- How does this layout look? Tried to stagger things so there can be some spacing and then filled in the gaps with other companion plants. I built a 10' x 4' box and have access on all sides.

- Should/Can I swap some of the marigolds for other crops?

- Planning to put a trellis on in between the first and second row for the zucchini, cucumber, and tomatoes to grow. Looks like there are options to do vertical twine vs horizontal twine trellises - does it matter? Not sure whether vertical or horizontal is better.

Thanks!!

https://preview.redd.it/v80aahin54rc1.png?width=1850&format=png&auto=webp&s=6f72bd98bfc43a843ce982011277f713dd2c40ad

I am a newbie wanted to start my own mostly herb/flower garden. I was wanting some feedback on what I am planting. Last summer my ex husband planted a bunch of mammoth dill and we had tons of swallowtails, so that is a priority for me. I want to create this for myself. I also forgot to add a sage plant in there somewhere. Any glaring mistakes I have made? Where the coneflowers are would be south. I was trying to think about height and spacing as much as possible. Thank you for your help!

https://preview.redd.it/wd1adg6qbqqc1.jpg?width=2000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1fe707fc984d060a42e9c5ab97da6d105e2fc053

I am looking to do square foot gardening for the first time this year - we are looking at what to use as the bed for the garden and my wife is suggesting this “vegepod” product that is fairly expensive. Most reviews on Amazon for it are good but wondering if the community here has experience with this or similar products or recommended alternatives?

I know in theory you can just nail some boards together and call it a day but we aren’t particularly handy and would prefer getting something a bit more pre-constructed to start out with (I’m already stressed about how to compile “Mel’s mix” and maintain ongoing compost ><)

Thanks!

How can I make the compost part of the Mels mix with only products from Home Depot/Lowes, Tractor Supply, or Pike Nursery?

Thank you for your help.

Do you guys use mulch in your beds as a weed suppressant? I know in traditional SFG the idea is your plants are so dense there is no room for weeds but I've had problems regardless. Thinking of trying paper covered with leaves or straw and poking the seeds through the paper this year.

Hi! Looking for feedback on my layout of 3 plots in zone 7b. There are fences on the top and right side of the plots. I am planning on making a big trellis on the upper left side for the cucumbers.

Right now I have, Marketmore 76 cucumbers Beefsteak Tomatoes Black Beauty Eggplants Spinach Marigolds Basil Cilantro Oregano

Any suggestions are welcome!

https://preview.redd.it/q5mrv5ot3dpc1.png?width=824&format=png&auto=webp&s=2923e088ea9905957caf3c86638ee17ecd1b6b67

https://preview.redd.it/osj40w3w3dpc1.png?width=1196&format=png&auto=webp&s=72c9ae10743efc5c7d268f55a1dc14a3e0d02c4c

Hello fellow gardeners,

I wanted to share my excitement as a French gardener renting a house with a garden in Brittany. This summer, I'm planning to start two square foot gardens, and I've been diving into various tutorials on YouTube. That's where I stumbled upon the concept of Square Foot Gardening, which intrigued me. Additionally, I've looked into the French alternative called "carré à la française," which essentially follows the same principles but with square grids of 40 cm (approximately 15.75 inches

I've created these two diagrams and would love to hear some feedback and advice from this community!
Additionally, I've been intrigued by the use of Ollas irrigation, some people explain that the diameter of the irrigation zone equals twice the diameter of the pot.

Incorporating this method into my gardening plans, I'm aiming to create efficient and water-wise systems for my plants.

I'm particularly interested in any insights or experiences you can share regarding Ollas irrigation in Square Foot Gardening setups. Have any of you experimented with this technique in similar climates? I'd love to hear about your successes

Furthermore, I'm contemplating the idea of constructing a greenhouse similar to what the YouTube channel Small Garden Quest has done. Any thoughts on whether this would be beneficial for my garden in Brittany especially against mildew ?

I'm particularly interested in any tips or tricks you've found useful in your Square Foot Gardening adventures, especially considering my location and the potential differences in climate and soil composition. Any insights or experiences you can share would be greatly appreciated.

Looking forward to hearing from you all and hopefully sharing some successes (and maybe a few challenges) throughout the gardening season!

Merci beaucou

I am just starting to build my SFG and am wondering about the use of Vermiculite in the soil.

Is it safe to use? Do you use it?

