An Introduction to Square-Foot Gardening ∞ Get Rich Slowly
Square-foot gardening divides a raised bed into small grid sections, with each section planted according to crop spacing needs rather than traditional rows, dramatically reducing weeding, watering, and labor while producing good yields in small spaces. The method involves building elevated boxes filled with a specific soil mixture, establishing a permanent grid overlay, and planting different crops densely in each square foot—one tomato per square or sixteen carrots in another—then replanting with new crops as each section is harvested. The author successfully used this system in the 1990s with his ex-wife on a small city lot and has recently returned to square-foot gardening on his country property, finding it practical even when modified from Mel Bartholomew's original specifications.