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Old 04-02-2009, 11:32 PM posted to aus.gardens
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Default Square Foot gardening

Found this the other day. Looks good Further info (I will ignore the other
"information" so I will stay reasonable sane)

http://www.nepanewsletter.com/square.html
a..
a.. Using the square-foot system, you give up the long rows of the
traditional garden. You virtually eliminate thinning,
you save tremendous amounts of seed, and you save lots of time, working
about one hour per 4'x4' grid.

a.. Each of your 4'x4' grids produces an average of 126 plants per year.
Each grid is divided into 16 units of 1'x1', in which you can grow a
different crop.

a.. The average square-foot garden for a family of four takes up 160 square
feet. A conventional garden for a family of four goes 800.

a.. Overplanting is one of the biggest causes of frustration and failure.
But in a square-foot garden, instead of planting most of your seed packet,
you plant only one or two seeds per alloted plant space. Planting an entire
packet and then thinning takes twice as long as the single-seed method. In
addition, the single-seed method produces a stronger crop that matures
earlier. Have many seeds are contained in a common packet? For cabbage it's
560; carrots 1,550; lettuce 1,975. With proper handling and storage, 80% of
these will sprout. What a waste.

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Old 04-02-2009, 11:48 PM posted to aus.gardens
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Default Square Foot gardening

I was referring to the referring site which mentions cataclysmic events.....
"Jonno" wrote in message
...
Found this the other day. Looks good Further info (I will ignore the other
"information" so I will stay reasonable sane)

http://www.nepanewsletter.com/square.html
a..
a.. Using the square-foot system, you give up the long rows of the
traditional garden. You virtually eliminate thinning,
you save tremendous amounts of seed, and you save lots of time, working
about one hour per 4'x4' grid.

a.. Each of your 4'x4' grids produces an average of 126 plants per year.
Each grid is divided into 16 units of 1'x1', in which you can grow a
different crop.

a.. The average square-foot garden for a family of four takes up 160
square feet. A conventional garden for a family of four goes 800.

a.. Overplanting is one of the biggest causes of frustration and failure.
But in a square-foot garden, instead of planting most of your seed packet,
you plant only one or two seeds per alloted plant space. Planting an
entire packet and then thinning takes twice as long as the single-seed
method. In addition, the single-seed method produces a stronger crop that
matures earlier. Have many seeds are contained in a common packet? For
cabbage it's 560; carrots 1,550; lettuce 1,975. With proper handling and
storage, 80% of these will sprout. What a waste.



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Old 05-02-2009, 02:46 AM posted to aus.gardens
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Default Square Foot gardening

On Wed, 04 Feb 2009 22:48:46 +0000, Jonno wrote:

I was referring to the referring site which mentions cataclysmic
events..


Oh dear, another one of these survivalist sites with how to survive by
guardening. What were they selling?
Hint, if it doesn't have pictures of all the stages, including
mistakes, then it is a fraud by someone who grows nothing.

Note, there is never any mention of important inputs like water and how
much you need.
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Old 05-02-2009, 04:18 AM posted to aus.gardens
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Default Square Foot gardening

Oh, come on, you're being cynical.
I've always been of the opinion that planting out a whole heap of seeds for
them to come on all at once is a pain, as too much is wasted.
Instead you plant every week, progressively till its producing and reducing
the plot on foot at a time.
Seems sensible to me...
As far as watering goes, that depends on conditions....
BTW they were selling a book....
So everything would be mentioned there, but it still seems an OK idea. I
was referring to the referring site which mentions cataclysmic
events..

Oh dear, another one of these survivalist sites with how to survive by
guardening. What were they selling?
Hint, if it doesn't have pictures of all the stages, including
mistakes, then it is a fraud by someone who grows nothing.

Note, there is never any mention of important inputs like water and how
much you need.


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Old 05-02-2009, 03:21 PM posted to aus.gardens
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Default Square Foot gardening


"Jonno" wrote in message
...
Oh, come on, you're being cynical.
I've always been of the opinion that planting out a whole heap of seeds
for them to come on all at once is a pain, as too much is wasted.
Instead you plant every week, progressively till its producing and
reducing the plot on foot at a time.
Seems sensible to me...
As far as watering goes, that depends on conditions....
BTW they were selling a book....
So everything would be mentioned there, but it still seems an OK idea. I
was referring to the referring site which mentions cataclysmic
events..

