As urban gardens become more popular, small space gardening to maximize efficiency in a small spaces is a hot topic. This approach is not only space-efficient but produces less waste while growing a variety of edible plants.
Learn more about how to bring a square foot garden to your backyard.
What Is a Square Foot Garden?
A square foot garden is a raised bed garden divided into squares for planting a large number of food crops in a small space. Coined by civil engineer and urban planner Mel Bartholomew in 1981, square foot gardens are only growing in popularity.
Traditional row-planted gardens tend to need a great deal of room, and often need large amounts of soil and various support structures, while the square foot garden makes use of a more condensed area. The raised beds of a square foot garden are also a good method for locations with poor quality soil, as fresh garden soil can be added at an appropriate depth for growing vegetables.
What to Grow in a Square Foot Garden
You can grow virtually anything in a square foot garden that you'd grow in a vegetable garden. To make maximum use of the raised beds, it's important to know how big your plants will get. Perennial vegetables such as rhubarb or asparagus may not be a good idea as they just keep increasing in size each year. Raspberries are also not a great idea because they tend to spread invasively, but strawberries are a good choice.
Some varieties of root vegetables grow much larger than others (such as fingerling potatoes compared to russets), so keep this in mind. Speaking of potatoes, they need a lot of space, so consider growing only "new" potatoes (which are harvested while small) or try them in adjacent containers.
Some plants, such as tomatoes, also need a lot of room for their roots, so these might also be better grown in separate containers. But if you decide to plant some tomatoes, plant them at the edge of the bed and create a vertical structure to support the fruits.
Tip
To maximize space, attach a trellis structure to your square foot garden for vining plants like beans, Malabar spinach, and smaller varieties of cucumbers or miniature melons. You could try growing summer squash this way also, but be sure to keep the leaves trimmed and harvest the squashes while they are small.
Planning a Square Foot Garden
When planning a square foot garden, you need to consider the size of your space, the type of soil, which plants, and the preferred layout of your garden.
What Size Is Best?
One common approach to square-foot gardening is to build 4' x 4' raised beds, but any size will work with this method. The important feature is using string, wire, or other materials to create a lattice or grid of one-foot square blocks to help you plant efficiently. For example, a 4' by 4' bed will have 16 squares for planting, while a 6' by 6' foot bed will have 36 of them. Obviously, the smaller bed is a bit easier to navigate, but do what works best for your location.
What Kind of Soil Is Best?
Raised beds are a blank slate, so choose a good quality garden soil. Your local nursery will have many options, from basic garden soil, to organic vegetable garden soil, to rich "black gold" soils (i.e., soils that are rich in organic materials). You can also mix amendments into your soil (compost, coffee, grounds, crushed eggshells). Potting soil is a bit thin for growing vegetables, but you can mix it with topsoil to improve drainage. A nutrient-rich, well-draining soil is best to help reduce weeds and allow food crops to flourish.
Tip
Be purposeful when choosing the type of wood you use for your raised garden bed. You want to make sure it's a wood that is safe to use when growing edible crops and flowers and that it's long lasting. Redwood and cedar are long lasting and rot-resistant. Railroad ties and other treated timbers can be harmful to vegetables and other edible crops, rendering them unsafe to eat.
Which Plants to Choose
You can grow any vegetables you wish, as long as they fit into the squares. Try more compact varieties that have words like "baby" or "dwarf" in the name. Keep in mind that cherry tomato plants can get huge. Spring onions, shallots or cipollinis work well. Pick greens when young and small, and harvest often. Herbs are also a great choice for the square foot garden and are happy growing side by side.
How to Space Plants
Some gardeners choose to place all one type of plant in one square foot garden bed (for example, all the greens in one bed). You can also mix different plants together in one bed, using principles of companion planting. Spacing is the main consideration; follow instructions and planting guides for the best results. One square foot may hold ten dwarf kale plants, four pepper plants or six red onions, but only one cauliflower, for example.
Consider Sun and Shade Placement
Since plants will be fairly close together, think about which ones will need the most sun, and which ones could grow with a bit of shade from other plants. For example, you want ample sun on your basil, but your lettuces might enjoy a cool bit of shade in the afternoon. Planting the lettuces so they are in the shade of your basil plants at that time of day ensures a good situation for both of them. There are many shade-tolerant vegetables to help you make the most of your space.
Consider Watering Needs
Different vegetables have different water needs, so this should be a consideration as you decide which plants to put next to each other. Even though your plants will be sharing the same bed, you can adjust the amounts of water they get. Think of the square foot garden sections as small micro-climates with different water needs. Some veggies with lower water needs include okra, zucchini, tomatoes, pole beans and Swiss chard. Cucumbers, spinach, broccoli, radishes, celery, onions, and carrots needs lots of water.
51 Beautiful Small Garden Ideas for Your Outdoor Space
Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
As an expert and enthusiast, I have personal experiences or beliefs, but I can provide you with information on the topic of square foot gardening. Square foot gardening is a popular approach to small space gardening that maximizes efficiency and minimizes waste. It involves creating raised bed gardens divided into squares for planting a large number of food crops in a small space. This method was coined by civil engineer and urban planner Mel Bartholomew in 1981 and has been growing in popularity ever since.
Square foot gardens offer several advantages over traditional row-planted gardens. They require less space and can make use of a more condensed area. Additionally, raised beds are a good option for locations with poor quality soil, as fresh garden soil can be added at an appropriate depth for growing vegetables.
You can grow a variety of edible plants in a square foot garden. However, it's important to consider the size of the plants and their growth habits. Perennial vegetables that increase in size each year, such as rhubarb or asparagus, may not be suitable for square foot gardens. Raspberries, which tend to spread invasively, are also not recommended. On the other hand, strawberries are a good choice. Some root vegetables, like fingerling potatoes, grow larger than others, so it's important to keep this in mind. Plants with extensive root systems, such as tomatoes, may be better grown in separate containers or at the edge of the bed with a vertical support structure.
When planning a square foot garden, you need to consider the size of your space, the type of soil, the preferred layout, and the plants you want to grow. Commonly, 4' x 4' raised beds are used, but any size can work as long as you create a lattice or grid of one-foot square blocks to help you plant efficiently. It's important to choose good quality garden soil, which can be obtained from local nurseries. You can also mix amendments like compost, coffee grounds, crushed eggshells, or topsoil to improve drainage and nutrient content.
In terms of plant spacing, you can choose to place all one type of plant in one square foot garden bed or mix different plants together using principles of companion planting. Spacing is a key consideration, and it's recommended to follow instructions and planting guides for the best results. Additionally, consider the sun and shade placement of your plants. Some plants may need more sun, while others may benefit from a bit of shade. You can also adjust the watering needs of different plants in the same bed by treating each square foot as a small micro-climate with varying water requirements.
I hope this information helps you understand the concept of square foot gardening and how to maximize efficiency in small spaces. If you have any more specific questions, feel free to ask!
