SFG on a grand scale.

ayanefan 3/26/2010, 12:02 pm

I was just wondering if this is recommended. As we all know, in SFG you create 4x4 boxes and then separate in 1 sq/ft spaces and plant a variety of wonderful veggies. Is it possible to create a 4x4 section of 4x4 boxes and use 1 crop per box?
For example, here is part of my barn area that I'm thinking of doing in a few years time:
SFG on a grand scale. Garden

Notice that it is a 4x4 grid with 1 crop per box. Would this be as effective for repelling bugs and such?

castoral 3/26/2010, 12:13 pm

I'd think that it would work for sure. Here is an example of larger beds used, although not exactly the same layout. http://www.mysquarefootgarden.net/square-foot-gardening-plan-a-case-study/

What about using plants that will help with disease and bugs just on the boarders, for example, a 4x4 square of eggplant and surrounding it with marigolds or a 4x4 sq of summer squash and surrounding it with carrots and lettuce?

orionsbelt 3/26/2010, 1:05 pm

One thing to consider is soil nutrition. Different plants use different nutrients from the soil, which is why crop rotation is so important for sustainable agriculture. I think the SFG method is great because you're essentially rotating crops through each season ("I'm done with tomatoes, now I'll plant some cold weather crops.")

I think this could totally work - one thing you might want to consider is rotating squares by year. So if you're growing tomatoes in a box one year, the next year plant something else there - and something else in a different family. Tomatoes are in the nightshade family, so you wouldn't want to put peppers or eggplant there. However, you could plant squash, beans, cucumbers, onions, or any number of other things there...

Your layout looks awesome - I wish I had that much space. It's also making me hungry.

ayanefan 3/26/2010, 10:11 pm

Thanks for the replies and encouragement. I know I'll have a better idea if it is possible in a couple of years. This is really going to get me going. I know it's going to be a LOT of food but I am planning on selling on the side and becoming an instructor and what better way to show how much to can grow in such a (relatively) small area.
Again, thanks!

Retired Member 1 3/27/2010, 2:20 pm

In the first book, Mel recommended planting the same crop in 2x2 ft squares. I'm not sure why he switched to each square should be different method. It makes sense to me to keep like-minded plants together for ease of watering, harvesting and such. Then of course, rotating the crops year by year. Long way of saying I think your plan should work very well, especially since you are doing a market garden.

Kabaju42 3/28/2010, 12:18 am

I think Mel recommends something different in each square mainly for aestetics.

I think your plan should work just fine. I'd recommend that you get the book "Cash From Square Foot Gardening" since you want to sell your produce. One of the things that he recommends there is if you are going to plant several of the same crop, spread out when you plant them so that you get a continuous supply of each item.

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