Oh dear, another one of these survivalist sites with how to survive by
guardening. What were they selling?
Hint, if it doesn't have pictures of all the stages, including
mistakes, then it is a fraud by someone who grows nothing.

Note, there is never any mention of important inputs like water and how
much you need.



I have the book. It is pretty straight forward and the writer has done
gardening shows in the US. Get it out from your library or put in a request
card there should be one out there you can borrow.




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Old 05-02-2009, 08:04 PM posted to aus.gardens
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Default Square Foot gardening

g'day jonno,

to each his own, we have about 180sq/foot of garden space all the
space we have.

you typed this:
a.. Overplanting is one of the biggest causes of frustration and failure.
But in a square-foot garden, instead of planting most of your seed packet,
you plant only one or two seeds per alloted plant space.


um unless they ahve some magical way of making seeds germinate this is
a bit pie in the sky, it may only call for 2 of a certain plant but to
get that you may need to plant up to a dozen seeds to ensure you get
2.

and you save lots of time, working about one hour per 4'x4' grid.


exept for planting time which then time spent is determined by how
many seedlings i am planting out usually around 4 to 8, we wouldn't
spend one hour a week in our gardens.

als i wonder at how mulching can be accomodate in an intensely planted
system, mulch that is very much needed for moisture retention as well
as keeping the root runs cooler in hot summers. mulch that also
delivers nutrients at the same time.

we buy seedlings so we have no thinning to do anyway, and we are
guarnateed the amount of plants we need, save that extra time need to
keep seeds viable and then to germinate them to a size where they can
almost stand alone.

our beds don't need any solid edging most square footers i have seen
rely on edging.

just some things to balance the scales.

len

On Wed, 04 Feb 2009 22:32:28 GMT, "Jonno" wrote:
snipped
With peace and brightest of blessings,

len & bev

--
"Be Content With What You Have And
May You Find Serenity and Tranquillity In
A World That You May Not Understand."

http://www.lensgarden.com.au/
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Old 05-02-2009, 11:37 PM posted to aus.gardens
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Posts: 65
Default Square Foot gardening

Yeah Len,
Its experimental for me. I am always looking to buck the trend.
Its interesting to play with the unconventional. What's gospel gardening and
works for some, may not be known to plants, which behave in their own
peculiar ways. Mulching with intense intense gardening, may not be as
necessary, as the plants would tend to shade each other, and then again,
nature mulches itself from what I've seen. Hardly the scene for a vegetable
garden which tends to be temporary and seasonal and natural mulch doesn't
tend to gather.
Seeds sold by good suppliers would tend to germinate at the rate of **%, as
they have been tested in that batch. ** Would be the figures they state.
After a time the rates would become inconsistent.
I agree that 80% is a high figure that may not be reached unless all the
right conditions are met, as far as moisture depth of planting etc, but I
feel that if you take in the percentage viability, it should be a guide.
That isn't so much a problem.
But I suggest like me, try it. Its fun doing something you've always done
the same way differently.
I remember when I was courting, ah well we wont go into that....but you see
what I mean...
Now get back to work.......
Seed viability link
http://tinyurl.com/b9xha5


"len gardener" wrote in message
...
g'day jonno,

to each his own, we have about 180sq/foot of garden space all the
space we have.

you typed this:
a.. Overplanting is one of the biggest causes of frustration and failure.
But in a square-foot garden, instead of planting most of your seed packet,
you plant only one or two seeds per alloted plant space.


um unless they ahve some magical way of making seeds germinate this is
a bit pie in the sky, it may only call for 2 of a certain plant but to
get that you may need to plant up to a dozen seeds to ensure you get
2.

and you save lots of time, working about one hour per 4'x4' grid.


exept for planting time which then time spent is determined by how
many seedlings i am planting out usually around 4 to 8, we wouldn't
spend one hour a week in our gardens.

als i wonder at how mulching can be accomodate in an intensely planted
system, mulch that is very much needed for moisture retention as well
as keeping the root runs cooler in hot summers. mulch that also
delivers nutrients at the same time.

we buy seedlings so we have no thinning to do anyway, and we are
guarnateed the amount of plants we need, save that extra time need to
keep seeds viable and then to germinate them to a size where they can
almost stand alone.

our beds don't need any solid edging most square footers i have seen
rely on edging.

just some things to balance the scales.

