Square Foot Garden
What side of yard should I have a garden? North South? Square Foot Garden?
I have a 4×8′ garden in my small backyard, but would like to add more raised boxes. Thinking of 2×4′ sections along edges of the fence. Should I plant on the North or South side? Can’t remember if better to get morning or evening sun. Will veggies grow if against 5′ vinyl fence? Not sure if would get enough sun, but the only other place to plant would be right in the center of the backyard and I can picture the dog running right through it.
I live in DFW area, in Texas.
Planting in a small area can be challenging, but with proper planning it can be quite rewarding. I tend to think along the lines of east/west versus north/south. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, so this can help you get that important morning sun on all of your crops. As the sun sets it will become cooler and your plants can prepare for the evening. Your crop selection is important here too. If you plant tall plants towards the east they will get all the sun and block out everything else. Putting the tall ones a bit west allows everything to get morning sun, but shades the smaller ones in the hot parts of the day (which is better.) This is one of the points made in companion planting. Companion planting techniques try to put plants together that work well with one another. This is very good in small spaces like yours. For shady areas, put in shade loving herbs like mint, oregano, parsley, etc. Make every inch count. You can grow cucumbers, various beans, and even melons along your fence line as long as you get enough sun there. You may have to make a simple trellis though. If you can do this (plenty of sun), you will have an awesome space saver! Should you have to do something to the center of the yard, put a fence around your garden plot. I have seen very elaborate fences or very economical ones make from poles and chicken wire. There is also a variety of plants you can put in that can deter pets from coming in. I hope you can see from this, that you really do have a lot of options. Just plan well! I will give you a couple of links that I think you would find of great use. Good Luck and Happy Gardening!
Here are those links to get your mind clicking on your garden!
http://www.helpfulgardener.com/vegetable/2003/vegetable.html
http://garden.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Planning_a_Vegetable_Garden
Square Foot Garden
Gardening In Small Spaces
Tips for Growing Plants Indoors
While many people are intrigued with the idea of growing some of their own food, not everyone has the outdoor space to plant an extensive backyard garden. In this situation, are you just stuck with ho-hum grocery store offerings, or shelling out the money to shop the local produce stand? Or, is there a way to make gardening successful with only a small area to work with?
People have been growing plants for ages, even when they had very little to work with. The best news for apartment dwellers and renters alike is that there are many strategies that make it possible to successfully garden in a small space.
Many people use a small greenhouse or growing rack to grow in, and it works incredibly well. Even if you have only a minimal deck area, you can grow a decent amount of produce. Many plants are also able to fruit without ever being placed outside. Plants like Tomatoes, peas, and lettuce are ideal for growing in an indoor area, for example.
Most people who grow in a small area use one of two strategies:
Either planting in pots or small garden containers, or utilizing an intensive growing method like square foot gardening. Almost anything can be grown in a pot, as long as you plan for adequate support. Vining plants like melons and cucumbers can be trained to grow upwards, conserving ground space even further.
The size of your container or pot will vary depending on the needs of your plants, but a moderately sized planter should accommodate most garden varieties.
- For a intensive garden, such as a square foot design, the same considerations should be looked at, except that you will be growing more crops in the same area.
- A standard square foot garden is 4 foot by 4 foot and features 16 growing cells. This can be placed on a deck or even on the roof of a building.
- A depth of about 4 inches is ideal, unless you are growing root crops like carrots or potatoes
About the Author
Whitney Segura is an expert gardener and author at the Garden of Articles, high quality Article Directory that covers many topics and subjects of general interest.
How do you calculate the square feet of a 10 foot garden circle that needs 2 inches mulch in it?
I’m starting to make beds for spring planting and cannot remember how to calculate the square foot of a circle esp. when I have to take into consideration the two inches of mulch needed.
thank you,
area of circle pi x radius^2
3.14 x 5^2
3.14 x 25
78.5 sqft
Volume of mulch
area x height
78.5 sqft x .16667ft
13.08 cuft
More Square Foot Gardening with Mel