<p>If the weather cooperates, I’ll soon start planting my first season of my community garden plot. I actually was fortunate enough to end up getting a raised bed instead of in-ground plot - hoping for better chance of success with a more contained, realistic sized spot. </p>
<p>My raised bed is 10 x4 ft. I’m playing with an app called “Garden Planner” where you can built a square foot garden - it tells you how many plants per sq ft “square” etc. I plan to do a mixture of veggies, a couple herbs, some zinneas (must have, just love them and want the color!). </p>
<p>Any tips, do’s and don’t’s of SFG??? The community garden has a square foot frame that we can use when planting - basically a wooden frame that we can lay over our raised bed and plant accordingly and then lift off. </p>
<p>Successes or non-successes with your SFG???</p>
<p>there actually is a book called “Square Foot Gardening” that I got years ago when I was starting out. It has a lot of practical advice. I found it useful to put nails into the boards and run twine to mark out the squares; over the season you may want to make changes and you won’t be able to put a frame over the plot once you have plants growing. SFG works great, I think you’ll be happy with the results. </p>
<p>One other suggestion is to keep a printout of your plan. At the end of the season leave notes to yourself about what worked and what didn’t so the following year you can see your advice. And the next year try to move things around; it is generally recommended not to plant the same things in the same spot every year since soil pests are there waiting for them. </p>
<p>I have four raised beds of those exact dimensions. I don’t bother with exact squares but just do my own rows and blocks of plantings depending on what and how much of it I want to grow. If you want any perennials you may want to plan where you will put them first. Chives, for example, become decorative because they flower and they are very reliable. Always nice to be able to cut fresh chives whenever you want them. At this time of year in my planting zone (6) I have started peas, lettuce and broccoli but as the season goes on they will be replaced by warm weather crops like tomatoes and beans.
Enjoy!</p>
<p>Sounds like I’ve gotten good advice - these are things I heard at my meeting yesterday! ^ ^ ^ I did think about the twine idea as well. I will have to get that book as it has been widely suggested. However, knowing that I’ll be STARTING planting shortly, I figured I wouldn’t get through the book ahead of time so I’d rely on some “words from the wise” to get started. :)</p>
<p>Years ago, when I had a yard with sun I had three 8-foot square beds that I planted SFG style. The book was very helpful. I agree that keeping records is helpful. Remember that some things like lettuce are fine to plant way too close, because you can eat them as babies - thinning with bonuses. You’ll figure out what works in your area. I gave up on brussel sprouts because they were aphid magnets, but kept at it with tomatoes because they taste so much better than any supermarket tomato. I also like to plant a bunch of fresh herbs, many of which will overwinter. In my current garden, chives, thyme, sage and oregano comes back every spring.</p>
<p>@mom2collegekids , it’s called “Grow Planner”. You can do SFG plans or traditional plots. It wasn’t free, but I think I paid $5.99 when I got it.</p>
<p>Here’s a YouTube that shows some if the app features - this is from 2012 so there are some newer updates: </p>
<p>Rosemary thrives where I live and it actually goes dormant and reawakens in the spring. Basil is another one that I’ve managed not to kill. Be warned on oregano, it can take over the universe, it’s like the kudzu of herbs. </p>
<p>I wish my oregano would take over the world. I only have that experience with lemon balm - it even beats out regular mint which is saying something! I have to take rosemary in for the winter. Some years it survives, others, I don’t water it enough.</p>