Square-Foot Gardening for Beginners
Square foot gardening for beginners is an excellent option for anyone that is short on space. Not only does it help you to grow more in a smaller area, this set up is also easier to take care of. Get tips on how to set one up, what you can do to prep the soil, and a planting guide that will help you to make the most of each bed.
How to Start a Backyard Garden with just a few raised beds and a little planning. Grow enough produce in your backyard garden to feed your entire family.
When I started gardening, I had a huge plot full of long rows that seemed to go on for days. t was significant and required a lot of work, and after just a few months, it became completely overwhelming.
After learning about square foot gardening, I transformed my huge garden into smaller beds where I was able to plant more in a much smaller space.
This compact setup meant less work for a bigger yield. Less weeding, less disease, and a bigger, healthier harvest. Less work for more tomatoes? Count me in!
But what exactly is square foot gardening and where did it come from? And why is it a popular choice for gardeners?
Let’s look at a little history first.
What is Square Foot Gardening?
Square foot gardening is a type of gardening that uses companion planting to get the biggest harvest out of the smallest space. It got its start in 1981 as a concept developed by Mel Bartholomew, a civil engineer and hobby gardener, who started a new movement with his book Square Foot Gardening.
He brought attention to the fact that the common gardening methods of single-row gardening weren’t as productive as they could be. Using his skills as a city designer and planner, he came up with the idea of square foot gardening, growing a bigger harvest in a smaller space.
His concept caught on around the world, and gardeners everywhere were excited about growing more food in compact areas. It not only helped people improve their well-being with more healthy produce, but it also helped populations around the world grow enough food to feed their communities.
These concepts are still relevant even today and are used all over. It’s a space-saving approach, produces a more considerable amount of produce, cuts down on gardening chores, and bonus….it’s easy to learn.
Want a garden that’s easy to maintain and looks amazing? Check out this post on Raised Bed Gardening for Beginners.
Square Foot Gardening Today
Square foot gardening is still very popular, and in fact, it’s an excellent way for many people to grow vegetables. It’s especially useful for those who live in urban areas or have limited space.
The basic idea of square foot gardening is simple: instead of planting in rows, gardeners divide their gardens into sections that are small enough to be worked on from one side only. These sections can be any size, but 1-foot by 1-foot squares seem to be a good size to work with.
Each section has a set number of plants placed within each square, depending on the size of the plant.
Square Foot Gardening is Easier to Care For
Because of the smaller size of each section, square foot gardening is much easier to maintain and care for. Tasks like weeding, watering, and harvesting can all be done from one side without disturbing or stepping on other plants.
This method also helps with pest control as fewer weeds mean fewer hiding places for pests. By using mulch and incorporating companion planting, gardeners can naturally deter pests without using harmful chemicals.
Square Foot Gardening for Beginners
If you’re just starting out, this gardening method is easy to learn and will help you get the biggest and best results from your garden. And because it’s a smaller garden plan, you can put it almost anywhere.
Raised Beds
A raised bed is simply a framed-in area that sits on top of the soil. Or, in some cases, your patio or balcony. It does not require digging into the ground and can be placed anywhere as long as it will receive plenty of light.
Best Size
For square foot gardening, we like to use a setup that is 4’ wide and 8’ long. We find this size is easy to take care of and allows for plenty of planting space.
Keeping your bed 4 feet wide allows you to easily reach all areas from any side. One of the things about square foot gardening is the newly added soil is quite soft, and stepping in to reach the middle is probably not the best option.
It is best to keep it at a size that you know you can reach without having to go into the bed itself.
If you are short on space, you can make smaller beds, allowing you to tuck them in where you have the room to grow.
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Boarder Materials
A raised bed does not need to have a wooden frame, you can use any materials you have.
- Rocks
- Cinder blocks
- Logs or large branches that are bundled together
Be sure that whatever you use, it is secure and will stand up to many years of gardening.
How Deep
Raised beds can also be any depth but we finde 8 inches to be a good starting point. For us we like things to be easier and having an 8″ side allows us to sit and tend the garden more easily.
