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What are your plans for this year? Got my first seed catalog in the mail today.
So, last fall was my first SFG gardening attempt. I'm in East Tennessee, using zone 6 & 7 as my guides - I suspect climate change is warming us up. I have to say, it was the most productive planting I ever did, with no disease and no bugs. Might be different with a whole 3 seasons.
I did 2 ft wide beds, as the area I can plant is steep hillside, facing due south. I made the beds angled, taller in the front than the back, so they would be level when filled with the soil mix. This allows me to work from the downhill side of the beds so I don't have to bend as much.
-1 bed, 2x8, with 3 blueberries, and about a dozen strawberries scattered between them. I covered with some pine straw mulch in the fall. I might cover with a deeper layer this week, as we coming in to the coldest months now.
-1 bed, 2x6, that I planted with carrots, lettuce, 4 broccoli, and a couple of spinach. There are a few side shoots of the broccoli still going, and several of the carrots hiding among the big broccoli leaves. The spinach is still going, too. I plan to harvest everything and pull up all the remains next week, and mulch with some old straw for the rest of the winter.
-1 bed, 2x2, that I planted with sugar snap peas, basil, and parsley. I waited too late for the peas, and didn't get much - I covered them several times, but the first hard frost got them while they were still flowering. I haven't cleared out the bed yet, but plan on doing so this week, and mulching.
I also have 1 bed, 2x8, that I built, but didn't fill and use yet. Since I want to rotate crops, I think I want/need 1 more 2x8 bed, and 2 more 2x2 beds. That will give me 3 years before I do the original crops again. Or, maybe that is overkill, and not needed in SFG method.
Since I only did fall crops last year, I am looking at what things to plant for spring, summer, and fall this year.
My garden was a dismal failure last year, but this year I'm adding a lot more peatmoss to the soil and making a sprinkling system on a timer.
I believe uneven watering, mixed with soil that was too fast draining was to blame for my lack of success.
Also, I'll be starting my seeds pretty soon. Last year I didn't start them early enough.
All I really care about is some good tomatoes, and I'll plant more herbs this year.
My SFG is 6x6.
I am thinking about rain barrels this year. Since my house is at the top of the hill, and the garden starts about 8 feet lower than the foundation. I think I have enough slope to be able to run hose, and lay out soaker hoses in the beds and have it actually work. I plan to have a connection for the hose towards the top and keep the connection open in the rain barrel when it rains. then I have a full rain barrel, and any over goes directly into the beds. My raised beds are about 18 to 24 inches deep, so they would drain well, and I read somewhere that you can 'store' a lot more water in the bed than you can store in a rain barrel. I have the details somewhere on this computer, just have to find them.
Right now I'm trying to lay out my plan for succession planting, companion planting, and crop rotation for the beds.
1. How deep does a raised bed need to be? I have a 4 (maybe 5 foot) long area by 2 feet wide in our townhouse.
2. Is rabbit manure good for a garden....square foot garden? If so how would I use them? We have 2 rabbits (a smaller and a larger 15 lbs. or larger one) so fresh manure comes by the pounds in matter of days. Obviously I can't be throwing out rabbit droppings day after day, but how would I do this if I could. Sprinkle some every once in awhile?
Packer, have you read the square foot gardening book yet? They suggest a mix of vermiculite, peat, and several different types of compost for the bed. Or, if you can do your own composting, you can use that with the peat and vermiculite. The beds only need to be about 6 inches deep. A 4x2 bed would produce quite a bit of veggies.
If you were located nearby, I would love to get some rabbit manure from you to add to my compost. (I'm in east TN if you happen to be close!) Cow, horse, chicken, sheep, goat, rabbit... are all good, but most have to be composted or they can be too 'hot' to use directly. Dog & cat manure should be avoided, tho. Composting a whole 'nother topic!
1. How deep does a raised bed need to be? I have a 4 (maybe 5 foot) long area by 2 feet wide in our townhouse.
2. Is rabbit manure good for a garden....square foot garden? If so how would I use them? We have 2 rabbits (a smaller and a larger 15 lbs. or larger one) so fresh manure comes by the pounds in matter of days. Obviously I can't be throwing out rabbit droppings day after day, but how would I do this if I could. Sprinkle some every once in awhile?
I have heard that any non meat eating animal manure is fine for your garden. Now, if I could only get my cat to stop pooping in mine it would be super.
1. How deep does a raised bed need to be? I have a 4 (maybe 5 foot) long area by 2 feet wide in our townhouse.
2. Is rabbit manure good for a garden....square foot garden? If so how would I use them? We have 2 rabbits (a smaller and a larger 15 lbs. or larger one) so fresh manure comes by the pounds in matter of days. Obviously I can't be throwing out rabbit droppings day after day, but how would I do this if I could. Sprinkle some every once in awhile?
lucky you....rabbit manure is awesome for your garden! When cleaning out the rabbit hutch, I buried the straw and droppings in holes dug throughout my garden, about two shovelfulls of dirt removed, replaced with the straw/droppings, and covered with the dirt. It broke down very quickly and my garden went from dry hardpan to black, loose loamy soil by the second season.
Alternatively, you could compost your bedding and droppings in a compost pile, and spread it throughout your garden when it is broken down.
I am in the process of rebuilding my 4x4 sfg. I started two growing seasons ago with untreated pine as the frame. I didn't want to spend the big bucks on cedar or cypress only to find out my green thumb doesn't extend to outdoor vegetables.
I was cleaning out the soil last week, looking for grubs to remove and to inspect the wood frame. Rotten to the core with ant colonies so I decided to try concrete blocks.
I put together my 4x4 yesterday with concrete block with caps. I lined it with weed block. I put the soil back in and added more compost.
Now, I am trying to figure out how I want to mark off the 1x1 squares. I am thinking maybe hooks into the caps and stringing jute or some poly fiber.
Last edited by Mary Ann789; 01-27-2013 at 03:43 AM..
Reason: spelling
We just moved to South central Florida near the Atlantic coast and I want to set up a small vege garden. Is anyone on the forum from this area that can give me specifics. I am near 70 and don't want something that is too difficult to maintain with a bad back. Any help or guidance would be appreciated.
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with ant colonies so I decided to try concrete blocks.
Square Foot Gardening in South Florida
