What is square foot gardening and how to make one?
Square Foot Gardening is the practice of dividing growing area of plants in a small square grid-like pattern in a raised bed or garden box. It was first popularized by Mel Bartholomew in his book “Square Foot Gardening.” Square foot gardening is space saving, efficient and useful for urban gardens. Following is the basic overview of how to make a square foot garden:
1.Make a Raised Bed: Build or buy a raised bed, it should be 4 ft by 4 ft, with a depth of around 6 to 12 inches.
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Add soil Mix: Fill the bed with a well-balanced soil mix, usually consisting of compost, peat moss, and vermiculite.
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Put Grid Layout: Divide the bed into a grid of 1 square foot using string or wooden slats. Each square foot is considered a separate planting area.
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Planting according to space: you can plant different crops in each square foot according to their size and spacing requirements.
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Succession Planting: Once one crop is harvested, to maximize space and productivity you can replant the square with a different crop.
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Regular maintenance: Regularly water the plants, remove weeds, and harvest as needed. The compact size of the bed makes it easier to manage and reduces the need for large-scale tools.