You can start out low, and later on, if needed, you can easily make the bed deeper by building the sides higher. At first, your plants will grow in the added soil of the bed, but as time goes on, the ground below will become soil for your roots to use.
Buying a Raised Bed
If you’re buying a raised bed that is ready-made like this one, you can expect to pay around $100, give or take. Buying over building will allow you to jump start the growing the season.
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Your Square Foot Garden Plan
As mentioned earlier, your key to success lies in planning. A square foot garden won’t succeed if you don’t take the time to plan it well in advance.
1. Find Your Space
Where will you place your garden? It’s important to decide this first because once you put it in place, fill it with soil, and start growing, it will become impossible to move. Not sure? Here are a few tips.
- Choose a spot that gets plenty of sunlight each day, 8-10 hours is preferred.
- Make sure the ground is level. If necessary, you may need to level your selected area with a little fill dirt.
- Choose an area away from woods where rabbits and other animals can easily access your plants.
- Consider where your water is. Hauling water every day will quickly kill your love of gardening, so if you can place it close to a hose, you will be thankful later on. If this is not an option, consider investing in a water barrel to harvest rainwater near to your beds.
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2. Set up Your Raised Bed
Building your own bed is really quite easy but if you chose to purchase a kit be sure to do order things in enough time to plant when your zone states is the best time to do so.
If you are not sure of your planting dates, you can find your zone information here.
When building your raised beds, consider the depth you’ll need in advance for any plants with a deeper root system or growing any root vegetable such as potatoes. The deeper the roots, the more soil you will need to add to the bed itself.
Once you have your raised bed frame set in place, you will want to prepare it by lining it with a weed barrier. What you use is up to you. For some, a commercial barrier, such as landscaping fabric may be a good option; for others, a compostable material is best, especially if you want to eventually use the ground below the bed for root growth. ,
3. Fill with soil
The soil you place in your raised bed will be the soil your plants grow in, so be thoughtful in what you use.
Fill it with nutrient-rich potting soil which is part peat moss, compost, and vermiculite. To reduce weeds, you can use weed-free soil; it’s a little more expensive but worth it in the end.
You can cut costs a bit by filling first with organic materials such as small twigs, brown leaves, cut grass, or straw. We like to add about 4-6 inches of organic materials and lay about 4 inches of planting soil on top of that.
SLCG PRO TIP: Buying bags of organic soil can be quite expensive. A good tip is to call your local landscaping company and see if they have an option to purchase this soil by the yard. They usually deliver it to you and dump it wherever you need it, even next to your garden.
4. Lay Out Your Grid
You’ll want to lay out a square foot grid over your soil to help you plant with the proper spacing.
- String or rope
- Strips of wood
- Metal fencing
Measuring from top to bottom, lay your grid at each one-foot mark, then do the same from left to right. This should leave you with 32 squares in a 4’x8’ bed and 16 squares in a 4’x4’ bed.
How much garden do you need?
If you are just planting for yourself, one bed is enough to grow a variety of vegetables you can enjoy throughout the summer. In some cases, you may need more, and how much will depend on a few factors.
- How many people you’re feeding
- What you plan to grow
- How much you want to preserve
If you plan to feed a family of four, you should plan on planting 2-3 large beds to start; this will allow you plenty of space to test out how much produce you can grow and if it’s enough.
Remember, over time, you can always add another bed or two each year if you find you need it.
What you plant depends on what your family likes, but you can grow anything in a square foot garden, including vegetables, herbs, and even fruit. Remember that each plant grows within one grid, keeping the garden neat and tidy.
Your 4’x8’ Square Foot Garden Plan
Use this list of vegetables to know what you can plant and grow in each square. Be sure to plant larger plants like tomatoes in an area that will not shade out smaller plants from the sun.
One Plant Per Square
- Celery
- Corn
- Eggplant
- Kale and Lettuce (head)
- Oregano
- Parsley
- Peppers
- Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes
- Rosemary
- Tomatoes (with stake or cage)
- Broccoli
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
Two Plants Per Square
Since most of these plants are vining, be sure to keep them to the outside allowing space for the vines to grow.
