Some time ago I wrote a post on Square Foot Gardening and briefly touched on companion planting. I now feel it’s time to share with you my companion planting square foot garden experiences.
What is Square Foot Gardening?
Square Foot Gardening is A system of gardening which allows you to grow much more in a small space than would otherwise be possible. Developed in the 80’s by Mel Bartholomew, you can take an area of 4ft x 4ft and turn it into a grid of 16 square feet. Each square foot is treated as an individual patch and is planted up according to a specific number of plants per square foot.
It not only saves space, but also saves energy (after the initial work of mixing the correct soil mixture). According to Mel’s book it is
A new way to garden with 80 percent less space and work
As a result of the proximity of the plants this way of growing lends itself perfectly to companion planting.
Along with all other types of gardening this system will work best if you get the basics right. Plants all need a good growing medium to facilitate good growth. Mel Bartholomew created his own mix, there is a good link to it here.
What Is Companion Planting?
If you follow my blog you will know that I am a big fan of companion planting. It is a way of growing different plants close enough to each other to be of benefit to them all. Beneficial either by helping each other or by attracting insects to benefit other plants. Some plants can be grown as sacrificial plants to protect others and some to improve the flavour of another crop.
How To Companion Plant within A Square Foot Garden
The secret is to treat each square as a separate growing space, more like a 12 inch by 12 inch pot. Whilst keeping in mind that each adjoining square should be a good neighbour. So don’t plant things that do not get on like Garlic or Onions with Peas or Beans. where as a good companion would be Beans with Poached Egg Plants.
This doesn’t mean that Garlic or Onions can’t be grown in the same grid as Beans. It just means keep them away from each other, possibly 2 complete squares away. I grew a 3 by 4 square foot garden which gave me 12 separate squares I planted them as follows.
Working in 3 rows of 4, in the first row I planted:-
- Poached Egg Plants
- Dwarf Beans
- Lettuce
- Spring Onion
In the second row I planted:-
- Carrots
- Spinach
- Marigolds
- Beetroot
And in the third and final row I planted:-
- Strawberries
- Calabrese
- Parsley
- Nasturtiums
This planting arrangement worked very well although I should have allowed more space for the Calabrese as it wasn’t as productive as it could have been.
The Lettuce gained some protection from the Beans and Spinach. The Strawberries got extra pollination from the insects attracted to the Poached Egg Plants.
By giving some thought to planting arrangements it is possible to grow root vegetables as well as larger top growing plants like Beans. Just work out the positioning carefully before planting and this can be a very successful system.
What Not to Plant as Neighbours In A Square Foot Garden
Bad bed fellows include:-
- Beans with Brassicas ( Cabbages etc..)
- Carrots with Dill or Celery
- Onions with Legumes (Peas and Beans)
- Kohl Rabi with Peppers, Tomatoes, Chillies and Legumes
- Beetroot with Legumes
- Strawberries with Brassicas
- Peas with Onions, Garlic, or Leeks
It is hard to think of a square foot garden without thinking of companion planting for me as this is where it all started before I got my allotment. I suppose I just extended the principles once my growing area got larger.
Companion Planting Square Foot Garden
Even if you have a large area to grow your plants in, it’s still worth setting up a square foot garden. Plants grow better together that’s a fact, some better than others but when you get it right the results will amaze you.
Just a three by three square foot garden will give you an area of nine square feet and allow you to grow nine different types of plant. You can attract beneficial insects, pollinators and predators to help your crops to grow better. Once you familiarise yourself with what works you will see how easy it is to transfer this to your main plot.
Spacing For Plants In A Square Foot Garden
There is a very precise system for spacing plants within the square foot garden to ensure maximum growth. This system can be found on line in many places just by doing a simple search. I found this one to be helpful and informative.