Practical UU Blog- Into the Garden
Now that the holidays are behind us, we can again focus on a more outward look at how we as responsible human beings may positively affect our world. Today I focus on our 7th Principle, "Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part." When I hear those words, I think of one of our major crises affecting our very existence: Climate Change. We can vote, we can go to rallies, and we can "vote with our wallet, but the simplest and easiest thing we can do is grow our own food (at least in part.) Did you may a New Year's Resolution to eat healthier or lose a few pounds?
No matter how small your dwelling, no matter how poor your circumstances, you can grow a garden using the Square Foot Gardening (SFG) technique. Bonus: It's cheaper and easier than row gardening! I've done it in North Carolina and Colorado as well as my current home in Florida. It can be done anywhere, even an apartment balcony. Instead of long rows and much wasted space, the idea is to grow what you will eat based on the size of your needs and the space the plant needs. For instance, it is possible to grow 16 radish plants in one square foot of space. Tomatoes, beans, cucumbers are grown vertically and only take up one square foot. See the book for how easy it is to grow vertically. You can even grow melons without having vines all over the yard. Amazing!
Bad soil? No problem. Because SFG is done in raised beds, what soil you start with has no bearing on what you do. Mel's Mix, a formula of 1/3 each (by volume) of vermiculite, peat moss, and compost is what fills your bed. I just spent less than $30 on my soil mix by ordering online at Lowe's and choosing store pickup. I'll have more than enough for my new 4'x4' square. I'm spending a bit extra for the wooden structure and all-important grid, but that's because I'm too shy to go looking for the free wood found in palettes suggested by the book.
Most people have a reach of only two feet or so. Therefore, no garden square should be so large that the average person can't reach easily anywhere to quickly pull a weed or harvest a ripe bit of food. So, the practical application says that the average person can manage a 4'x4' square, if they can walk around it easily. And really, do you need even ten cabbage plants? Not unless you really, really love cabbages! One cabbage plant is more than sufficient. Four lettuce plants fit in a square and if you love salad like I do, that's perfect. Sixteen carrots fit in one square, and so do sixteen onions. So you could have a whole salad garden in one 4'x4' square. Best of all, the back four are vertical, so all of your harvesting is literally right before your eyes. No more too-huge bitter zucchinis!
Tools? All you need is a trowel, a pencil, and a pair of child's pointed scissors. That's it. You aren't going to be hoeing. Weeding is done with your hands. The trowel is used to add a bit of compost after you harvest and before you plant whatever's next. For instance, if you just harvested that lovely lettuce, the bed is empty and it's just now late spring. Add a bit of compost, and start something you might like to harvest in the summer, like peppers or basil? (My jalapenos grew until late November in the Florida heat.)
No room for even a 4'x4' square? No problem. I've grown my entire garden in pots and orange Home Depot buckets on my apartment patio with even less trouble! Seriously! Just make sure the pot is about 12" deep, and has plenty of room. That's why I used the buckets. They may be ugly, but they're roomy enough to even grow potatoes. This is a great way to start if you're a bit nervous. A big deep bucket or two, enough garden soil in a bag, and a few plants or seeds to start is all you need to see if it's for you.
Curious? It's available in the Jacksonville Public Library system. The link to buy the book is below. Needless to say, I couldn't go into all the details available in the book. Do your own research. Decide for yourself.
Link to the book, Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew
Need a trowel? Buy it here.
Child's pointed scissors here.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Comments