tips & tricks
A Grid for Success
Nothing distinguishes the SFG as vividly
as its grid. You know each box frame is
divided into equal 12x12-inch squares,
but don’t put your ruler down yet. Every
square is then further divided, without an
additional grid, based on the estimated
size and plant variety it will contain. For
example, one square can accommodate a
single tomato plant, or it can house four
strawberry, lettuce, or potato plants that
only require six inches of space between
them. That same square can be home
to nine bush beans or 16 evenly spaced
carrot, bunching onion, or radish plants.
Here’s a quick cheat when determining
strategic SFG plant spacing:
• Six inches apart: four plants per
square (two rows of two)
• Four inches apart: nine plants per
square (three rows of three)
• Three inches apart: 16 plants per
square (four rows of four)
You can typically place plants closer
together than the recommendations on
seed packets or seedling labels because
they won’t be competing for resources.
Overall height and bushiness at maturity
do matter, though. We’ll discuss this in
more detail in a moment.
This idea isn’t as revolutionary as it may
seem. Gardeners have been making tight
quarters more plant-friendly for centuries
with the creation of window boxes and
container gardens. This idea may also
resonate with indoor gardening enthusi-
asts who employ hydroponics and other
modern cultivation technologies to grow
more plants in smaller spaces.
The Location
Once assembled, a SFG can be posi-
tioned on any surface that drains well.
This includes lawn and unwelcoming
soil. Because the media provides all
the nutrients plants need to thrive, the
composition of the underlayment isn’t
very important. It is a good idea to put
down weed cloth as needed, though,
and to avoid placing a box frame where
its freight of plants will be in competi-
tion with tree roots. Other good garden-
ing principles apply as well, including
choosing a spot with eight to 12 hours
of light a day that’s out of the wind and
doesn’t become boggy after a rain.
Frame spacing is also a consideration.
Even though one of the big promises of
square foot gardening is its ability to
produce comparable yields in only
20 per cent of the space of a conventional
garden, maintenance and harvesting still
require access, which means creating
space around one or more box frames.
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grow cycle