This method has helped people of a broad range of ages, gardening experiences, and physical abilities grow their own vegetables and herbs, explains Kim Roman, a square foot gardening certified instructor and author of How To Garden Indoors & Grow Your Own Food Year Round. “[Starting a square foot garden] is an easy way to get the most productivity from a given amount of space,” says Margaret Mishra, garden expert and creator of The Gardening Me. Novice and experienced planters can both benefit from creating one, especially if they want to grow plenty of vegetables in a limited space while maintaining an organized garden. If you’re wondering what differentiates this style of garden from growing rows directly in the ground, Roman explains that it basically eliminates the need to rototill, or turn and break up the soil, thereby reducing the amount of manual labor required. “Compared to a single row garden where you must rototill a large area every year or two, square foot gardening gives you 100% of the harvest using only 20% of the space, 10% of the water, 5% of the seeds, about 2% of the work, and virtually no weeds,” she says. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t include these plants in your SFG. You’ll just have to get creative with how you place them. “Supporting the taller and/or vining plants by adding a vertical trellis and using ties to help them climb will really keep things tidy and maximize the space,” says Ro. Roman adds that popular plants like spaghetti squash and vining tomatoes can be grown using this method. “If you can walk all the way around the bed, it can be a maximum of 4 feet wide so you can access the center of the bed from any side,” Roman adds. However, there are exceptions! It’s important to consider the needs and heights of the people who will be tending your garden. “If you’re a petite adult, or creating a bed for a child, your reach is probably 18 inches, so you’d make the bed no wider than 3 feet,” says Roman. To mix up this combination (named after the creator of the method), you’ll need one-third by volume of fluffed peat moss (or coco coir/fiber), one-third coarse vermiculite, and one-third of a good blended compost. You can also buy a premade mix online. Since you’ll need a fair amount of mix to fill your containers, this step can be pricey. However, once your mix is down you won’t need to replace it for years (more on that below). From there, all that’s left is to start your seeds. “If you’re eating the leaf, you can get away with four to six hours of full sun,” Ro gives as a general rule of thumb. “If you are eating the ‘fruit’ you’re going to want eight or more hours of full sun. ‘Fruit’ here refers to anything that flowered and you’re eating the pollinated result.” Some plants can do with more or less sun so it’s a good idea to plan out your SFG and know what the preferences of your plants are. “Always check the plant label or seed packet to see how much sun each crop needs,” says Roman. “Group all full-sun or partial-shade crops in separate raised bed locations.” But if making Mel’s Mix isn’t possible or you prefer one less thing to do, Jo Ellen Meyers-Sharp, gardening coach and creator of Hoosiergardener, suggests, “Get a good planter’s mix from a landscape supply company; a planter’s mix has soil, compost, and other organic matter.” “If the soil about 1 inch below the surface is dry, then the bed needs watering,” says Mishra. If you’re curious how often this may be, Ro explains, “Loosely, you will most likely need to water deeply one to two times a week and top off the beds every couple of days.” The only time that light, shallow watering is best is when you have just planted seeds and you’re waiting for them to germinate. Then, you’ll need to water one to two times per day until seeds sprout, says Mishra. When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time in her garden, experimenting with ingredients in the kitchen, or spending time by the ocean. See her portfolio on her website.