len

On Wed, 04 Feb 2009 22:32:28 GMT, "Jonno" wrote:
snipped
With peace and brightest of blessings,

len & bev

--
"Be Content With What You Have And
May You Find Serenity and Tranquillity In
A World That You May Not Understand."

http://www.lensgarden.com.au/


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Old 06-02-2009, 04:26 AM posted to aus.gardens
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Posts: 713
Default Square Foot gardening

"Jonno" wrote in message
...
Found this the other day. Looks good Further info (I will ignore the other
"information" so I will stay reasonable sane)

http://www.nepanewsletter.com/square.html
a..
a.. Using the square-foot system, you give up the long rows of the
traditional garden. You virtually eliminate thinning,
you save tremendous amounts of seed, and you save lots of time, working
about one hour per 4'x4' grid.

a.. Each of your 4'x4' grids produces an average of 126 plants per year.
Each grid is divided into 16 units of 1'x1', in which you can grow a
different crop.

a.. The average square-foot garden for a family of four takes up 160
square feet. A conventional garden for a family of four goes 800.

a.. Overplanting is one of the biggest causes of frustration and failure.
But in a square-foot garden, instead of planting most of your seed packet,
you plant only one or two seeds per alloted plant space. Planting an
entire packet and then thinning takes twice as long as the single-seed
method. In addition, the single-seed method produces a stronger crop that
matures earlier. Have many seeds are contained in a common packet? For
cabbage it's 560; carrots 1,550; lettuce 1,975. With proper handling and
storage, 80% of these will sprout. What a waste.


heard of square foot gardening. i think it's probably important not to be
TOO literal about it - it's more of a way to explain a different sort of
method where the scale is small & it's highly organised. :-)

one problem i am aware of is the difficulty involved in gardening right in
the middle of a large square shape (reaching, where to step). many people
don't approve of walking on the beds ever, so you need to allow access imo &
be aware of how far you can comfortably reach when you are harvesting.

i don't understand the claims above concerning planting fewer seeds...? one
plants to size always & allow for the shape of the area while you're there
whether rows, blocks, or however you personally like to do it - "waste" is
inherent because germination is never 100% so you allow for that - it's not
really "waste". also, some plants (eg lettuce, carrots) prefer to be planted
thickly & thinned later. for whatever reason, planting certain seeds singly
will not give you as much success. again, it's really not "waste", it's just
selection. a lettuce apparently makes up to 22,000 seeds from one plant(!) -
yet of course you would not get 22,000 plants from one lettuce that went to
seed & even if you did, some would be dud plants anyway & you don't want dud
plants. the fact that much seed never germinates at all is just a part of
nature & fits in with the system (indeed, it IS the system - survival of the
fittest, basically). with thinning, you rogue out the less "fit" & grow the
fittest, so it's an investment in your future. i'd also say that veg which
you can eat the young thinnings early are a bonus, rather than a waste!

lastly, i doubt much space is really saved - my veg garden for example is
well-spread & takes up a lot of room (probably too much!!) but my soil's not
that good yet so i would be reluctant to try to get too much by cramming
things together - but the actual productive space used by plants is probably
the same. i'm still experimenting with this, but the fact is there's no need
for me to be stingy with space (big country yard) - space is not an issue
for everyone & hence, again, is not necessarily "wasted" space. there are
other issues instead sometimes - water, aspect, fertility, etc.

square foot gardening would be good for a small yard where space is valuable
& the soil is pretty good & where the gardener likes (or needs) to follow a
nice neat system of small blocks of work & rotation, i would think. have
fun!
kylie


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Old 06-02-2009, 08:01 AM posted to aus.gardens
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Posts: 65
Default Square Foot gardening


"0tterbot" wrote in message
...
"Jonno" wrote in message
...
Found this the other day. Looks good Further info (I will ignore the
other "information" so I will stay reasonable sane)

http://www.nepanewsletter.com/square.html
a..
a.. Using the square-foot system, you give up the long rows of the
traditional garden. You virtually eliminate thinning,
you save tremendous amounts of seed, and you save lots of time, working
about one hour per 4'x4' grid.

a.. Each of your 4'x4' grids produces an average of 126 plants per year.
Each grid is divided into 16 units of 1'x1', in which you can grow a
different crop.

a.. The average square-foot garden for a family of four takes up 160
square feet. A conventional garden for a family of four goes 800.

