spacing of seeds

sarahemeline 3/8/2010, 6:47 pm

there were alot of specific plants not listed in Mel's book (zucchini, rhubarb, marjoram, etc) and I COULD be bold and just plant a bunch of them per square foot and just see what happens, but I'd like to know if anyone has an itemized list of how far to space every vegetable under the sun... anyone?

OR, a complete listing of what crops/varieties can be trained on a trellis so I know what's okay to plant where... anyone?

Also, I was going to try to mingle some flowers in with my boxes, but the package directions will indicate to thin them to "... 8 inches apart...", so... does that mean I'll end up with one or two flowers per box? What is the nature of flowers? Do they spread?

would it be possible to start a forum based on individual crops so all directed comments can be channeled into those listings?

Thanks. Smile

**timwardell** 3/8/2010, 7:07 pm

Alas, I don't know of a comprehensive list of plants. Also, there are many factors to take into account with each veggie. For instance I'm growing a zucchini this year that is a large bush variety (Black Beauty) and it will easily take up 9 squares for one plant. Last year I had a type of cucumber that climbed up my trellis okay but not great. This year I'm planting a different variety that is a great climber (Japanese Climbing) so I'll be planting 2 per square and letting them go up the trellis. ... I agree that the directions on flower seed are confusing. I tend to plant four per square then then them out if they get to thick.
Still, a database of all plants and flowers would be a nice reference.

choksaw 3/9/2010, 11:29 am

I hate math but the simple solution would be to follow the directions on the seed packed with the exclusion of thinning them out if the plant in questions says plant 8 seeds and then thin to say 1 per 2 inches divide that 2 into 12 and you should be able to comfortable plant 6 into 1 sqaure.

my math isnt the greatest and im still trying to figure out how 16 carrots/radish's go into 1 sqaure but like i said im not a mathmatician lol

Lavender Debs 3/9/2010, 11:37 am

choksaw wrote:my math isnt the greatest and im still trying to figure out how 16 carrots/radish's go into 1 sqaure but like i said im not a mathmatician lol

One at a time.

Deborah ....hint, divide the total by 4 and you get 4 rows of 4 seeds. The real question for me is can my fingers do that? Radishes I am confident of. Carrots, not so much.

Bobpick 3/10/2010, 8:35 pm

This is from: Plant Spacing in a Square Foot Garden

Basil: 1/sqft (according to sqft reader Kevin M. Wilson)
Beans: bush-type 9/sqft; pole-type 8/sqft (see special grid)
Beets: 16/sqft
Broccoli: 1/sqft
Cabbage: 1/sqft
Carrots: 16/sqft
Cauliflower: 1/sqft
Celery: 4/sqft (6") (according to sqft reader Doreen Howard)
Chard (Swiss): 4/sqft
Corn: 1/sqft (revised in 2/96 OG to 4/sqft)
Cucumbers: 2/sqft in a row of 4 sqft (6" apart along middle of sqft row)
Daffodils: 36/sqft
Eggplant: 1/sqft
Garlic: 4/sqft (6") (according to several sqft readers. Some say 9/sqft (4"))
Leeks: 9/sqft (see special technique in 2/96 OG)
Lettuce: 4/sqft
Marjoram: 4/sqft (according to sqft reader Kevin M. Wilson)
Muskmelons: 1/sqft (grow in row of 4 squares, on trellis)
Okra: 1-2/sqft (according to reader Sandra Walters)
Onions: 16/sqft
Oregano: 1/4sqft (according to sqft reader Kevin M. Wilson)
Parsley: 4/sqft
Peas: 8/sqft (grow in row of 4 squares on trellis, see special grid)
Peppers: 1/sqft
Potatoes: 1/sqft (see special technique in 2/96 OG)
Radishes: 16/sqft
Savory: 1/sqft (according to sqft reader Kevin M. Wilson)
Scallions: 36/sqft (2") (see special technique in 2/96 OG)
Spinach: 9/sqft
Squash, Summer: vine-type 3/4sqft (see special grid); bush-type 1/3sqft (see special grid) (see also Zucchini's revised spacing)
Squash, Winter: 1/2sqft (see special grid)
Sweet Potatoes: 2/sqft (according to sqft reader John Webster)
Thyme: 4/sqft (according to sqft reader Kevin M. Wilson)
Tomatoes: bush-type: 4/4sqft (see special grid); vine-type 1/sqft (in row of 4 on trellis)
Watermelon: bush-type 1/sqft; vine-type 1/2sqft - both kinds along trellis
Zucchini: 1/sqft (Mel from 2/96 OG)

Hope it helps!

Patty from Yorktown 3/11/2010, 7:26 am

Hi,
I politely disagree with some of your herb spacing. Please understand that I like English cottage gardens, so if I can chose a plant that will grow to be measured in feet that is the one I chose. Most of my herbs are 1 per squarefoot. The more you cut herbs, the more they will bush. Most herbs are perennials, so if you make the investment in plants and leave them alone, they will reward you with large plants. Just give them a bit of thyme. Herbs also like to struggle, so do not give them too much love and they will taste better.

Happy Gardening, Patty in Yorktown

**WardinWake** 3/11/2010, 9:19 am

Hi Patty:

I am so happy to see you on the new forum. I (and others) have missed you wisdom. There has been a request that you post your pictures of the 'crayon garden'.

God Bless, Ward and Mary.

sarahemeline 3/11/2010, 10:28 am

oh, thank you SO much for your imput! This will save me so much time and energy!!
kindest regards...

gridgardener 3/11/2010, 11:12 am

Bobpick i see couple issues with chart you posted.
1. you blatantly copied it from the faq from the gardenweb square foot forum. Which was flawed in first place.
2.Out of context in mel books some of those spacing numbers would be very confusing and could cause newbies to get poor results.
Here are few examples
example1:
corn there 3 spacing types listed in mel books each with different spacing, without the context in book the plants would to crowded.
1 plant per sqft tall late corn varieties
2 plant per sqft medium height corn varieties
4 plants per sqft short early corn varieties
this also includes short double varieties included in organic gardening article
example 2 :
zucchini 3ftx3ft original book spacing
the og 96 article spacing is 1 per sqft though training the zucchini up trellis this requires a lot more training then the average squash. my personal experience has shown that under planting where the squash will grow over is bit easier then trellising a zucchini plant.

the real issue is you need be aware of the plant growth characteristics or space bit further apart in square ft context.

Bobpick 3/11/2010, 2:44 pm

gridgardener wrote:Bobpick i see couple issues with chart you posted.
1. you blatantly copied it from the faq from the gardenweb square foot forum. Which was flawed in first place.
2.Out of context in mel books some of those spacing numbers would be very confusing and could cause newbies to get poor results.

Yes, I did blatently copy it, however, I did provide a link to the original site.
I am a newbie, and yet I was able to discern the verbage to know the spacing. I have NOT found any other spacing guide on the net. If I knew where one was I would have probably linked to that as well.

I'm sorry if I stepped on anyone's toes.

sarahemeline 3/11/2010, 6:19 pm

Bobpick-
I appreciate your researching efforts. I won't hold you personally accountable if my veggies get crowded or lonely in their squares this year. Smile

I'm sure I'll be learning from and adjusting my efforts through my entire gardening "career". I'm just glad you offered a place for me to start. That's all I needed.
Thanks! spacing of seeds Icon_biggrin

gridgardener 3/22/2010, 12:05 pm

mel also gives in the book the secret to spacing unmentioned vegetables.
you just plant final seed/plant spacing in all four directions

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