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	Creating a square foot garden

No space to grow vegetables? Don't worry, you can try a square foot garden, a method of growing vegetables in a very small space.

How do we start our square foot garden?

Students should measure out an area 122cm x 122cm and mark the corners with pegs.

Using untreated timber 3cm wide and 10cm deep, the students can then cut 2 planks of wood 122cm long and 2 planks that are 116cm long.

Students should then take one of the 116cm lengths. To each end of the plank screw one of the 122cm lengths. When they have attached both, they should attach the final 116cm length to make a square.

Place the square on the area that the students have marked out.

Fill the square with soil.

Students can then subdivide the square into sixteen 15cm squares. Nail long (at least 125cm) shoelaces or cord across the box to mark these squares clearly (figure 1).

Figure 1 - A square foot garden

The students will now need to decide which plants they are going to grow. They will need to research this carefully as some types of vegetables and plants will do better than others in this small space. Each square will be planted with a different crop.

Work out the compass directions. The side of the square foot that faces south is the front. Tall plants should not shade smaller ones. The tallest plants should be at the back of the bed.

What can the students find out?

While you are creating and maintaining a square foot garden there are many investigations that students can try.

• Creating the square foot garden.

Maths - Real life measurements, recording and presenting.

National Curriculum Maths • Ma3: 1a,1e 4a,4b  -  Ma4: 1a-d

Geography - Compass directions and aspect.

National Curriculum Geog • 1b, 2a, 2b

•
Researching the plants to be grown.

English - Research and group work.

National Curriculum English • En1: 2b, 2e, 3a

Science - plant types and characteristics.

National Curriculum Science • Sc1   -  Sc2: 4a, 4b, 4c

•

Sowing and raising from seed.

Science - Plant life processes.

National Curriculum   Science • Sc1   -  Sc2: 1b, 3a, 3b, 3c

Maths - Rates of germination.

National Curriculum Maths •
Ma2: 1a,1b,1c,1d,1e,1f,1h,1j     3d,3f,3g,3h,3i,3j,3k    4a,4b,4c
Ma4: 1a-h, 2a-c, 2f

•

Calculating the value of produce compared with the money spent.

Maths - Calculations.

National Curriculum Maths • Ma4: 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1f, 1h   2a-c, 2f

•

Use of plants to attract predators to eat pests.

Science - Food chains/webs

National Curriculum Science • Sc1   -  Sc2: 1c, 5b

Click here if you need help with any of the investigations.
or telephone us on (024) 7630 8238

Example of a square foot garden (spring)

1
9 x garlic 2
4 x land cress 3
16 x turnip 'Market Cross' 4
6 x small summer cabbage 'Primo'

5
leaf lettuce 6
16 x carrots 'Nantes' 7
6 x small summer cabbage 'Greyhound' 8
spring onion

9
4 x hamburg parsley
12 x radish
'French Breakfast' 10
4 x spinach 'Avante' 11
12 x radish 'Sparkler' 12
2 rows peas 'Daybreak'

13
2 x Pot marigold
2 x alpine strawberry 14
4 x lettuce 'Little Gem' 15
16 x carrot 'Nantes' 16
2 rows peas 'Daybreak'

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Garden Organic \| Schools project \| Contact \| Join	All content © HDRA Page last updated 19 June, 2006

1 9 x garlic	2 4 x land cress	3 16 x turnip 'Market Cross'	4 6 x small summer cabbage 'Primo'
5 leaf lettuce	6 16 x carrots 'Nantes'	7 6 x small summer cabbage 'Greyhound'	8 spring onion
9 4 x hamburg parsley 12 x radish 'French Breakfast'	10 4 x spinach 'Avante'	11 12 x radish 'Sparkler'	12 2 rows peas 'Daybreak'
13 2 x Pot marigold 2 x alpine strawberry	14 4 x lettuce 'Little Gem'	15 16 x carrot 'Nantes'	16 2 rows peas 'Daybreak'

Students should measure out an area 122cm x 122cm and mark the corners with pegs.
Using untreated timber 3cm wide and 10cm deep, the students can then cut 2 planks of wood 122cm long and 2 planks that are 116cm long.
Students should then take one of the 116cm lengths. To each end of the plank screw one of the 122cm lengths. When they have attached both, they should attach the final 116cm length to make a square.
Place the square on the area that the students have marked out.
Fill the square with soil.
Students can then subdivide the square into sixteen 15cm squares. Nail long (at least 125cm) shoelaces or cord across the box to mark these squares clearly (figure 1).
Figure 1 - A square foot garden
The students will now need to decide which plants they are going to grow. They will need to research this carefully as some types of vegetables and plants will do better than others in this small space. Each square will be planted with a different crop.
Work out the compass directions. The side of the square foot that faces south is the front. Tall plants should not shade smaller ones. The tallest plants should be at the back of the bed.