a.. Overplanting is one of the biggest causes of frustration and failure.
But in a square-foot garden, instead of planting most of your seed
packet, you plant only one or two seeds per alloted plant space. Planting
an entire packet and then thinning takes twice as long as the single-seed
method. In addition, the single-seed method produces a stronger crop that
matures earlier. Have many seeds are contained in a common packet? For
cabbage it's 560; carrots 1,550; lettuce 1,975. With proper handling and
storage, 80% of these will sprout. What a waste.


heard of square foot gardening. i think it's probably important not to be
TOO literal about it - it's more of a way to explain a different sort of
method where the scale is small & it's highly organised. :-)

one problem i am aware of is the difficulty involved in gardening right in
the middle of a large square shape (reaching, where to step). many people
don't approve of walking on the beds ever, so you need to allow access imo
& be aware of how far you can comfortably reach when you are harvesting.

Hangon a bit, theres not reason to take it so litterally.
The squares can be two rows wide with another two rows
at the other side of a path, or whatever fits in.
Seed saving isnt the aim,but an ongoing crop is. It seem to me you adapt the
sytem
to your own methods and come up with one that works for you.


i don't understand the claims above concerning planting fewer seeds...?
one plants to size always & allow for the shape of the area while you're
there whether rows, blocks, or however you personally like to do it -
"waste" is inherent because germination is never 100% so you allow for
that - it's not really "waste". also, some plants (eg lettuce, carrots)
prefer to be planted thickly & thinned later. for whatever reason,
planting certain seeds singly will not give you as much success. again,
it's really not "waste", it's just selection. a lettuce apparently makes
up to 22,000 seeds from one plant(!) - yet of course you would not get
22,000 plants from one lettuce that went to seed & even if you did, some
would be dud plants anyway & you don't want dud plants. the fact that much
seed never germinates at all is just a part of nature & fits in with the
system (indeed, it IS the system - survival of the fittest, basically).
with thinning, you rogue out the less "fit" & grow the fittest, so it's an
investment in your future. i'd also say that veg which you can eat the
young thinnings early are a bonus, rather than a waste!

lastly, i doubt much space is really saved - my veg garden for example is
well-spread & takes up a lot of room (probably too much!!) but my soil's
not that good yet so i would be reluctant to try to get too much by
cramming things together - but the actual productive space used by plants
is probably the same. i'm still experimenting with this, but the fact is
there's no need for me to be stingy with space (big country yard) - space
is not an issue for everyone & hence, again, is not necessarily "wasted"
space. there are other issues instead sometimes - water, aspect,
fertility, etc.

square foot gardening would be good for a small yard where space is
valuable & the soil is pretty good & where the gardener likes (or needs)
to follow a nice neat system of small blocks of work & rotation, i would
think. have fun!
kylie



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Old 06-02-2009, 08:32 AM posted to aus.gardens
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Default Square Foot gardening

On Thu, 05 Feb 2009 03:18:10 +0000, Jonno wrote:

Oh, come on, you're being cynical.


Yes, mention anything with survivalism and I'm instantly very cynical.
People think survivalism can be purchased like a magic pill. There is
almost universal assumptions like;
any solar panel = unlimited electrical engery on tap
any water tank = unlimited water on tap
any garden = unlimted food on tap, etc

I have no doubt with this period of hot weather in Adelaide and Melbourne,
coupled with the power outages that plenty of people will have gone out
(Bunnngs etal) and purchased a generaor to run the air conditioner when the
power goes out. Apart from the inital puchase of generators, the
replacement purchases of air conditioners should boost the economy along
a tiddle.

I've always been of the opinion that planting out a whole heap of seeds
for them to come on all at once is a pain, as too much is wasted.
Instead you plant every week, progressively till its producing and
reducing the plot on foot at a time.


Yep, this is what a lot of people do already (staged planting)to give
continual supplies, but does it require an fancy title?. Sounds more like
a way of selling some magic pill to solve all your problems, aka above.
..
caveat, sometimes you need to over plant to select fast growing plants
to beat the bugs. Other seedlings sometimes require the microclimate
generated by a forest of their fellow seedlings to get going. In other
plants, the natural die off rate can be quite high.


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Old 06-02-2009, 12:45 PM posted to aus.gardens
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Posts: 65
Default Square Foot gardening

Yeh gods, a scientist
I love yout already.... Grin!
I unnerstand that stuff a long time!
I reckon to experiment is the way to go....
Cynical attitudes are a no no!
Even the way that water allocations top industry due to savings is
intimately disgusting!


