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Growing Guides

Square Foot Gardening

This is an approach to growing food that incorporates companion
planting, intensive spacing, and getting the most food possible out of a small space.

It all started in 1981 as a concept developed and coined by civil engineer Mel Bartholomew. Careful planning can have a huge impact on how much food you grow, and how much waste you can avoid.

How many plants?

1 per square: Celery, Corn, Aubergine, Kale, Lettuce (head), Okra,
Oregano, Parsley, Peppers, Potatoes, Rosemary, Sweet potatoes,
Tomatoes (staked)

2 per square: Cantaloupe, Cucumbers, Pumpkins, Watermelons, Winter squash

(Up to) 4 per square: basil, garlic (for growing larger bulbs), kohl rabi, leeks (for growing larger plants), lettuce (leaf), onions (for growing larger bulbs), winter radishes, swede, summer squash (with climbing frame), Swiss chard, tomatoes (with frame), zucchini (with frame)

(Up to) 8 or 9 per square: green beans (bush or pole), beetroot, coriander, leeks (smaller but more plants), peas, spinach, turnips

(Up to) 16-per-square plantings: carrots, parsnips, radishes

(Up to) 2-Per-4 plantings: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower

Things to bear in mind:
* Crop Rotation
* Plant height and spread
* Diversity – the more variety of plants the more benefits for us, the plants and the soil!
* Successional sowing: think about time to crop and what’s going in next. Does it work well with the plants next to it?

Downloadable PDF guide with template