small space for garden?

[craftypam]

I've been gardening for a long time and the last few years my garden has not done well. So while looking for ways to make it better, one of the things I was looking at was to put less plants in and ran across All new square foot gardening by Mel Bartholomew. The part in book that made so much sense. If you went to the produce stand would you buy 12 heads of lettuce? Probably not. So why would you plant 12 heads of lettuce at a time. Too late to try this this year, but I think I'm going to look into it next year. It uses less room, less work, less weeds and less waste of vegetables and seeds.

[Russ]

I've got the book (old version) and have implemeted the technique a lot in my gardens, however.... It is not a perfect system.

For example tomatoes are not a good candidate IMO because when you go to pick them you can not get to the ones in the center because they are so close to one another. Same with green beans.
I found it works great for broccoli, cabbage, romaine lettuce, cauliflower, onions, and root crops such as beets, turnips and radishes.

Also, with the plants so close together you need more nutrient rich soil.

[Trentt]

I guess the reason I plant a lot of stuff like lettuce is that it produces better early and late in the season. I wouldn't plant it now because hot-weather lettuce is awful. So I just eat a lot of lettuce, turnips, radishes, spinach, etc., in the Spring. In the heat of summer I'm gorging on zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, etc.

I wish they'd develop a lettuce that produces nice leaves at the same time as the tomatoes come so I could enjoy garden BLTs!

[Lady_V]

We have a VERY small area for a ground garden. I think it's 3.5 feet wide and 5 feet long.

I also have a tomato plant in a Topsy Turvy. I recently found out that you can plant 2 tomato plants in a TT, so I will double the tomato growth for next year (and be able to can more spaghetti sauce!)

Next year I will hang not only the tomatoes, but bell pepper and eggplant. That leaves a lot more ground space for things I wouldn't hang, such as my broccoli, garlic and I may take a stab at onions.

[craftypam]

I've got the book (old version) and have implemeted the technique a lot in my gardens, however.... It is not a perfect system.

For example tomatoes are not a good candidate IMO because when you go to pick them you can not get to the ones in the center because they are so close to one another. Same with green beans.
I found it works great for broccoli, cabbage, romaine lettuce, cauliflower, onions, and root crops such as beets, turnips and radishes.

Also, with the plants so close together you need more nutrient rich soil.

Thanks for the input. Are you talking about if you put more than one tomato plant next to each other? The reason I ask is because they talk about specifically making it 4 x 4 so the average person can reach the vegetables. The all new version does have a "recipe" for dirt. 1/3 peat moss, 1/3 vermiculate and 1/3 blended compost.
Do you think 6" deep dirt is deep enough for all plants?

[Russ]

Thanks for the input. Are you talking about if you put more than one tomato plant next to each other? The reason I ask is because they talk about specifically making it 4 x 4 so the average person can reach the vegetables. The all new version does have a "recipe" for dirt. 1/3 peat moss, 1/3 vermiculate and 1/3 blended compost.
Do you think 6" deep dirt is deep enough for all plants?

I believe the book says 1 tomato plant per sq ft and if you put them next to one another it gets very crowded. Separated, I imagine it would do awsesome.

I found the vermiculite to be very pricey so do your homework on that. IMO, if you get some good topsoil mixed with compost, it is fine.
6 inches will do just fine unless you plan on growing deeper root crops such as carrots.

[frugalfoster]

We have a VERY small area for a ground garden. I think it's 3.5 feet wide and 5 feet long.

I also have a tomato plant in a Topsy Turvy. I recently found out that you can plant 2 tomato plants in a TT, so I will double the tomato growth for next year (and be able to can more spaghetti sauce!)

Next year I will hang not only the tomatoes, but bell pepper and eggplant. That leaves a lot more ground space for things I wouldn't hang, such as my broccoli, garlic and I may take a stab at onions.

I'd like to hear how that Topsy Turvy works... I considered getting one but wondered if it was a gimmick... let me know K?

[craftypam]

You can make your own. Take a terra cotta pot or other pot that has a hole in the center of the bottom. Hold a tomato plant upside down through the hole from the outside and fill with dirt. Use a macrame hanger or get a really inexpensive one from Walmart. (thats where I have seen them) Not including dirt. I paid $1.70 for mine. I even got plant hangers from used clothing store for 50 cents to $1.

[quilting2day2]

I have square foot gardened for years. I love it. You need to make sure that you can reach plants and squars from both sides. My current garden is two sections 4foot by 8 foot. Tomatoes you can run up a string. just keep suckers pinched out. I have have peas, bush beans , celery, onions, broccoli,cauliflower, radishes turnips, and beets planted this year.

[Lady_V]

I'd like to hear how that Topsy Turvy works... I considered getting one but wondered if it was a gimmick... let me know K?

The concept of upside down gardening actually works, I made ones out of 3 liter bottles before. This is the first time with the actual 'brand name' though.

If my tomatoes die... you'll know it

[craftypam]

Did you cut the bottom of the 2 litre bottles off and turn them upside down?

Thx

[Lady_V]

Did you cut the bottom of the 2 litre bottles off and turn them upside down?

Thx

I have seen it done that way, with duct tape around the bottles... but I cut off top and bottom, inverted the spout and hot-glued it. It kept the water from coming out completely and had a water reserve so the soil was never completely dry. Instead of the sponge TT uses, I used a small square of food-safe screen to 'hold the plant in'.