"terryc" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 05 Feb 2009 03:18:10 +0000, Jonno wrote:

Oh, come on, you're being cynical.


Yes, mention anything with survivalism and I'm instantly very cynical.
People think survivalism can be purchased like a magic pill. There is
almost universal assumptions like;
any solar panel = unlimited electrical engery on tap
any water tank = unlimited water on tap
any garden = unlimted food on tap, etc

I have no doubt with this period of hot weather in Adelaide and Melbourne,
coupled with the power outages that plenty of people will have gone out
(Bunnngs etal) and purchased a generaor to run the air conditioner when
the
power goes out. Apart from the inital puchase of generators, the
replacement purchases of air conditioners should boost the economy along
a tiddle.

I've always been of the opinion that planting out a whole heap of seeds
for them to come on all at once is a pain, as too much is wasted.
Instead you plant every week, progressively till its producing and
reducing the plot on foot at a time.


Yep, this is what a lot of people do already (staged planting)to give
continual supplies, but does it require an fancy title?. Sounds more like
a way of selling some magic pill to solve all your problems, aka above.
.
caveat, sometimes you need to over plant to select fast growing plants
to beat the bugs. Other seedlings sometimes require the microclimate
generated by a forest of their fellow seedlings to get going. In other
plants, the natural die off rate can be quite high.


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Old 08-02-2009, 02:59 AM posted to aus.gardens
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Posts: 713
Default Square Foot gardening

"Jonno" wrote in message
...
one problem i am aware of is the difficulty involved in gardening right
in the middle of a large square shape (reaching, where to step). many
people don't approve of walking on the beds ever, so you need to allow
access imo & be aware of how far you can comfortably reach when you are
harvesting.

Hangon a bit, theres not reason to take it so litterally.
The squares can be two rows wide with another two rows
at the other side of a path, or whatever fits in.
Seed saving isnt the aim,but an ongoing crop is. It seem to me you adapt
the sytem
to your own methods and come up with one that works for you.


i thought that's what i said :-))
kylie


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Old 08-02-2009, 10:44 PM posted to aus.gardens
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Posts: 65
Default Square Foot gardening

It got lost in the overly long message.....(grin!)
"0tterbot" wrote in message
...
"Jonno" wrote in message
...
one problem i am aware of is the difficulty involved in gardening right
in the middle of a large square shape (reaching, where to step). many
people don't approve of walking on the beds ever, so you need to allow
access imo & be aware of how far you can comfortably reach when you are
harvesting.

Hangon a bit, theres not reason to take it so litterally.
The squares can be two rows wide with another two rows
at the other side of a path, or whatever fits in.
Seed saving isnt the aim,but an ongoing crop is. It seem to me you adapt
the sytem
to your own methods and come up with one that works for you.


i thought that's what i said :-))
kylie



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Old 09-02-2009, 09:17 AM posted to aus.gardens
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Posts: 1
Default Square Foot gardening

On Wed, 04 Feb 2009 22:32:28 +0000, Jonno wrote:

Found this the other day. Looks good Further info (I will ignore the
other "information" so I will stay reasonable sane)


Just in case you are interested:

----------------------------------------------------
http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/4088...ot_Gardening_%
5BmookANDbee%5D.avi

"LANG: English
DURATION: 32 minutes
FORMAT: xvid


VIDEO: http://www.amazon.com/Introducing-Sq...-Gardening/dp/
B00004TRZM

BOOK: http://www.amazon.com/Square-Foot-Ga...l-Bartholomew/
dp/0878573410



This is basically an infomercial. Infomercials suck UNLESS you're
actually interested in what they're selling. In this case, you'll get a
taste of squarefoot gardening. Then you can decide if the book is worth
it or not.


The production value is low. The content is good... not great. I'm
posting it because it gave me cause to completely re-think how we set up
our garden and we're a bit more excited this season to try some new shit
(no pun intended)"

-----------------------------------------------------

I'd take what works for you and ignore the rest of the 'system' they're
trying to flog off.



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Old 11-02-2009, 01:05 AM posted to aus.gardens
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Default Square Foot gardening

What a good idea. BTW - my "garden" is only 4 x 4 :-)

Katherine



http://www.nepanewsletter.com/square.html
a..
a.. Using the square-foot system, you give up the long rows of the
traditional garden. You virtually eliminate thinning,
you save tremendous amounts of seed, and you save lots of time, working
about one hour per 4'x4' grid.



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