Building a Square Foot Garden I

DIY Ideas
Square Foot Gardening Box

Square foot gardening is a great way to organize your garden. It's important to remember that this is not a new phenomenon. In fact, the term has been around since mid-1970s. Square foot gardening tends to be very popular because it allows you to garden almost anywhere. It is a perfect gardening method for those who don't have much space. This is a great choice for small gardens, but almost anyone can try it and enjoy its benefits.

Building Your Own

Square foot gardening is not a new thing. While it might not be as ancient as some other gardening forms, it's sure not recent. It's been around for at least 40 years. It makes gardening fun and it allows you to grow your own vegetables and other plants even if you don't have much space to offer.

Square foot gardening can be done almost anywhere: over the top of cement of even on a tabletop. It takes so little space almost anyone can practice it and find a good corner somewhere to plant their veggies or other plants.

Another good thing about square foot gardening is that it's very rewarding and fun. Gardening can be tedious sometimes, so it's good to know what this method makes your life easier. You will be able to grow your plants with less effort and more fun!

Not to mention that making and installing your own square foot gardening is pretty easy and can be done quickly. All you need is a few hours to dedicate and you can have your own, fully functional square foot gardening you can use in many different ways.

Keep in mind that it does require some work and effort, but it's not difficult even for beginners. In case you are not particularly skilled with tools, don't worry: it doesn't have to be perfect. In case you mess up measurements or don't screw something properly, it's not such a big deal. The structure itself is designed in such a way that it doesn't need to be perfect to work.

Preparing the Materials

The first step into making your own square foot garden is to build a good box.

Materials:
  • Four 2"x6"
  • 4' Long boards
  • Twelve 2" long deck screws

It's best to find and prep all the supplies, tools and materials in advance. Check out your local hardware store to collect all the items needed. If you are not knowledgeable about tools and building materials, ask someone at the store to help you. If you can, choose a smaller store with a knowledgeable staff ready to listen to you. Even if materials are a bit more expensive in this type of stores, it's worth it. The materials should not be that pricey anyway ‐ this is not an expensive project.

You will need helpful staff because materials might not be available in the form you need them. For example, 2"x6" boards tend to be 8 feet long, so they need to be cut. Staff can help you with this, so when the boards are cut in half you will have four 2"x6"x4"pieces you can use for your project.

Drilling

Once you have all of your materials ready, it's time to start drilling. It's always best to pre-drill the holes before you start assembling your box. Take a drill that's a bit smaller than the circumference of your screw.

If you are inexperienced with drilling, it might take some time and effort. Remember not to put much pressure on the drill while you are tilting it at an angle ‐ this may cause a drill to break. With a bit of patience and effort, you will be able to do it without a problem.

Completing the Boxes

Finally, you should complete your boxes. Simply lay the planks down in a square and make sure that the ends of the boards that touch have one plant with the pre-drilled holes and 1 without.

The next step is to simply put all together using screws and a good screwdriver. This will place all the sides together and secure your box.

Another thing you might want to do is to paint your boxes. The paint will protect the wood and make the boxes look more attractive. You may do this if you like, but make sure to only paint on the outside. Leave the inside (the part that gets in contact with the plants) unpainted to avoid paint ingredients from leaching into the garden soil.

Photo credit: Serene Vannoy

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