolds.
• 9 per square for medium crops such as bush beans, spinach, or beets.
• 16 per square for small crops such as carrots, radishes, or onions.

7. Maintaining Your Garden

• Chapter 9 includes techniques for watering and weeding your SFG, as well as inspecting it and tending to any pest problems and diseases
• The only tools you need: a trowel, pencil, pair of scissors, and a small pruner

8. Harvesting Your Garden

• Chapter 10 will guide you through the harvesting process as your crops ripen
• The diverse planting pattern used in the SFG Method allows harvesting to occur all through the garden season

Connect with SFGF

www.squarefootgardening.org

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Email: info@squarefootgardening.org

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@squarefootgardening

Thank you and �happy gardening!