Square Foot Gardening Thread

[NanaKat]

NanaKat,you have beautiful gardens!

Thank you...I love being outside.

Any one have experience with growing squashes in containers? I am thinking of trying 5 gallon buckets with pallets as trellises. Thoughts?

When we lived in town, I would grow bush squash, bush cucumbers, tomato, and lettuce/pepper in those 1/2 whisky barrels. I drilled a hole for drainage and set the pot up on four brick. Mixed 1/3 each: top soil, bagged processed manure and Miracle Grow. I stuck a short tomato cage in each container and picked great produce.

 

[baustin]

I have been using raised beds for years but didn't put the grids in. They work very well and since I live in the desert and the soil really isn't anything except decomposed granite I can have decent soil for growing. I have four raised beds with tomatoes, green beans, cucumbers, beets, carrots, lettuce and cabbage. I also do container gardening for the same reason using half whiskey barrels that are made from a composite and I grow cucumbers, eggplant and green peppers in them. I am able to cover them with bird netting which keeps them out so they won't eat the new seedlings as they sprout. The birds crave fresh greens in early spring around here since everything is so dry and brown after a cold winter.

 

[krcote]

Thanks NanaKat and baustin I will give it a whirl! Anyone got more photos of what you have growing now?

 

[baustin]

I'll take photos of my garden whenever this blasted wind dies down. Large containers do well for vegetables. Use potting mix, not potting soil (there is a difference) instead of regular garden soil and you should do well.

 

[Kassaundra]

I have recent pics but I don't square foot garden or even raised bed, do you still want me to post them?

 

[wyoDreamer]

If you are using potting mix in your containers, is there anything you do to keep the mix from blowing out?
I have been trying to grow plants in containers, but the potting mix keeps blowing away!
I end up with the poor plants sticking out of the ground 3 inches.

 

[Kassaundra]

If you are using potting mix in your containers, is there anything you do to keep the mix from blowing out?
I have been trying to grow plants in containers, but the potting mix keeps blowing away!
I end up with the poor plants sticking out of the ground 3 inches.

What about putting window screening over the dirt, just cut a hole out for the plant stems?

 

[wyoDreamer]

I never thought of window screening ... I bet that would work.
And if I fitted it correctly, it would possibly keep the critters from digging out the soil also.
I'll have to try that out, thanks for the suggestion.

 

[baustin]

I still like to see other peoples gardens whether they square foot garden or not. Screen is a good idea on keeping the potting mix in the pots. I use rocks or bits of aviary wire for mine but the screen would keep out the critters. The rabbits can't get to mine anymore as I've fenced them out but I still have ground squirrels and lizards and birds since I live in the desert.

 

[Kassaundra]

Here are a few pics from this week


Bell pepper close to being ready to pick


Beans, marigold, tomatoes, sweet potatoes


This will be the summer run for the chickens, it is to the east of the coop so it will be well shaded w/ the building and w/ the trellis I've put in. The chickie planting is sunflower, radish, turnip, collard, kale, greens, The human food is tomatoes, cukes, squash, malibar spinach, rattail radish, luffa.



Tomato, marigold, borage, pepper, sweet potato, melon, squash, beans


Won't be long now


Volunteer squash that is trying to take over the planet, it is over 20 feet long.


Asparagus I planted from seed. I think it looks so cute, like little mini me asparagus.



None is raised beds or square foot gardening, but it is non-conventional.