This may be a dumb question, but....

Tuxdad Tue Mar 27, 2012 7:28 pm

We have a calculator for making MM, but not one for figuring out how many plants per square ??

Yes Mel made a nice list of some in the back of his newest book, but I was wondering about things such as sweet potatoes, black berries, and maybe some other flowers ??

Sorry if this may have already been asked..

Tux

curio Tue Mar 27, 2012 7:33 pm

I'm not sure I would put blackberries in an SFG. They are a robust cane producing plant that sends underground runners to reproduce, and are extremely invasive.

laufenberga Tue Mar 27, 2012 7:50 pm

One easy way to figure out how many per square if it isn't listed in the book is to read the seed packet and see what it says to thin to. Example, if it says thin to 3 in then you can get 16 in a square by making 4 rows or 4 each, 3in apart.

littlejo Tue Mar 27, 2012 8:06 pm

On seed packets and websites, use the 'thin to' amt for spacing. I think when I ordered my slips, sw. potatoes are 1 slip per ft.

I agree about the blackberries. We have some, wanted to improve the soil by using mm if possible.(blueberries too)

We dug a trench about 3 ft. wide, 20 ft long, tossed the dirt into low spots in the yard. Filled the trench with 50/50 compost and peat moss, didn't use the vermiculite for the soil doesn't need to be soft and workable. Planted the plants 2 ft. apart. Used pine straw as mulch for both of these like the acid.

Tuxdad Thu Mar 29, 2012 8:17 pm

Ok I think I get it... This may be a dumb question, but.... 601593

**llama momma** Thu Mar 29, 2012 9:25 pm

Tuxdad here is a little more on the Thin To formula:

The formula goes like this:

You always start the formula with 12. If it says: Thin to 4 inches, Here we go: 12 divided by the "thin to" number 4 = 3. Then square the answer. 3 times 3 = 9, so your answer is 9 plants per square foot.

Another example. Thin to 3 inches. This means 12 divided by 3 = 4. Then 4 squared = 16. That is 16 plants per square foot.

Once again, always start the formula with 12. Divide by the "thin to" number. Square the number. Now you have the # of plants for one square foot.

ericam Thu Mar 29, 2012 10:08 pm

Thanks for that Llama Momma, that is great!

I hadn't yet managed to get my head around the 'thin to' and how that equated to squares so that formula is wonderful!

Mind you I will probably have to convert from metric first but still very helpful.

**llama momma** Thu Mar 29, 2012 10:28 pm

You're welcome Erica--
I'm not the first one to explain it but it is helpful to bring this up again. I had to refer to the book for the longest time til I finally saw the formula explained on this forum.
I have fond memories of Sydney and nearby areas. I guess petting an incredibly soft koala bear and visiting the opera house, doing a cattle drive, getting up close to kangaroos, smelling fresh eucalyptus in the blue mountains is no big deal to you, but this former New Yorker had a blast there many years ago!

ericam Fri Mar 30, 2012 12:15 am

You're one up on me, I'm a city girl, never done a cattle drive!

The Opera House IS pretty cool, took my boys to an open day last year so we got to see behind the scenes as well, lots of fun and very interesting. It is a beautiful country with lots to see, I've travelled enough to appreciate how lucky we are in Australia.

A long way from everywhere else in the world but totally worth it!

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