Saturday, June 28, 2014

Welcome Saturday June Gardening class

Wow!
That 45minute class sure zipped by.
For the beginning square foot gardeners I have this step by step list.
See the rest of my blog for other helpful helps, like how to mix your soil.

1.  Find a location that will provide the most warmth.  

     Warmth comes from the South, from protected areas, from good airflow
from other warm areas, 

Cold comes from areas that drop lower than the air flow, from areas
that are deeply shaded, from air patterns that travel North and then to your
garden. 

2. Collect the materials to hold your square foot garden. NO TREATED Lumber.  

Free materials are GR-REAT. Watch Craigs list.  I only had
to drive into woodinville for cardboard but got all the wood for a box
by picking up a shipping crate on Queen Ann.  

3. Collect your soil, 1/3 peat moss (caution it is compressed) 1/3 vermiculite (if you can't find it
    add it when you get it one square at a time)  1/3 compost 5 different materials included.  
    Use a volume measurement not a weight


4. Mix your soil on a tarp, you need something to push the soil around and some way to get the       finished soil into your boxes.

 I use a rake upside down to evenly spread my ingredients.
Check the blog for step by step mixing

5. Put your soil in your box and put your square markers on.  Use what you have or go for the
    pretty look of white painted boards. 

6. Check the chart I gave you, see what's good to plant in June and July. 

 Plant the square foot way

 X-Large plants 1 per 12" square
Broccoli, cabbage, peppers, egg plant, tomato

some are so large they take 2 to 4 squares,
Zucchini and any non vine squash
You can grow the vine squash upward!

Large plants, 4 per square
Leaf lettuce, Swiss chard, parsley, flowers, Basil

Medium plants 9 per square
bush beans (love them!), spinach, beets, garlic, spinach, 

Small 16 plants per square
radishes, carrots, green onions, chives

Growing upward per square
1 tomato 2 cucumbers, 8 pole beans, 4 potato


So go start these steps and check back for heat units, and seeds that fit
the seasons of the northwest