Frequently Asked Square Foot Gardening Questions
Mel Bartholomew answers the most frequently asked question about Square Foot Gardening. With Patti Moreno the Garden Girl.
25 Responses to Frequently Asked Square Foot Gardening Questions
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Instead of deck screws, I made half-lap joints at the ends of all the boards and they simply fit together. This makes them easy to take apart. I did it with a table saw, but you could use a plain old wood saw and then hammer and chisel to break out the half-lap piece. I tried screwing the corners together, but over a couple seasons, the corners start to fall apart. thanks, ~aubie
aubie0071971
October 25, 2011 at 4:28 am
@MICHEYGEE01 I wouldn’t worry about it. Several studies have been done in the last few years showing that nominal amounts of arsenic actually ends up in the soil and is well below levels of any danger. North Carolina State University has a webpage with their findings. A Misouri extension office suggests lining the wood with heavy plastic if you are worried about chemicals leaking in from rail road ties which can be much more toxic. You could always call your extension office for advice too.
shell81d
October 25, 2011 at 4:55 am
@MICHEYGEE01 I wouldn’t worry about it. Several studies have been done in the last few years showing that nominal amounts of arsenic actually ends up in the soil and is well below levels of any danger. North Carolina State University has a webpage with their findings. A Misouri extension office suggests lining the wood with heavy plastic if you are worried about chemicals leaking in from rail road ties which can be much more toxic. You could always call your extension office for advice too
shell81d
October 25, 2011 at 5:12 am
@MICHEYGEE01 I wouldn’t worry about it. Several studies have been done in the last few years showing that nominal amounts of arsenic actually ends up in the soil and is well below levels of any danger. North Carolina State University has a webpage with their findings. A Misouri extension office suggests lining the wood with heavy plastic if you are worried about chemicals leaking in from rail road ties which can be much more toxic. You could always call your extension office for advice too.
shell81d
October 25, 2011 at 5:58 am
HELP!!…I spent alot on pressure treated wood and I can’t take it back…is there something I can use to cover the sides of the box, so that the chemicals won’t leak into my garden??
MICHEYGEE01
October 25, 2011 at 6:29 am
With this technique, do we ever have to dig the soil up and add more nutrients and stuff?
GetDamage
October 25, 2011 at 6:52 am
@OrganicTexas I’ll have to make some for ya. NFT and hydro systems in general are actually great for novice growers. Many nutrient mixes are now either one or two part mix’s so not complicated at all. Less work than making a margarita. Vertical growing becoming more and more popular in urban areas. IA novice grower that can maintain a SFG can easily maintain the equivalent hydro system. I also use several Gericke systems that are organoponics set ups. Using best of both worlds.
squillyb7718
October 25, 2011 at 6:58 am
@squillyb7718 Well, in your circumstance yes, but as a general rule (which always has exceptions), deeper roots make for a healthy plant. A NFT is probably beyond the scope of newbie gardeners new to SFG. Your setup sounds pretty spiffy. Do you have any videos of your setup?
OrganicTexas
October 25, 2011 at 7:45 am
@OrganicTexas (part 2) and the are very shallow, 2 ” less than what he recommends here. I am also an outdoor organic grower and have several raised beds that are 4ft by 20ft long. Mine are slightly different because they use a bottom feeding system or soaker hoses. I live in Arizona and lack of ambient humidity makes dripper and other top feeding options obsolete.
squillyb7718
October 25, 2011 at 8:28 am
@OrganicTexas I disagree with part of your statement, “plants with deeper roots are healthier than plants with shallow roots.” this is not true. I have been a hydroponic gardener for some time now and I use several methods. One of which is NFT, nutrient film technique. I use 4 inch wide rain gutters that are 10 ft long. They slope 10* from north end to the south end of the garden. The roots get a constant film of nutrients and water and the plan is suspended above. The roots are very long
squillyb7718
October 25, 2011 at 9:21 am
@miketonon, what about FREE cinder blocks with holes?
miketonon
October 25, 2011 at 10:16 am
Pressure treated would probably be to toxic. non-pressure treated will rot. What about building something our of used patio blocks or bricks.
miketonon
October 25, 2011 at 10:21 am
@lheartlondon
Cedar has arsenic in it, this is why it repels pests. That would be one of those nasty chems you didn’t want in your veggies.
ODFGERTERS
October 25, 2011 at 10:40 am
Well you scientists should know why the organ plants don’t get rejected by the soil. This is similar to tissue gardening rejection in a SFG. This is a T-cell mediated response. T helper cells activate the T cytotoxic cells and Natural Killer cells. The cytotoxic T cells chemicalsi produce that will destroy foreign cells. This whole tissue,organ rejection process is a cell mediated process!!!!!!! Also, macrophages engulf and destroy materila like normal.
temporaryfairymary
October 25, 2011 at 11:06 am
depending on the man made woods dont use them. Osb (chipboard) and mdf are made using urea fermeldehyde glues which are toxic to humans
AaronWindsor
October 25, 2011 at 11:11 am
Check out “growyourgreens” on you tube. I love his raised beds.
zekehooper
October 25, 2011 at 11:22 am
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.
J0hnnyH3mps33d
October 25, 2011 at 12:22 pm
how do u make the soil? how many bags of composts, vermiculite, and peat moss? I am making a 4×4
Regkam2
October 25, 2011 at 12:49 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.
lheartlondon
October 25, 2011 at 12:56 pm
Check out my garden videos. Search for ‘haypockets’ or ‘rebeccas square foot garden.’
haypockets
October 25, 2011 at 1:41 pm
1 word… Flamethrower.
askAlanNow
October 25, 2011 at 2:30 pm
Coyotes get them.
olgoatone
October 25, 2011 at 3:02 pm
a cat or two might help
jihadacadien
October 25, 2011 at 3:55 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.
olgoatone
October 25, 2011 at 4:24 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
LadyGinger09
October 25, 2011 at 5:14 pm