Frequently Asked Square Foot Gardening Questions


Mel Bartholomew answers the most frequently asked question about Square Foot Gardening. With Patti Moreno the Garden Girl.

Comments

By AaronWindsor on April 20th, 2010 at 1:36 pm

depending on the man made woods dont use them. Osb (chipboard) and mdf are made using urea fermeldehyde glues which are toxic to humans

By zekehooper on April 20th, 2010 at 1:49 pm

Check out “growyourgreens” on you tube. I love his raised beds.

By J0hnnyH3mps33d on April 20th, 2010 at 2:17 pm

What I’ve read is that you need equal parts, that is 1:1:1. I have only just heard of this method, however, and have never done it myself.

how do u make the soil? how many bags of composts, vermiculite, and peat moss? I am making a 4×4

By lheartlondon on April 20th, 2010 at 3:26 pm

i used landscaping fabric and i works GREAT it has holes in it so it breathes, and i have NOT A SINGLE WEED! HA HA best of all i dont’ have to dig it all up every year when your newspaper and cardboard fails. I live in Pacific NW and I would NEVER use pressure treated lumber. You must be crazy. Cancer causing chemicals and organic gardening do not mix at all. I used cedar fencing and it’s been great and it was only $1.50 a 1 x 6 board.

By haypockets on April 20th, 2010 at 3:46 pm

Check out my garden videos. Search for ‘haypockets’ or ‘rebeccas square foot garden.’

By askAlanNow on April 20th, 2010 at 4:19 pm

1 word… Flamethrower.

By olgoatone on April 20th, 2010 at 4:44 pm

Coyotes get them.

By jihadacadien on April 20th, 2010 at 4:58 pm

a cat or two might help

By olgoatone on April 20th, 2010 at 5:40 pm

I would love to try a garden here,but we have moles from he**.My yard looks like a construction site,and we’ve been here a long time.I’ve tried baits and traps to no avail. HELP.

By LadyGinger09 on April 20th, 2010 at 6:28 pm

Yeah well the best is newspaper. It stops the light from getting down to the weeds and it is biodegradeble. You win twice especially if you get the Sunday paper. Smile.
Plant Kindness…and Gather Love

By Blaynexox on April 20th, 2010 at 7:24 pm

I just made my first square foot garden video!! Thanks for all the tips – i love these!

By greenerhealthier on April 20th, 2010 at 7:50 pm

My two favs!

thanks for the great info iam buildinga bed within 2 weeks i already have my garden going i have pics on youtube and my space if you wanna see them

By easternstar12 on April 20th, 2010 at 9:09 pm

Great Video!!! Would it be alright to treat the wood with a few coats of Boiled Linseed Oil? Both the inside and the outside of the raised bed.
Thanks

By Wormfarmergeorge on April 20th, 2010 at 10:05 pm

After six years of experience I would say Pine is cheapest and good for two years. Cedar is good for seven or eight years and Cut Limestone will last for 500 years. It costs a lot, but not when you spread it out over 200 years or even ten. I’m going Limestone a little bit each year and pine until then. Just do it! Pallets are free and very adaptable. Fresh vegetables are connected to the cosmos and they are our connection as well. Partake and bask in the glory.

By JeffreyRodriguez on April 20th, 2010 at 10:30 pm

You can also use block if you have deeper pockets.

Check out a Habitat for Humanity ReStore, they sell surplus building materials on the cheap.

By WoundedEgo on April 20th, 2010 at 10:54 pm

Wow, hadn’t even thought about them! Will definitely avoid the fabric, now, no matter the cost!

By OrganicTexas on April 20th, 2010 at 11:06 pm

Sweet. Plus, your worms will thank you.

By WoundedEgo on April 20th, 2010 at 11:36 pm

I was all poised to buy the cloth, but will go with the free solution – cardboard – another great tip from Garden Girl.

By scooterkid55 on April 20th, 2010 at 11:47 pm

Good video but I agree w/Organic Texas I will never use garden cloth it becomes one with the weeds and grass and you end up ripping it out. I prefer plain old soil without mulch or fabric so I can dig up the weeds and grass as they show up with nothing in my way.

By OrganicTexas on April 21st, 2010 at 12:07 am

lol! But I bought it from a guy named Pete!

I still wouldn’t recommend the cloth- I haven’t seen any that really prevented weeds from coming up. It’s not needed unless you just really want to spend the money.

By WoundedEgo on April 21st, 2010 at 12:48 am

The cloth has holes in it, too small for weeds and bugs, but big enough for the plant to breath. It is not a solid plastic but some kind of woven material.

Also, it is not “Pete Moss” or even “Kate Moss” but rather “Peat Moss”!

By WoundedEgo on April 21st, 2010 at 1:32 am

Is it straw or hay? Hay contains the seed head (which will give you problems) while straw is just the stalk.

By creamclouds on April 21st, 2010 at 1:48 am

really awesome vid GardenGirl! I learned a lot and only in 8 minutes. Will put these tips to some good use in future.

 

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