I have been reading/listening to podcasts, etc and am trying to design my raised SFG. My husband said he will build the boxes, if I design the size(s) and how many.

I have started seeds after I calculated how many plants I need for yield, and plan to stagger start more seeds so I don’t have one giant crop.

Is there any website I can input the number of plants and their species, where it designs the ideal garden (considering space, companions, sun, etc.) and will help me rotate what I need so it continues through the year? Am I asking too much? 🥴😩

PS FWIW I am doing raised beds and trying to survive the west Texas sun without burning up my garden this year. So I plan on using shade cloth, but also need to factor that in.

First time doing a SFG. We’re building a 2x8 raised bed. Possibly a second one if this year goes well. We are in zone 6a. Using Planter to help me plan our garden. Trying to plant what we eat. Would love feedback back on this current plan.

My plan for the melons…and please be honest if this is crazy. I saw that you can use a trellis for watermelons and support the fruit as needed. I’d place the trellis at the end of the bed. Any experience with this?

I also plan on using planter bags for potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots and a tomato plant.

Few additional questions if anyone can help:

1. can I use the raked dead leaves and sticks from my yard to fill the bottom of my raised bed?

2. I’m planning on using Kelloggs raised bed and potting mix to fill my raised bed, is this a good choice? From my reading it seems like it’s a common choice.

3. anyone have experience with blueberry bushes in pots?

I’ve skipped setting up a garden for the past few years because the setup cost just didn’t justify the output. Have things calmed down now or is a 4’x4’ need still going to cost me $100+ to set up?

My husband built me a 3x5 cedar garden bed in our backyard. It’s about 8in deep. Looking over lots of posts and trying to understand a few things:

• When there’s a number next to the veggie on people’s diagrams of their garden, is that how many seeds you plant in that square?
• What are easy veggies to grow for learning? -Any other tips or recommendations?

I’m looking to plant this weekend. Live is So Cal.

My yard is L shaped but not very big.

Right now I’m just planting along my L shaped fence. But they’re more perennials. Right now I have 3 papaya, moringa, 2 pineapples, rosemary, African blue basil, sugarcane, and bananas.

I’m thinking of just planting the smaller edibles interplanted in between the bigger ones. A sort of mini food forest.

Zone 10a Florida.

Would this be fine?

Hello would this be good as a SG? Also it would be a square garden in a "stair" format as in bottom row is at a level, middle row taller, and top row once again taller.

Also if you could point me on how to make pictures like I often see here please.

Planter is 4x8. What changes would you make?

Tomatoes start on the north side of the planter. I am in central Texas zone 8b. Obviously pretty tomato heavy. Have a few different types of peppers, basil, thyme and some other herbs planted separate.

We're doing quite a large project this year. We will do our best to guide all the Vining plants along the edge to grow out into the open space of the yard rather than towards the inside of the garden.

Hi all - would love some advice / thoughts on my plan! First time gardener here! ☺️ We have 2x 8x4 feet raised beds + a greenhouse where we’re going to grow Chilli Peppers, Tomato’s and Strawberries.

Plans for the bed are pictured. Soil is clay and prone to being a bit waterlogged, but with compost on top, garden is south west facing. Does this plan work for a U.K. climate and clay soil type?

I’m starting my first ever square foot garden and have been sketching out a million variations of my plan and googling about companion plants and i realized.. there’s got to be an easier way.. right?? Are there any good apps or websites any of you recommend for planning out your square foot garden?

Complete beginner here… excited to learn more… thank you in advance

I need 36 cu ft of Mel's Mix. I already got 12 cu ft of peat moss and 12 cu ft of coarse vermiculite. However, I'm having a hard time sourcing various types of compost. The only bulk compost I can source is mushroom compost. The community compost pile said their compost is not safe for vegetable gardens.

Since I don't want to use only one type of compost, will I be able to mix more composts using bagged products like the following:

• cow manure
• chicken manure
• worm castings
• crushed shellfish
• blood meal
• bone meal
• alfalfa meal
• cottonseed meal

What ratios should I try to follow? Am I better off going 100% mushroom compost with maybe just the bagged manures?

I am trying to plan my garden for this year. This is my rough idea of what I want to do. I enjoy growing a variety of plants. Does this seem like it would work? Is there anything I could improve? I'm not sure about growing watermelon, cantaloupe and pumpkins on the right side. I may narrow it down to one or two of them. The bottom of the image is south. I am in zone 5.