Square Foot Gardening • Presented by Sandra Cook • U.R.I. Master Gardener, Class of 2008 • Certified Square Foot Garden Instructor
Cooperative Extension Fun Fact Questions 1. The Cooperative Extension System is part of which branch of the government ? 2. When was the Extension system founded? 3.Who was president when the extension system was founded ? 4.What wartime garden program did the extension system help develop? Questions Compliments of Square Foot Gardening With Kids
What is Square Foot Gardening? • A method of gardening developed by Mel Bartholomew. • Uses raised beds divided into square feet by grids. ( It is not a square foot garden without grids) • “No work, No weeds, No worries!” Mel Bartholomew
Compared to a conventional single- row garden: • Grow 100% of the harvest • 20% of the space • 10% of the water • 5% of the seeds • 2% of the work • 0% of the weeds
All The Tools You Need 1.Trowel 2.Scissors 3. Pencil 4. Water Bucket
The Ten Steps To Square Foot Gardening
1.Layout/Location ❖ 6-8 hours of sun ❖ Close to house ❖ Away from trees and shrubs (roots/shade can interfere) ❖ No puddles ❖ Think in squares not rows
2. Boxes ❖ Ground Level ❖ Elevated Size 4x4 adults 3x3 kids 6-12 inches deep
3. Aisles • 3 feet spacing between boxes allows for mobility and accessibility.
Mel’s Mix 4. SOIL 1/3 Vermiculite 1/3 Compost Blend 1/3 Peat Moss or Coir
LOOSE WORKABLE NUTRITIOUS
Mix and Blend
5. Without a Grid it isn’t a Square Foot Garden
6. Care ❖ Never walk on soil. ❖ Garden from aisles
7.Select 1-4-9-16 Number of plants in each square. Based on what you want to plant . Plan what you want to grow. No thinning, no wasting seeds.
Dividing Your Squares 1-4-9-16 Depending on What You Want to Plant
Think of Plants like Shirt Sizes Extra large= 1 plant per Medium=9 per square square Large=4 plants per square Small=16 per square
8. PLANT ❖ 2-3 seeds per hole ❖ After seeds germinate, leave strongest seedling. Cut any other seedlings to ground with your scissors.
Don ’ t Forget the Pollinators Add Flowers to Your Square Foot Garden
9.Water ✓ Keep a bucket of sun-warmed water in the garden. ✓ Water by hand. ✓ Water at bottom of plant. ✓ Encourages you to get to know your plants.
Watering Options
GROW UP!!! (always on the north side) Allow 1 foot across for beans etc., 2 feet across for squash
After harvesting a Square Foot Add compost and replant with a new and different crop.
Make Your Own
Square Foot Garden to Table ✓ One 4x4 box will provide an adult with a salad everyday of the growing season. ✓ Two boxes will provide daily dinner vegetables for that person. ✓ Three boxes will provide extra to preserve.
ALL THAT IN ONE 4X4 BOX? • 8 bunches of Swiss • 1 head of cabbage chard • 1 head of broccoli • 9 bunches of spinach • 1 head of cauliflower • 16 small ball carrots • 4 heads of romaine • 16 beets • 4 heads of red lettuce • 4 bunches beet greens • 4 heads of salad lettuce • 16 long carrots • 5 pounds sugar snap • 32 radishes peas
10.Enjoy The Harvest!
Critter Control
Mel’s Mission Mel Bartholomew founded the Square Foot Gardening Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit in 1996 to pursue the mission of solving world hunger by teaching people around the globe how to grow enough food for themselves and their families, with limited resources, expertise, time and effort.
Square Foot Gardening With Kids “A Square Yard in the Schoolyard” STUDENTS LEARN: 1998-Utah State Board MATH of Education, “We’ll HISTORY take a garden for every SCIENCE single grammar school in ART the state of Utah.” ECOLOGY 1999-2001-Every CONSERVATION grammar school in Utah HEALTH AND has a Square Yard WELLNESS garden. Lesson plan for NUTRITION teachers and students written by Mel Botany Bartholomew at request A student helps to plan our garden using a square foot grid map of school board. on chart paper.
Square Meter Gardening An International Adaptation of the Square Foot Gardening Method Africa San Salvador Guatemala Mexico India Nepal Australia
U.R.I. RN to BSN Diversity Class Project
Roger Williams Park Community Garden Seed to Table Program
Happy Spring !!!!!!
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