I love gardening, and it really can save a lot of money. Added bonus: feeding your family fresh, healthy, organic food!
The “Bible” of the Square-Foot Method
The biggest keys to getting started with successful gardening are having a container/garden bed, knowing when/what to plant for your zone, and having the right soil composition. We use a space-saving method called Square-Foot Gardening because you can really control the soil and you can grow so much in such a little space. We wouldn’t do it any other way! If you’re looking for ways to decrease the space being used by your tools and furniture, you could store your garden furniture in a plastic container.
Before we started gardening, I was pretty intimidated by the whole thing, and quite honestly, the first year you garden, don’t expect it to be awesome. In fact, our first year I would have given us a C-. But the next year I think we earned a C+. By year 3, we were at a B+ garden. It didn’t help that we didn’t start with much, and but things definitely changed once we got a small greenhouse to help with our garden. Don’t be afraid to try out new techniques and new products (like these nutrients – https://agron.io/products/b-52) Experiment, learn and ask questions!
*I walk you through the first steps of gardening in this video so you can get set up with perfect soil.*
Here are some plants that we have had tons of success with in the square food method that are abundant producers. You don’t want to plant something that is only going to give you very little fruit, because the amount of time just isn’t worth the pay-out:
- Zucchini (I would allot two plot for one plant. They get big, but you will be eating them all summer long)
- Lettuce (Amazing producer, likes a little shade)
- Cucumber
- Cilantro
- Parsley
- Basil
- Spinach
- Green beans (we have had huge success with these!)
- Eggplant
- Peppers (green)
- Tomatoes (all types, we love cherry tomatoes, need a trellis)
- Raspberries (these bushes grow HUGE and often rogue. They are best planted in a larger area)
