Square Foot Gardening. Presented by Sandra Cook U.R.I. Master Gardener, Class of 2008 Certified Square Foot Garden Instructor

Transcription

1 Square Foot Gardening Presented by Sandra Cook U.R.I. Master Gardener, Class of 2008 Certified Square Foot Garden Instructor

2 Cooperative Extension Fun Fact Questions 1. The Cooperative Extension System is part of which branch of the government? 2. When was the Extension system founded? 3.Who was president when the extension system was founded? 4.What wartime garden program did the extension system help develop? Questions Compliments of Square Foot Gardening With Kids

3 What is Square Foot Gardening? A method of gardening developed by Mel Bartholomew. Uses raised beds divided into square feet by grids. ( It is not a square foot garden without grids) No work, No weeds, No worries! Mel Bartholomew

4 Compared to a conventional singlerow garden: Grow 100% of the harvest 20% of the space 10% of the water 5% of the seeds 2% of the work 0% of the weeds

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6 All The Tools You Need 1.Trowel 2.Scissors 3. Pencil 4. Water Bucket

7 The Ten Steps To Square Foot Gardening

8 1.Layout/Location 6-8 hours of sun Close to house Away from trees and shrubs (roots/shade can interfere) No puddles Think in squares not rows

9 2. Boxes Elevated Size 4x4 adults 3x3 kids 6-12 inches deep Ground Level

10 3. Aisles 3 feet spacing between boxes allows for mobility and accessibility.

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12 4. SOIL Mel s Mix 1/3 Vermiculite 1/3 Compost Blend 1/3 Peat Moss or Coir

13 LOOSE WORKABLE NUTRITIOUS

14 Mix and Blend

15 5. Without a Grid it isn t a Square Foot Garden

16 6. Care Never walk on soil. Garden from aisles

17 7.Select Number of plants in each square. Based on what you want to plant. Plan what you want to grow. No thinning, no wasting seeds.

18 Dividing Your Squares Depending on What You Want to Plant

19 Think of Plants like Shirt Sizes Extra large= 1 plant per square Medium=9 per square Large=4 plants per square Small=16 per square

20 8. PLANT 2-3 seeds per hole After seeds germinate, leave strongest seedling. Cut any other seedlings to ground with your scissors.

21 Don t Forget the Pollinators Add Flowers to Your Square Foot Garden

22 9.Water Keep a bucket of sun-warmed water in the garden. Water by hand. Water at bottom of plant. Encourages you to get to know your plants.

23 Watering Options

24 GROW UP!!! (always on the north side) Allow 1 foot across for beans etc., 2 feet across for squash

25 After harvesting a Square Foot Add compost and replant with a new and different crop.

26 Make Your Own

27 Square Foot Garden to Table One 4x4 box will provide an adult with a salad everyday of the growing season. Two boxes will provide daily dinner vegetables for that person. Three boxes will provide extra to preserve.

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

29 10.Enjoy The Harvest!

30 Critter Control

31 Mel s Mission Mel Bartholomew founded the Square Foot Gardening Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit in 1996 to pursue the mission of solving world hunger by teaching people around the globe how to grow enough food for themselves and their families, with limited resources, expertise, time and effort.

32 Square Foot Gardening With Kids A Square Yard in the Schoolyard STUDENTS LEARN: MATH HISTORY SCIENCE ART ECOLOGY CONSERVATION HEALTH AND WELLNESS NUTRITION Botany A student helps to plan our garden using a square foot grid map on chart paper Utah State Board of Education, We ll take a garden for every single grammar school in the state of Utah Every grammar school in Utah has a Square Yard garden. Lesson plan for teachers and students written by Mel Bartholomew at request of school board.

33 Square Meter Gardening An International Adaptation of the Square Foot Gardening Method Africa San Salvador Guatemala Mexico India Nepal Australia

34 U.R.I. RN to BSN Diversity Class Project

35 Roger Williams Park Community Garden Seed to Table Program

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37 Happy Spring!!!!!!