- Cantaloupe
- Cucumbers
- Watermelons
- Winter Squash
Two to Four Plants Per Square
- Basil
- Garlic
- Lettuce (leaf)
- Onions
- Radishes
- Summer Squash (with cage)
- Tomatoes (with cage)
- Zucchini (with cage)
Up to Eight Plants Per Square
- Green Beans
- Beets
- Peas
- Spinach
Up to Sixteen Plants Per Square
Stagger your planting to keep the harvest coming for the plants listed below.
Companion Planting
The basis of square foot gardening is that it also incorporates companion gardening; a method where some plants, when planted together, help each grow. Not all plants work well together though and some may do more harm than good.
It’s important that you plant vegetables together that have similar light and water requirements and don’t overcrowd each other.
You can grab our Vegetable Companion Planting Chart for more tips.
Planning is Key
Take the time to plan your garden before you plant. Keep notes each year of what you planted where, how things grew, and your overall harvest numbers. This information will help you to improve your garden year over year.
- Decide what vegetables you want to grow and how much space they need. Know what plants grow well with others and incorporate that into your plan.
- Draw out your square foot garden plan on paper so you can think about where your plants need to be and how much space they need before you lay seeds.
- Consider how long it takes for each plant to grow before it can be harvested and how often you’ll want to harvest. For instance, if you want to have lettuce always available, you’ll probably want to space out your planting by a week or two so that it grows at different speeds.
- Finish by making a timeline of what needs to be done and when. This can be helpful, allowing you to enjoy the process rather than feeling overwhelmed by it.
Planting Your Square Foot Garden
After you’ve planned your garden, found the right spot for it, built your raised bed, and prepared your soil, you’re ready to plant.
Step #1. First, create a hole for each seed within each square based on your plan. You don’t need to dig deep; you can create a small hole with your finger or by lifting a little dirt out with a trowel.
Make sure the holes are set up equally distanced from each other in a grid-like format within each square. This allows your plants to have all the room they need to grow.
Step #2. Next, plant two to three seeds of each plant in each hole, then cover them with soil.
Step #3. Finally, give your garden a good watering. Your soil should be damp, but not overwatered. If you have puddles of water on top, you’ve watered too much. Allow the soil time to soak in the water.
Keep your garden regularly watered and watch it grow. Once your plants start to sprout, look for the strongest looking seedling in each group, and pull the other so that your plants won’t be overcrowded and have all the room they need.
Planting extra seeds ensures that you’ll give your plants the best chance possible. Some seeds may not sprout and others won’t grow well. Planting more than one then removing the extras means that you’ll have healthy plants growing sooner without having to replant.
Benefits of Square Foot Gardening
Square foot gardening has many benefits making it one of our preferred ways to grow our food.
- You can grow as much food in a small space as you could with traditional single-row planting.
- It’s compact and easy to tuck into a spot in your yard. The size is usually a 4×8 raised garden bed, but if you are short on space, you could even use a 4×4 raised bed.
- You don’t need a big yard or even a raised bed for that matter, you can easily plant your garden on your balcony, patio, or a small corner of your yard.
- With the right setup, you won’t need to weed. BONUS!
- It’s less work, and because it’s a raised bed, there’s less strain on your body.
- It won’t damage your yard, and you can grow a beautiful garden even if you don’t have good soil in your yard.
- It’s so easy that even beginner gardeners can master it.
- You’ll save money and improve your health by growing your own healthy produce.
The idea behind square foot gardening is simple . . . plant certain vegetables in specific amounts inside each square foot of your garden. This maximizes the nutrients of the space but still allows each plant the space it needs and the compactness of the garden crowds out the weeds. (My favorite part!)
Square foot gardening is perfect for beginners. It’s easy to set up, quick to plant each spring, yields a nice harvest in a small space, and requires less maintenance than other gardening methods.
With just two to three beds, you can grow enough produce to feed your family and feel better about knowing exactly where your produce comes from.
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