The 100 Square Foot Garden Getting the Most Out of Your Small Vegetable Garden Mary Anne Normile,...

The 100 Square Foot GardenGetting the Most Out of Your Small Vegetable

GardenMary Anne Normile, Pam Hosimer, Erica Smith and

Sandra Sundstrom (Design)

College ofAgriculture and Natural Resources

Our Vision: A healthier world through environmental stewardship.

Our Mission: To support the University of Maryland Extension mission by educating residents about safe, effective & sustainable horticultural practices that build healthy gardens, landscapes, & communities.

3

Website: http://extension.umd.edu/growitBlog: www.groweat.blogspot.com.

4

Road Map

Small-scale intensive gardening:What? Why?

Techniques

100 Square Foot GardensBy Master Gardeners On a Hill

GROW100--the 100 Square Foot Garden Challenge

5

©2012 Pam Hosimer

7

"The purpose of gardening intensively is to harvest the most produce possible from a given space."

-- Virginia Cooperative Extension factsheet, “Intensive Gardening

Methods,” 2009

Small-scale refers to the limited gardening space available to many urban/suburban gardeners.

©2012 Pam Hosimer

8

Photo by Sam Korper 2011 (detail)

Small-scale intensive gardening looks like this…

9

Or this…

©2012 Pam Hosimer

10

But not this…

©2013 Pam Hosimer

11

Why small-scale intensive gardening?

• To save space• To save time• New gardener—start small• Make use of odd-sized spaces• Limit costs

Intensive vegetable gardening makes the most of your available resources.

©2012 Pam Hosimer

12

Intensive Gardening Techniques

13

Plant in beds, not rows•Row gardening a holdover from agriculture

•Large unplanted areas areinefficient

•Bare soil an invitation to weeds

•Soil compaction inpaths

©2013 Pam Hosimer

14

Plant in beds, not rows• With raised beds, you control the soil

• Better drainage, warms sooner in spring

• Work in bed without stepping in it

• Less soil compaction

• Wide rows another variation

Colorado State University Extension

15

Close planting• Plant tightly—no wasted space

• Leafy canopy reduces soil moisture loss

• Keeps weeds down, moderates soil temperature

• Plant yield may be lower, but yield per square foot is higher

• How close?

Photo by Erica Smith

16

Close spacing--illustration

Rows with traditional spacing Same area withintensive spacing

17

Vertical planting-grow up!

• Stakes, trellises, cages can support plants

• Peas, pole beans, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, squash can be grown vertically

• Saves space on garden floor

Photo by Melissa Smith

18

Vertical planting

Photo by Bob Nixon

Photo by Erica Smith 19

Interplanting—mix it up!

•Plant fast- and slow-growing plants together

•Tall plants shade heat-sensitive plants

•Alternate rows of plantsin bed

•Mix plants within a bed

Photo by www.nikijabbour.com (used with permission)

20

Container planting

• Plant where the sun is

• Grow food on patio, porch, balcony, rooftop

• Use space-saving varieties

• Barrels, planters, tubs, pots, wading pools …Use your imagination!!

Photo by Sam Korper 2011

21

Succession planting• Have something

growing throughout the season

• After harvesting one crop, replant space

• Cool season warm season cool season plants

• Requires some planning!Photo:http://www.dogislandfarm.com

(used with permission) 22

1-15 16-31 1-15 16-30 1-15 16-31 1-15 16-30 1-15 16-31 1-15 16-311-15 16-30 1-15 16-31 1-15 16-30

BeetsBroccoli (early)Carrots

ChardCollardsKaleKohlrabi

Lettuce (leaf)Onion (transplants)

PeasRadish

SpinachBeansCarrots

CucumberEggplantPeppers

Summer SquashTomatoes

Asian GreensBeets

BroccoliBrussels SproutsCarrots

ChardCollards

KaleKohlrabi Mustard

RadishRutabaga

Spinach

Sep Oct NovAprMar May J un J ul Aug

Summer Garden

Fall Garden

Spring Garden

1-15 16-31 1-15 16-30 1-15 16-31 1-15 16-30 1-15 16-31 1-15 16-311-15 16-30 1-15 16-31 1-15 16-30

BeetsBroccoli (early)Carrots

ChardCollardsKaleKohlrabi

Lettuce (leaf)Onion (transplants)

PeasRadish

SpinachBeansCarrots

CucumberEggplantPeppers

Summer SquashTomatoes

Asian GreensBeets

BroccoliBrussels SproutsCarrots

ChardCollards

KaleKohlrabi Mustard

RadishRutabaga

Spinach

Sep Oct NovAprMar May J un J ul Aug

Summer Garden

Fall Garden

Spring Garden

23

Succession planting-example

• High-yielding crops• Compact, small-space varieties• “Cut-and-come-again” greens• Economic value:

grow crops that are expensive to buy in store

Choose your varieties

©2013 Pam Hosimer

24

Less efficient use of space:•Long-vining crops: melons, pumpkins, winter squash•Large heads: cabbage, cauliflower

High-yielding:•Tomatoes•Peppers•Onions•Eggplant•Beans•Cucumbers•Summer squash•Lettuce and greens

