1. SQUARE FOOT
GARDENING FOUNDATION
Presented by
Carol Knepp
March 24, 2010
FOR MORE INFORMATION
www.squarefootgardening.com
or
Carol Knepp
kneppster@gmail.com

2. LOCATION
• Pick an area that gets 6-9 hours of sunshine
daily.
• Stay clear of trees/shrubs where
roots/shade may interfere.
• Have it close to the house for convenience
and protection.
• Existing soil is not really important. You
won’t be using it.
• Area must not puddle after a heavy rain.

4. The Ten Basics of
Square Foot Gardening
1. Layout 6. Care
2. Boxes 7. Select
3. Aisles 8. Plant
4. Soil 9. Water
5. Grid 10.Harvest

5. The Ten Basics of SFG
1 - LAYOUT
Think in Squares – Not in Rows
Average garden size
– 20’ X 35’=700 square feet
– To grow the same amount, a SFG only
needs 140 square feet to accomplish the
same

6. The Ten Basics of SFG
2 – BOXES
Build Square or Rectangular Boxes
to Hold a New Soil Mix Above Ground
»Wood
»Brick or Blocks
»Vinyl
»Stone
»Bamboo

7. HOW MANY BOXES?
• Start Small - One or Two Boxes
• One 4 X 4 Box
– Salad fixings for 1 person for the entire growing
season
• Second 4 X 4 Box
– Supply supper vegetables for 1-2 people for the
entire growing season
• Third 4 X 4 Box
– Supply vegetables for 1 person for storing,
preserving or giving away

8. ALL THAT IN ONE 4X4 BOX?
• 1 head of cabbage • 8 bunches of Swiss chard
• 1 head of broccoli • 9 bunches of spinach
• 1 head of cauliflower • 16 small ball carrots
• 4 heads of romaine • 16 beets
• 4 heads of red lettuce • 4 bunches beet greens
• 4 heads of salad lettuce • 16 long carrots
• 5 pounds sugar snap • 32 radishes
peas

9. BUILDING A BOX
• Need to hold the soil
– only 6 inches deep
• If deeper boxes
desired, use sand as
a filler with soil mix
in top 6 inches
• Square or rectangular
• Ground, patio, raised
• Stationary or
portable

11. WOOD BOX CONSTRUCTION

12. PYRAMID BOXES

13. PYRAMID DESIGNS

14. ADD WEED BARRIER
• Dig out
sod/weeds
• Add weed
barrier or
landscape
cloth
• Cardboard
• Wet it down

15. The Ten Basics of SFG
4 - SOIL
No need to worry
about existing soil -
it won’t be used!
Mel’s Mix:
1/3 peat moss
1/3 coarse
vermiculite
1/3 compost

16. EXISTING SOIL –
DOESN’T MATTER
• Mel’s Mix – make
one time only
• Boxes above ground
• Loose and friable
• All needed
nutrients
• 6-inches deep
enough

17. MEL’S MIX
• 1/3 Peat Moss
• 1/3 Coarse Vermiculite
• 1/3 Compost

18. Making Compost

19. The Ten Basics of SFG
5 - GRID
Square foot grid
for the top of
each box.
• Visualize
planting
spaces
• Prominent
• Makes your
garden
unique
• A must!!

20. Grids of many materials

21. The Ten Basics of SFG
7 - SELECT CROPS
• Grow what you like to eat
• Plant a different flower,
vegetable or herb crop in
each square foot
• Plant with the desired
harvest in mind
• Stagger the harvest
• Prevents over-planting
and waste

22. Spacing Per Square Foot
• 1, 4, 9, 16
• “Thin to” on
seed packets
• Saves seeds

28. COMPOST INGREDIENTS
• Any part of a plant – roots, leaves, flowers,
stems
• Animal manure (no meat-eating animals)
• Newspaper
• Rice, wheat or peanut hulls
• Weeds (don’t include weeds in this area, they are too hardy and
will spring up in your garden)
• Sawdust or wood shavings
• Hair
• Feathers

29. MORE COMPOST INGREDIENTS
• Residue from fruit
and vegetable
processing plants
• Grass clippings (dry
first), straw, hay
• Egg shells
• Shredded branches
and bark
• Leaves
• Old sod

30. DO NOT ADD
• Animal fat, bones, meat, skin
• Dairy Products
• Bread and baked goods
• Dog, cat or human manure
• Large, woody stems or branches

31. QUICK COMPOST
Remember the 4 M’s
• Mix
• Mash
• Moisten
• Move

32. FINISHED COMPOST
• No recognizable
ingredients
• Smells “earthy”
and rich
• Dark brown and
crumbly

33. COMPOST AMOUNTS
• The more variety of ingredients
– the more nutrients
• No more than 20% of one
ingredient in the pile
• Best compost made from many
(& mini) ingredients

34. DON’T WANT TO MAKE COMPOST?
• Purchase bags of at least 4-5 different
types of compost and mix it together.
• Read the ingredients

35. Perennials

37. MAKING A VERTICAL FRAME
• Electrical conduit
• Elbow Coupling
• Rebar
• Netting

38. PLACEMENT OF VERTICAL FRAME
• North side of
garden or box

40. HIGH RISE GARDENING
• Potatoes
• Long
carrots
• Leeks
• Add a
high-rise
box!

42. MAKE A FRAME

46. PROTECTION FROM CRITTERS
• Above ground
protection
• Cats, dogs,
squirrels,
rabbits, etc.
• Deer netting

53. Elderly
• Physical Limitations
• Fresh Air - Views
• Adds Interest – Outlook on Life
• Social Life

54. SQUARE FOOT
GARDENING FOUNDATION
FOR MORE INFORMATION
www.squarefootgardening.com
or
Carol Knepp
kneppster@gmail.com