- Square Foot Gardening
- Abstract
- Square gardening is one of the most effective methods of gardening used by most people who lack enough space to practice other method of farming. However, critically analyzing the method it has several advantages when used as gardening technique. One of the major advantages of the method is that it allows the gardener to realize an increase in productivity from the land. Moreover, the method can also be used to practice farming even in dry areas. However, one of the major limitations of the method is that if the soil is not well maintained it can lose its fertility.
- Introduction
- Square Foot farming is a technique that aims in equipping different people with farming ideas. The method which was an idea from Mel Bartholomew focuses on creating an environmentally friendly environment through organic farming. The idea from Mel Bartholomew has helped many people since the idea was implemented in 1981 through his book as well as numerous TV programs. The idea provided or provides many people with an easy, economical and productive technique which can apply in regions with poor farming soils or places with little farming space. The project has won several awards for as a sign of success in the farming sector. The project by Bartholomew has helped many American people to raise their own gardens thus reducing the huge bills spent on buying vegetable, conserving Mother Nature as well as preventing health problems which arise as a matter of applying artificial fertilizers and chemicals to crops. In generally, Mel Bartholomew creates an environment which is friendly to both people and nature.
- Square foot gardening refers to a form of intensive gardening where the garden space is portioned intoSquire Blocks that are 1ft x 1ft. However, the most common square blocks are 16square feet which are mainly divided into four parts that are 4 square feet each. During planting each small for square block is planted with different crop. In addition, each plant or the seed is planted on an equal distance from the other plant of are of the same variety. One of the methods that are highly recommended to control the weed is mulching (deMaCarty, 2009). . This method of controlling the weed also helps to retain water in the soil. Moreover, the mulching also helps to prevent soil erosion.
- Moreover, another important point to note in the square foot gardening is that the beds are weeded and watered from the pathways. This implies that the person weeding or watering the plants does not have to step inside the square. This in turn helps to ensure that the plants grow without being disturbed. Crops grown in these types of garden are usually subjected to soil with high fertility. This is mainly because the new soil mixture is used every time a new garden is created. Another aspect that is used during square gardening is that the medium or the large plants are planted nine plants per square. In addition, for the medium plants like the spinach they are mainly planted sixteen per square.
- Advantages of square foot gardening
- Square foot gardening has several advantages over the other gardening techniques. First, the square foot gardening is easy to understand. This is mainly because the method basically involves the use of square piece of land to grow plants (Slagter, 2000). This implies that the method can be suitable even to the people who are beginning to learn gardening techniques. Second, it is possible to start this gardening technique close to the house. This is mainly because the garden only requires a small amount of space to grow the plants. In addition, the method is also economical; this is because it only uses a small amount of space (O'Brien, 2006).Moreover, the method helps to ensure that the plants are protected from bad weather. This is mainly because the method allows the use of mulch which can help to protect the plant from adverse weather conditions.
- Using the method it is also possible to protect the plants from the various pests (Smith, 2005). This is mainly because the method allows application of the pesticide on to an individual plant. This in turn helps to ensure that the plants are protected from the pest. In relation to this, the raised position of the garden also helps to protect the garden from the pest. In addition, the presence of the various watering and weeding pathway help to protect the garden from soil erosion. In addition, the method is very productive; this is mainly because it allows the gardener to take care of the individual plants. This in turn helps to increase the productivity of the individual plants
- Disadvantages of Square Foot Gardening
- However much Square Foot Gardening has numerous merits, the technique also includes some disadvantages. First, the crop yield in Square Foot Gardening is less for a vast foot print of the garden compared to other methods or techniques of farming. This is because the techniques supports fewer crops or plants for a larger portion and planting interval should be wide enough to give each crop a humble ground for food support. For example, one tomato or cabbage plant may even take a whole box. The other disadvantage of using Square Foot Gardening entails the increased number of weeds in the garden (Stiles, 2008). For instance, this technique leaves vast spaces between the crops thus creating room for weeds to occupy the space. Moreover, the technique requires the use of organic manure which may have a lot of weed seeds. Once these seeds are irrigated, they sprout together with the crops. The other disadvantage entails that, this farming technique only allows the farmer to use soil from Mother Nature without incorporating artificial fertilizers (Priesnetz, 2006). The rule of Square Foot farming restricts the farmer from incorporating artificial chemicals since it is made to be more environmental friendly compared to other farming techniques.