Choose your varieties

25

Importance of soil• Soil preparation the

key to successful intensive gardening

• Deep fertile soil high in organic matter

• Holds nutrients and moisture

• Plants better resist pests and disease

• Replace nutrients used by intensive growing

Photo by M. Tulottes, Wikimedia Commons

26

27

The Master Gardeners’ 100 Square Foot Garden

Photo by Lauren Greenberger

Design of the Garden

PATH

PATH PATH

PATH

CONTAINEREGGPLANTS

Vertical supports Vertical supports

EDGING: EDIBLE FLOWERS

GREENCHARD

COLLARDS RAINBOW CHARD

BORAGE

HERBS

HEIRLOOM TOMATOES

PEPPERS ZUCCHINI

TOMATILLO SUMMER

CUCUMBERS POLE BEANS

OKRA

BUSH BEANS

CHIOGGIABEETS

GOLDENBEETS

KALE

MUSTARD

PARSLEY/CHIVES

BROCCOLIRAAB

CARROTS/ONIONS

LETTUCE/RADISHES

SPINACH LETTUCE/RADISHES

N

28

Design of the Garden-SPRING

CONTAINEREGGPLANTS



GREENCHARD


BORAGE

HERBS

HEIRLOOM TOMATOES

PEPPERS ZUCCHINI

TOMATILLOS SUMMERSQUASH


OKRA

BUSH BEANS

CHIOGGIABEETS

GOLDENBEETS

KALE

MUSTARD

PARSLEY/CHIVES

BROCCOLIRAAB

CARROTS/ONIONS

LETTUCE/RADISHES


29

Design of the Garden-SUMMER

CONTAINEREGGPLANTS



GREENCHARD


BORAGE

HERBS

HEIRLOOM TOMATOES

PEPPERS ZUCCHINI

TOMATILLOS SUMMERSQUASH


OKRA

BUSH BEANS

CHIOGGIABEETS

GOLDENBEETS

KALE

MUSTARD

PARSLEY/CHIVES

BROCCOLIRAAB

CARROTS/ONIONS

LETTUCE/RADISHES


30

Design of the Garden-FALL

CONTAINER HERBS/CHARD

LETTUCE

ROMAINE

PEPPERS

KALECABBAGE

CAULIFLOWER

CHARD

PARSLEY/CHIVES

LETTUCE

SPINACHKALE CHINESE BROCCOLI

ROMAINE

LETTUCE

31

Laying out 100 Square Feet

Photo by Mary Anne Normile

32

Spring beda few weeks later…

Photo by Darlene Nicholson33

Intensive techniques…• Succession planting

(fall garden follows summer)

• Container garden• Vertical gardening• Interplanting

Photo by Erica SmithPhoto by Melissa Smith34

…yielded big rewards!

• The garden produced over 170 pounds of produce from 100 square feet

• Vegetables and herbs donated to Mannafood center

Photo by Mary Anne Normile

35

36

The 100 Square Foot Garden

On a Hill

©2013 Pam Hosimer

Designof the garden

Garden Plan-• 100 square feet of

vegetable garden using six raised beds and two containers

• Vegetables in center of each bed

• Perennials on either end of each bed

37

©2013 Pam Hosimer

Close planting in beds Tomato transplants in May… …staked in a bed…

©2013 Pam Hosimer

©2013 Pam Hosimer

38

40

Vertical Planting-an A-frame

Maximize your growing space by growing on both sides of an A-frame structure.

©2013 Pam Hosimer

Vertical Planting-an A-frame

Pickle cucumbers climb…

…and take over their support

©2013 Pam Hosimer ©2013 Pam Hosimer

41

Vertical Planting-TrellisSet up the trellis in May…

…plant beans close together…

©2013 Pam Hosimer

©2013 Pam Hosimer

43

45

InterplantingMix it up in your beds by planting perennials, like Phlox (right) and Helenium (left), next to vegetables like these hot pepper plants.

©2013 Pam Hosimer

It helps attract pollinators like bees and butterflies.

This 100 Square Foot garden yielded a whopping 167 pounds of produce in this

small economical space.

…and look beautiful too!

©2013 Pam Hosimer

48

What Can YOU Grow in 100 Square Feet?

http://extension.umd.edu/growit

49

• OPEN to all gardeners• Tell us about progress in your

garden• Tweet - to #grow100 • Post - on the GIEI Facebook page

50

• Keep it small• Register online at:

http://extension.umd.edu/growit/grow100-challenge-sign-form

• Pick a theme:New to Gardening4-Rs Garden – reduce, re-use,recycle,re-thinkMaximum Production

51

• Judging will not be scientific• Three update periods:

April 16 - June 15 June 16 - August 15 August 16 - October 15

• Prizes will be awarded• Resources available online

52

Resources

• Grow It! Eat It!http://www.extension.umd.edu/growit

– We have all types of practical food gardening tips and information. Check out our popular blog!

• Home and Garden Information Centerhttp://www.extension.umd.edu/hgic

– Here you will find factsheets, photos, and videos. You can also subscribe to the free monthly e-newsletter.

– We answer gardening questions 24/7…just click “Ask Maryland’s Garden Experts”

• Maryland Master Gardener Programhttp://www.extension.umd.edu/mg

– Consider becoming a trained MG volunteer!

This program was brought to you by the

Maryland Master Gardener Program

Montgomery County

University of Maryland Extension

The 100 Square Foot Garden Getting the Most Out of Your Small Vegetable Garden Mary Anne Normile,...

Documents

Transcript of The 100 Square Foot Garden Getting the Most Out of Your Small Vegetable Garden Mary Anne Normile,...