Square Foot Gardening For City of Carver Community Gardens 1 © 2021 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved. Agenda ▪ What is square foot gardening (SFG) ▪ Plan and layout your garden ▪ Plant Support Systems ▪ Maintaining your SFG ▪ Pest Mgmt strategies for SFG ▪ Harvesting and cleaning up your beds ▪ Q&A 2 © 2021 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved. What is square foot gardening? • 1’ x 1’ growing grid – plant in squares • Space efficient – plant densely, grow shallowly • Grow vertically • Mel’s mix not garden soil • No fertilization need • Limited seeds – rotate crops Photo credit: All New Square Foot Gardening 3 © 2021 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved. Planning and Layout - grid Photo credit :Squarefootgardening.org; : projectgrows.org 4 © 2021 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved. Planning & Layout - crops • Mapping your squares • Which vegetables in which square • How many vegetables in 1 square • All New Square Foot Gardening, 3rd edition by Mel Bartholomew Photo credit: vegetable-source-online.com 5 © 2021 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved. Planning & Layout - crops Plants Per Square 1 cabbage 4 bok choy 8 beans 16 scallions 1 broccoli 4 lettuce 9 spinach 16 carrots 1 cauliflower 4 swiss chard 9 turnips 16 beets 1 brussels sprout 4 celery 16 radishes 1 melon/2 squares 1 pepper 4 corn 16 chives 1 squash/2 squares 4 parsnips 8 sugar snap peas 16 onions 1 tomato/4 squares 6 © 2021 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved. Plant Support Systems Photo credit: Epicgardening.com : dengarden.com 7 © 2021 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved. Maintaining your square foot garden • Soil • Watering • Fertilizing • Weeding 8 © 2021 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved. Pest Management • SFG = Less pest than traditional gardening • Physical barrier (eg floating row cover) • Spray off with hose • Sticky traps • Insecticidal soap • Handpick • Disinfect tools • Keep your beds clean • https://apps.extension.umn.edu/garden/diagnose/insect/garden/ 9 © 2021 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved. 10 © 2021 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved. Examples of Physical Barrier Photo credit: https://extension.unh.edu/blog/using-row-covers-garden & squarefootgardening.org 11 © 2021 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved. Harvesting & End of Season • Judging ripeness – can happen quickly 5-10 weeks 0-5 weeks before frost before frost • Pluck, twist, cut – use the right tool Broccoli Lettuce • Replanting in Fall Cabbage Radishes • Cleaning out your bed Beets Carrots Lettuce Spinach © 2021 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved. The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer. This PowerPoint is available in alternative formats upon request at 612-624-1222. 12 © 2021 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved. Resources Yard & Garden Line: 952-466-5308 Email: [email protected] What is My Pest? https://apps.extension.umn.edu/garden/diagnose/insect/garden/ © 2021 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved. The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer. This PowerPoint is available in alternative formats upon request at 612-624-1222. 13 © 2021 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved..