As spring is fast approaching, you will soon be ordering seeds and planning the garden for the growing season. You may want to consider nontraditional garden layouts such as square foot gardening. Square foot gardening divides the garden area into a grid and allows for maximum usage of space. By utilizing a grid system, you are planning for every plant in the garden; reducing seed usage and minimizing the thinning of plants. The density of the planting also creates a “living mulch” which reduces weeding and watering needs. They are low maintenance gardens that are perfect for a beginning gardener!
The basic steps of square foot gardening are simple, starting with a garden space with loose soil. If you are using a raised bed, a mix of compost, vermiculite or pearlite, and peat moss works best. You then divide your garden space into a square foot grid, planting each foot according to the number of plants you can plant per square foot. For example, one square foot can house sixteen carrot plants or five bean plants, but larger plants such as peppers use one square foot per plant. See recommended plant counts per square foot below:
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- Basil 4
- Beets 9
- Broccoli 1
- Cabbages 1
- Carrots 16
- Chards 4
- Cilantro 4
- Cucumber 1
- Eggplant 1
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| - Green beans 5
- Kale 1
- Lettuce 4
- Melons 1
- Mint 4
- Onion (larger) 9
- Oregano 4
- Parsley 4
- Peas 9
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- Peppers 1
- Potatoes 1
- Pumpkins 1
- Radish 16
- Spinach 9
- Squash 1
- Sweet potatoes 1
- Tomatoes 1
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Turnips 9
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Creating the grids is key, physical markers can be made out of string, wire, or thin pieces of wood. Once the grid is laid out, you can start planting! After all the plants are in the ground, technically the grid can be removed. However, many people find the visual aid helpful with weeding and knowing what plants are desirable vs. having to be removed. Having the squares also works well for succession planting; as soon as one crop is done it can be quickly replaced with a new crop in the same space.
Find more information on square foot gardening here: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/square_foot_gardening_a_formula_for_successful_intensive_gardening
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Click a link below to get more info about growing a theme garden:
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Something eating your plant? Need help identifying a tree? Interested in the best way to care for your lawn? Submit your questions online!
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| Kaitlin Bricco, Horticulture Educator |
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An EEO/AA employer, University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming, including Title VI, Title IX, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act requirements.
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