- Another demerit of Square Foot farming entails the fact that the technique uses a lot of wood which may lead to increased rate of tree destruction. Moreover, the technique uses treated wood which might dissolve into the irrigation water. In this case, plants will absorb the water together with the chemicals which might cause a lot of healthy problems. In addition, this method of farming only retains soil fertility for a little amount of time (Cultivating a New Generation of Gardeners. 2007). This is because the plant has no conduct with the earth and only feeds on the nutrients available in the soil within the box. Moreover, the farming method generally lacks biotic complexity. This is because the soil only belongs to one type and there is nod ground or earth conduct such that it can mix with other types of soil. In general, the type of soil incorporated in the box is the only type of soil which the crop uses (Greenberg, 2005). This is because the soil has no conduct with the ground such that it can mix with other types.
- Advantages
- Square Foot Farming is positioned higher up the ground. In this case, raising the garden above the ground facilitates deeper soil depth for plant roots, improved and even drainage system as well as facilitating fast and easy warmth from the soil (Bartholomew, 2005). In addition, this farming technique uses mulching which restricts weeds from growing. Also incase of weeding the technique supports easy and quick weeding since soil is lofty and arranged in smaller and higher gardens and therefore no special tools are required more than the hands of the farmer. In this case, the farmer will not have to bend in order to weed the garden but instead they carry on with the weeding process when standing and at a comfortable position. The other advantage is that the farming technique is more environmental friendly. In this case, the method requires that farmers use plants like marigolds to control pests (Bartholomew, 2005). Moreover, the farming technique restricts farmers from using artificial fertilizers as a way of reducing health problems which may arise from such chemicals. In addition, the technique helps the farmer save a lot of money (Clark, 2008).
- Conclusion
- From the above it is evident that square foot gardening is one of the most effective of carrying out farming in a small space. The method is very easy to understand and can be easily be used to teach new beginner gardeners. Moreover, it is also evident that the square foot gardens are easy to maintain. This is mainly because they require simple tools in weeding and most case the gardener may use his or her own hands. In addition the garden also requires minimal amount of water since the mulching method can be used to protect evaporation of water. This therefore implies that the garden can also be used to grow crops even on in dry areas. It is also evident that the method allows the gardener to have an increased productivity. However, the method has some disadvantages these include the fact that one may be forced to replace the wood used to make the garden every time one wants to make a new one. In addition another major disadvantage is that if the soil inside the garden is not properly maintained it may lose its fertility.
- Summary
- Mel Bartholomew is person behind a farming technique that wins the battle to preserve the nature. Though it is hard for many farmers to practice agriculture without the use of chemicals, Bartholomew incorporates different methods and technique to come up with a method that proves successful in conserving the environment as well as promoting the health of many people. The method that Bartholomew implements incorporate several advantages as well as disadvantages although the number of advantages outweighs the number of disadvantages and thus making the method more effective. In this case, the method has earned a lot of supporters and practitioners especially in the United States.
- References
- Bartholomew, M. (2005). Square Foot Gardening. Organic Gardening, 52(3), 52-54.
- Clark, K. (2008). Eat Your Own Spinach. (Cover story). U.S. News & World Report, 145(14), 66.
- Cultivating A New Generation Of Gardeners. (2007). Natural Life, (115), 29
- deMaCarty, K. (2009). Before You Turn the Soil. Natural Life, (126), 26-29.
- Greenberg, J. (2005). Introducing Square Foot Gardening. Library Journal, 130(3), 166.
- O'Brien, S. (2006). All New Square Foot Gardening: Grow More in Less Space!. Library Journal, 131(2), 98.
- Priesnetz, W. (2006). Gardening in Small Spaces. (Cover story). Natural Life, (109), 14-17.
- Slagter, D. (2000). Garden experiments, and more. Countryside & Small Stock Journal, 84(1), 96.
- Smith, C. (2005). Introducing Square Foot Gardening with Mel Bartholomew. Booklist, 101(9/10), 878.
- Stiles, J. (2008). Country Lore. Mother Earth News, (228), 18.
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