A thought about too large plants

GWN 3/25/2012, 10:53 am

I have been thinking of the many plants that are too large for square feet, such as rhubarb, zucchini, artichokes etc and wonder about putting them in a 1x1 square foot, that way their roots would be in a square foot while their leaves etc would be in the 8-9 square feet that they take up.
Only question would be whether, that would be enough space for roots of a plant that large.
If that is enough space for a tomato plant which grows to be actually much larger than a zucchini plant just straight up instead of sprawled....
Just wondering anyones thoughts on this

**snibb** 3/25/2012, 10:58 am

You can totally grow zucchinin in 1 square foot-you grow it up on a t-post. I've been doing it for years. Sure the leaves are large but then you can take advantage of the shade in the surrounding areas for other cool things-like lettuce in the heat of summer.

GWN 3/25/2012, 11:05 am

I am not sure what a T post is, but I was thinking of making little 1 foot squares and filling them with mels mix for planting the artichokes, zucchini and rhubarb plants.

I have mounds, where I grew the zucchini last year, but was wondering about keeping the really good mix in one place.... such as mels mix

**walshevak** 3/25/2012, 11:07 am

Annuals like zuchinni and artichokes definately. Perennials like rhubarb and asparagus would probably do better in a larger dedicated bed in the yard.

Kay

GWN 3/25/2012, 11:08 am

Well that is what I mean, I have a large yard, and was thinking of making 1x1s and placing them several feet from each other....

I am hoping I can make my artichokes perennials.... since they only flower on their second year

Icemaiden 3/25/2012, 11:21 am

I have rhubarb in a sort-of SFG Very Happy

I have very little garden space but have four 4x4 gardens aranged in a square with good space between the boxes. In the middle where the two pathways meet I have put a box which is a bit bigger than 1+1, and I turned it so that it is a diamond shape compared to the square boxes.

I put it straight on the ground, dug out a bit of the soil and filled it up with MM. I planted two small rhubarb crowns in there (two sorts) and they seem quite happy so far. I figure that the roots can go into the soil if they need more space and they will get more moisture too.

**sfg4uKim** 3/25/2012, 11:22 am

LOL forgive me I'm a little dense this morning. Are you talking about a separate 1x1xwhatever raised bed? Like maybe a 1x1x1 cube? Not just a 1x1 square in an existing bed?

GWN 3/25/2012, 11:25 am

Yes 1x1x1 cubes places around the yard with 6-7 feet between to allow for the artichokes or zucchinis..... to grow
BUT keeping the soil in one place

Mels mix is valuable and the way I see it, the whole goal is to just use it where needed...
At least that is my thought ????

**RoOsTeR** 3/25/2012, 11:29 am

I am not sure what a T post is,

These are T-posts Very Happy

A thought about too large plants Tpost10

quiltbea 3/25/2012, 11:32 am

GWN....Why don't you try that and keep us posted with pics so we can see how this works out for you. Sounds like a plan. The MM will be where its most needed and the plant itself can stretch forever if need be. Its certainly a more inexpensive way to go. Sounds feasible.

Icemaiden 3/25/2012, 11:32 am

Do you have plenty of timber? Because the length of timber required per square foot of garden would be much higher than it is for a 4x4 for example.

You would neet 4 feet for each square foot of garden. If you made a 2x2 then you would need 8 feet which is only 2/squarefoot of garden.

GWN 3/25/2012, 11:43 am

I have lots and lots of space, I basically have 1.5 acres of solid clay and rock.
last year my zucchinis and artichokes and rhubarb were very ho hum, I DID mix in some compost but I think they all need better soil, and this way I can focus the soil.

I have lots of wood, we built a house last year and lots of scraps AND we have all kinds of cedar we had milled several years ago.
I am going to try this, and make several 1x1x1s fill them with mels mix and place them about 8-9 feet apart.
I WILL take pictures.... Very Happy

GWN 3/25/2012, 11:57 am

what do t posts do, they look like Arrows (as in bows and arrows)

Chopper 3/25/2012, 2:23 pm

T-posts are a non bendable metal. You hammer them into the ground until that wide part is in the dirt. It gives the post stability and keeps it from moving around. They are made to be fence posts for wire fences.

