Get Started on Square Foot Gardening

Join Julie Polanco on this episode of Crunchy Christian Podcast as she shares how to get started with square foot gardening. This method is one of the most popular ways for beginning gardeners to grow food successfully. Square foot gardening can be customized to suit any size yard and any type of plant.

How to get started with square foot gardening: the basics

What is square foot gardening? How is it different from other types?

Instead of planting in rows, seeds are planted in square foot mini-plots. These one foot by one foot squares lie side by side, creating larger squares or a grid arrangement. Julie discusses some advantages of this arrangement in the show.

Why you should try it

On the show, Julie discusses several reasons why she feels square foot gardening is superior to other methods. Overall, it is the most organized way to garden that reduces waste and takes less work to maintain. When you get started with square foot gardening, you set yourself up for an enjoyable gardening experience for years to come. And, if you couple this method with raised beds, it allows you to continue to garden even as you age.

How much space do you want to devote to growing food?

Do you have eight square feet to work with or sixteen square feet? This method is for an outdoor garden only, but it doesn’t matter how small or large your yard is. Any size will work. And, you can split up the squares. Maybe you have a two foot by sixteen-foot space along the side of your house. But, you also have an eight foot by eight foot space next to your garage. You can use both spaces. As you get started with square foot gardening, you can get creative with your garden!

How you set up your square foot garden

Once you’ve decided how much space you have, it’s time to start marking off your squares, getting the soil ready, and planting your seeds. On the show, Julie discusses a couple of ways to set up your squares. Once you have that done, get the download she mentions by clicking HERE. The printable you receive through this link will help you decide what to grow in your squares. Some vegetables need more space than others or will require a trellis.

Listen to Crunchy Christian Podcast to get the scoop on how get started with square foot gardening.

And, don’t forget to hop on over to Julie Naturally and get your Healthy Habits Tracker!

Additional Resources

All New Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew. Now part of a set of six books, one of them about gardening with kids
Square Foot Gardening: How to Grow Healthy Organic Vegetables the Easy Way by James Paris
Vertical Gardening: Grow Up, Not Out, for More Vegetables and Flowers in Much Less Space by Derek Fell
The official site of Square Foot Gardening