Square Foot Gardening 101

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Square Foot Gardening >>> Linna ‘The Locavore’ Ferguson www.foodscaper.com [email protected]

description

This is a presentation on Square Foot Gardening basics. My name is Linna Ferguson and I am a certified teacher for this method.

Transcript of Square Foot Gardening 101

Page 1: Square Foot Gardening 101

Square Foot Gardening >>>Linna ‘The Locavore’ Ferguson

[email protected]

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Why is food gardening important to you?

My name is Linna ‘the Locavore’ Ferguson. I am a mother of two, a wife, a friend, I work full time, and I raise my own food. I preserve my

harvest for the winter. I have appeared on the Emeril Green

show. I write for Examiner.com. I am a certified Square Foot Garden

Teacher.

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whowhatwhenwhy how&

So we are here to learn about the immensely popular Square Foot Gardening Method invented by Mel Bartholomew. Let’s use the five Ws to teach you its basics.

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WHAT is SFG, and WHY does it work?

Mel Bartholomew is the founder of this method and has many

books and tools to help you learn about this method.

www.squarefootgardening.com

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A backyard transformed- before

To get you inspired, here are some images of some SFG.

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A backyard transformed- after

How awesome is this?

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Versatility- patio boxes

You don’t even need a yard, this box is on legs! Making it easy for

all types of people.

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Create your own style

Make it your own! Add flare, add your style.

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/jordancooper/2854553375/http://www.flickr.com/photos/-po/302360126Booz | Allen | Hamilton

As big or as little as you want it to be

Did you know that the average home garden is 20 x 35 feet long

which equals 700 square feet? To grow the same amount with the

SFG method, you only need 20% of that area, 140 square feet.

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/jordancooper/2854553375/http://www.flickr.com/photos/-po/302360126Booz | Allen | Hamilton

They come in all shapes and sizes

A great patio garden.

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Garden even on the rooftop!

No yard, no deck, no problem! Rooftops work!

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Garden in some of the most unlikely places- Iraq

So with all these garden types and styles, we just answered out WHO

can SFG, ANYONE!

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http://www.etftrends.com

Now I have your attention...

SFG Top Ten

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STEP 0: Location

• Access to water

• 6-8 hours of

sunlight• Well drained

Location is a deal breaker. If you don’t have 6-8 hours of sunlight and access to water, you can’t

have any type of garden.

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STEP 1: Layout

• Think in squares,

not rows

• Have several

garden areas

Be creative, add your personal touch, make it your space, and you

will spend more time in it.

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STEP 2: Boxes

• Use a variety of

material

• No wider than 4

ft.• Only need 6 inch

depth

Boxes are neat and tidy, organizes your planting, and hold’s Mel’s

special soil mix.

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The basic SFG

The box can be 4 ‘ by anything… this size allows you to access all

part of the garden without stepping on your soil. Only need six inches of soil- so the box is not

very deep.

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Six inches … really!

It’s true. Only 6 inches to grow most all veggies, except things like

potatoes, long carrots, etc.

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Protect against critters

Box allows you to attach protective items to it to keep critters out.

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Garden all year round

Or add a hoop so you can garden in the fall and winter.

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STEP 3: Aisles

• Use a variety of

material

• No wider than 4

ft.• Only need 6 inch

depth

Important so you can enjoy moving around your garden.

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Grass aisles

Wide aisles here allow you to mow them.

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Be creative

Use what you have on hand.

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STEP 4: Soil

• Use a variety of

material

• No wider than 4

ft.• Only need 6 inch

depth

This topic could be a class by itself. Soil is your most important garden asset. With SFG, you make ‘near

perfect soil’.

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Building soil

1/3 vermiculite, 1/3 peat moss, 1/3 compost (use as many kinds as

you can, 5 recommended)

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Tools:

Pencil Trowelscissors

Essential tools

Only tools you MUST have are a trowel, pencil, and a pair of

scissors.

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STEP 5: Grid

• Must be permanent

• Must be permanent

• Must be permanent

If you don’t have grids, you don’t have a SFG.

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Harvest from one 4x4 box

• 1 head of cabbage

• 1 head of broccoli• 1 head of

cauliflower• 4 heads of

romaine• 4 heads of red

lettuce• 4 heads of salad

lettuce• 5 pounds sugar

snap peas

• 8 bunches of Swiss chard

• 9 bunches of spinach

• 16 small ball carrots

• 16 beets• 4 bunches beet

greens• 16 long carrots• 32 radishes

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STEP 6: Care &

Weeding

• Use weed barrier

• Easy to find

weeds• Care is a snap

Care is minimal as long as you are checking on your garden, looking

for pests, watering etc.

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In my (2) Square Foot Boxes:

•Cucumbers

•Tomatoes

•Onions

•Cantaloupe

•Parsley

•Dill

•Broccoli

•Marigolds

•Bush Beans

•Lettuce

•Spinach

•Pole Beans

•Scallions

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STEP 7: Grow

Vertically

• Maximize space

• Helps keep

healthy plants

Why? Why not! Saves space, grows healthy crops, and is very

cool!

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Grow up not out

Only certain types of crops can be grown up….tomatoes, cucumbers,

pole beans, melons, etc.

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STEP 8: Plant/Spacing

• Conserve seeds

• Using transplants

• Don’t forget the

pollinators!

Another essential concept, plant either 1, 4, 9, or 16 plants per

square, based on the space they need (see book for guidelines)

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STEP 9: Water

• Water by hand

• Be efficient

• Water only what

you need to

May seem tedious this way, but gets water where it needs to be.

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STEP 10: Harvest

• Garden all year

long• With each crop,

add compost

This is what you worked for, enjoy!

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As we conclude…. Isn’t this beautiful?!

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Simplify! Create positive first impression

Relate to target segments Provide top tasks up front

Resources - planning

Loudoun Locavoreshttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/Loudoun_locavores/ Kitchen Garden Planner

http://www.gardeners.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-Gardeners-Site/default/Link-Page?id=kgp_home

Planner Toolhttp://www.motherearthnews.com/garden-planner/vegetable-garden-planner.aspx

Examiner.comhttp://www.examiner.com/food-gardening-in-washington-dc/linna-ferguson

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Simplify! Create positive first impression

Relate to target segments Provide top tasks up front

Resources - seeds

www.superseeds.comwww.southernexposure.com

www.fedcoseeds.com/www.cooksgarden.com

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Where I am speaking next: Check www.chicamarun.com for details!

• SEED SWAP- Early March

• SFG- Mid March

• VERTICAL GARDENING WORKSHOP- Early April

• WILD HARVEST- late April

• SEED SPROUTING- TBD

Also provide demonstrations at the Purcellville Community Market- my appearances will be posted at

www.purcellvillecommunitymarket.com/

This presentation is located on SLIDESHARE:

http://www.slideshare.net/vafoodscaper/square-foot-gardening-101

For more information…

[email protected]

www.123foodgaardening.com

www.linnasgarden.blogspot.com

www.locavoreliving.ning.com

Booz | Allen | Hamilton

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This is who I am, this is what I do.