Here is a pic of some:
A thought about too large plants T-post10

Here is one used with fencing to make a tomato trellis (stolen from gardenplotter.com:
A thought about too large plants T-post11

lisaphoto 3/25/2012, 4:15 pm

I plan on using containers filled with Mel's mix for any extra plants that won't fit in my SFG. I will just make sure they are at least 6 inches deep. Even if the plant is recommended to have extra space, it can just spill over the edge. I got a bunch of nursery containers for $.99, and some containers from the dollar store, and some larger plastic bins from Target, and I don't have to build anything.

**walshevak** 3/25/2012, 4:23 pm

Chopper wrote:T-posts are a non bendable metal. You hammer them into the ground until that wide part is in the dirt. It gives the post stability and keeps it from moving around. They are made to be fence posts for wire fences.

Here is a pic of some:

Here is one used with fencing to make a tomato trellis (stolen from gardenplotter.com:

I'm setting up grapes with 6 of these and a cattle panel. 2 vines, maybe 3

GWN 3/25/2012, 7:39 pm

I plan on using containers filled with Mel's mix for any extra plants that won't fit in my SFG. I will just make sure they are at least 6 inches deep. Even if the plant is recommended to have extra space, it can just spill over the edge. I got a bunch of nursery containers for $.99, and some containers from the dollar store, and some larger plastic bins from Target, and I don't have to build anything.

I did something like this last year and cut the bottoms of the pots out and set them on the ground....

1airdoc 3/26/2012, 10:25 am

I have issues with moles 'n voles, so my boxes are lined underneath with hardware cloth as well as the weed block. I hate to drive anything through those layers, yet stakes placed only in the MM will fall over with the taller, heavier plants, such as peppers. Any suggestions?

kittykat 3/26/2012, 10:46 am

1airdoc wrote:I have issues with moles 'n voles, so my boxes are lined underneath with hardware cloth as well as the weed block. I hate to drive anything through those layers, yet stakes placed only in the MM will fall over with the taller, heavier plants, such as peppers. Any suggestions?

Put the stakes on the outside of the boxes, maybe??

Lindacol 3/26/2012, 11:14 am

kittykat wrote:
1airdoc wrote:I have issues with moles 'n voles, so my boxes are lined underneath with hardware cloth as well as the weed block. I hate to drive anything through those layers, yet stakes placed only in the MM will fall over with the taller, heavier plants, such as peppers. Any suggestions?

Put the stakes on the outside of the boxes, maybe??

That's what I do. I use T posts to support either stock panels or netting on a frame. We have a bad gopher problem so all my beds have wire bottoms. My daughter is at war with the gophers as they are getting into her in ground butterfly/hummingbird garden. She has trapped 6 in 2 days and has asked me to get more traps.

UnderTheBlackWalnut 3/26/2012, 11:32 am

kittykat wrote:
1airdoc wrote:I have issues with moles 'n voles, so my boxes are lined underneath with hardware cloth as well as the weed block. I hate to drive anything through those layers, yet stakes placed only in the MM will fall over with the taller, heavier plants, such as peppers. Any suggestions?

Put the stakes on the outside of the boxes, maybe??

+1 Tposts and rebar go outside my boxes because they have plywood bottoms. Smile

You just have to remember to have your trellis be wider than your box.. Smile

Chopper 3/26/2012, 2:07 pm

1airdoc wrote:I have issues with moles 'n voles, so my boxes are lined underneath with hardware cloth as well as the weed block. I hate to drive anything through those layers, yet stakes placed only in the MM will fall over with the taller, heavier plants, such as peppers. Any suggestions?

The other thing you can do is add permanent trellis holders in each box. Essentially a 3/4 piece of PVC pipe to hold a 1/2 inch PVC trellis. See: Here. Then you just place your trellis in there if needed. Have then for each box but only use when needed.

Of course if the box is already filled and planted you can put those on the outside of the box or just put pipe straps of the correct size and slide the trellis into that.

Lavender Debs 3/26/2012, 2:17 pm

Why not pots and a tomato support? You can get square pots if that is what you want to stick with.

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