Grids... the makings of Square Foot Gardening

It's snowing. Wonderful to watch the dry beige land of the cold months turn green as the canal water becomes available... and we receive spring moisture!

Grids... the makings of a Square Foot Garden

Yesterday I looked at lathe at the lumber yard. The lathe is about $14.00/bundle, I think of 14-4' pieces. Need to start making grids.

I decided that I would try using string this year... as I've made a sizable investment in Mel's Mix.

Off to the co-op!

Got to get more Peat & Vermiculite...

On my mind...

Need to buy stuff for trellises

Need to build long beds for my tomatoes

Grids...

I want to plant!!!!

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5/8/09 update..

Got 15 bags of Vermiculite. The filled the back of my pickup. I'll have to wait on getting more peat.

Got 1 4x4 bed filled with Mel's Mix!

Yeah!!!

I covered the bottom of 3 of my 4x4 beds with landscape fabric... got them situated just so... then filled 1 box with Mel's Mix!

I considered this a big step!!!! Will post pics tomorrow!

Tomatoes in my SFG... spacing... 1 square vs 9 squares

I've been figuring out my spacial needs for my SFG.

I want to can lots of sauce this year... so I have 40 Romas growing from seed.

Mel's book says that bush type or "determinate" tomato plants take 9 square feet! Shoot... that's a lot of space!

Mel says that he only plants vining or "indeterminate" varieties for spacial reasons... vining tomato plants only take 1 square per plant!!!

Vining tomato plants include: Burpee's Fourth of July Hybrid, Early Girl, Celebrity, Beefsteak, Big Boy, Brandywine... Cherry and Heirloom varieties.

more info....

So... I have 40 Romas... bush type... that each need 9 square feet of room... whew... OK... PANIC!!!!