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Re: New to SQFT Gardening

Hi Tory:

I'll try my best to answer your questions (in the body of your
message) --

----------
On Saturday, April 12, 1997 7:11 PM, you wrote:
>
> Hi!
>
> This is my first year trying to square foot method, although I used
to
> watch Mel's show all of the time when I was in an apartment and
couldn't
> garden. =( Anyhow, I *love* gardening and wanted to try this method
as I
> don't have a lot of space for veggies in my smallish yard.
>
> I have a few questions:
>
> 1.  Because my gardening space in long, rather than square...so I
have one
> 3 foot by 6 foot plot and one 5 foot by 6 foot plot. This should
not pose a
> problem, should it?
 --No, not at all; it's the spacing *within* each square foot that is
important.
> 2.  Behind my plots I've created is actually 1 1/2 feet of space
that I was
> planning on putting pole beans in...does this sound like it might
enough
> room?
--Sure, should be plenty of room. (I'm assuming that you're planning
to install some kind of trellis setup back there.)
> 3.  I want SO badly to grow squash, not only for me but for my pet
iguana
> who eats winter, orange fleshed squash. However,  I just don't feel
I have
> the space. Any ideas? One I had was to put them in the front yard
and train
> them along the front walk. But there is a concern there, living on
a busy
> street, that they might get stolen.
--Try trellising your squash, too -- most winter squashes are vining
types, I believe. I'd also hesitate to grow *anything* too close to
the street, due to exhaust fumes and possible contamination of the
soil as well as vandalism.
> 4.  Same question for corn. Did I read on the SQFT page that Mel is
saying
> you can put four corn plants per plot? Is that per 4x4 plot, or 1x1
plot?
--According to The Book, Mel recommends one corn plant per square
foot. I'm going to try growing the heirloom popcorn (called Tom
Thumb) this year that only gets about 24" high and is supposed to
produce several ears per plant; I hope to avoid the shading problems
that might result from growing regular sweet corn.
> 5.  Has anyone used floating row covers on their plots? I'm hoping
they
> will speed up germination, and more importantly keep the cats from
messing
> my plot of carrots.
--I often use row covers, though I don't do much direct-seeding. To
keep cats out (since the row covers are fairly fragile and can be
clawed through), covering the area with some kind of cage or chicken
wire might work better.
> Any other suggestions? Thanks in advance!
--Find a copy of Mel's book, either in the library or a bookstore --
I believe it has been re-issued recently -- it's definitely worth the
price of admission! Hope this helps, and good luck to you.

Happy trails.....

     Sue Drake
     Southeastern WI -- USDA zone 4b/5a
--What if there were no rhetorical questions?

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