Luckily, what we lack in square footage we make up for in efficiency.
Enter the Square Foot Garden; A highly efficient food production machine that carries a whole host of awesome benefits for those pressed for space.
The best part of all is that they are equally as beautiful as they are functional. Let’s take a look at a few great square foot garden designs to showcase just how beautiful and Zen this style of gardening can really be.
Featured image above is a beautiful garden where a veritable feast of veggies are close to harvest.
For those with a bit more space, this gardener has utilized inexpensive PVC pipes to create a frame with which to trellis the plants. An added benefit of this is that it provides support in case you need to cover it up to increase warmth if temps drop too low (or to keep pesky birds out!). Source
And don’t think that square foot gardens are only for small leafy greens, here is one growing some corn! Just look at how beautiful that soil is relative to the soil outside of the SFG. Source
Taking things to the next level (pun intended) is the RAISED square foot garden. Let’s see all those slugs and ants get to our veggies now! (Don’t say that too loud though, or they’ll hear you!) Source
Get crafty. Here we see further efficiency by introducing a spiral trellis, upon which vining plants such as beans can grow. This allows much more surface area for growth in the same small space. Source
Here is another great trellis setup. Using a net trellis, you can have a whole new crop grow without taking up any horizontal space. Bonus points if you position it relative to the sun in your yard in order to provide shade for your shade crops such as lettuce. Our beans will block out the sun! This is Sparta square foot gardening! Source
Square foot gardening is the hallmark technique of the urban gardener, and what says URBAN more than cinderblocks? Let the trees keep their wood, re-purpose some old cinderblocks when creating the frame for your square foot garden. Source
There is no limit to how beautiful and efficient a square foot garden can be. When this garden is full blown, it will create an arch made entirely of beans that you will be able to walk through. All for the price of some chicken cage. Source
If these pictures have inspired you and you think you may want to tackle one yourself, check out our in-depth tutorial on how to start a square foot garden today.
