Mastering the Fine Art of Not Giving a F

I'll start this post with two admissions. First – that I'm divided when it comes to how I want the plants and layout of my garden to look. The obsessive-compulsive, perfectionist part of me wants everything to be most perfect. The laid-dorsum, free spirit part and so immediately reminds me that, "the plants could care less if they're not all direct," or that "you're non trying to win an laurels."

	Photograph A
	Photograph B
	Photo C
	Photograph D
	Photograph Eastward
	Photo F
	Photograph G
	Photo H
	Photo I
	Photo J
	Photo Chiliad

In my attempts to side with the perfectionist in me, I've built tools to either salve time or fulfill that want to have all of my seedlings, plants, or rows evenly spaced.

My second access is that I have not yet applied the Square Foot Gardening methodology to my garden plans – at to the lowest degree non completely. As I started to experiment more than with planting in squares rather than rows, I immediately saw a demand for something that could save me time and help plant seeds evenly.

In Foursquare Human foot Gardening, the common quantities used in planting are 16, nine, four, and one per square foot. So, to accomplish this, I built a set of four "templates" (or "jigs" in the mechanism globe). Granted, the holes created by this tool may be too wide or deep for sure seeds; this can exist remedied by simply filling in the holes with a pinch or two of soil.

The list of things you'll demand:

1. Four 1-foot by 1-pes pieces of plywood, either 3/8″ or 1/2″ thick. Utilise any your home centre has that volition require the least amount of cutting. If you lot only need to have 2-3 cuts made, they should be able to do that for you free of charge. If you wish to do the cutting of course, you'll need a saw.

2. Record mensurate, square or ruler for measuring

iii. Pencil or permanent marking

4. thirty "marker hole makers" – small objects to brand holes in the soil. I found some woods "spools" from my local arts and crafts store.

five. Woods glue, water-resistent or waterproof

6. Four door or cabinet handles

7. Sandpaper (optional – if you wish to smooth out the edges of the boards)

eight. Wood varnish, paint or stain (again, optional if yous wish to dress up your new tool)

Skill Level:

Like shooting fish in a barrel

Construction:

1. Accept the plywood and cut four ane-foot x 1-foot square pieces from it. If necessary, sand the edges or any rough areas (Photo A).

16 Points Per Square Human foot Template:

two. Measuring 1 ane/2″ from the edge, put two-3 pencil or pen marks forth each side (Photograph B). So, using these marks, depict a guide line effectually the board. This expanse is nearly 9″ foursquare. Then, put a mark at the three″ and 6″ points forth each side of the board. Draw lines connecting these points, from 1 side of the board to the other (Photo C). The lath should now have a 9-foursquare "filigree" fatigued on it (Photo D).

ix Points Per Square Foot Template:

three. Measuring 2 one/two″ from the edge, once again put 2-three marks along each side. And so, using these marks, draw a guide line around the board. This area is about nine″ square. Then, put a marker at the 4″ betoken along each side of the lath (which is basically the center of the line). Draw lines connecting these points, from 1 side of the lath to the other. The lath should now have a 4-square grid drawn on it (Photo Eastward).

iv Points Per Square Foot Template:

v. Measuring three 1/ii″ from the edge this time, put 2-3 marks along each side. Then, using these marks, draw a guide line around the board. This surface area is about six″ square. Draw lines connecting these points, from i side of the board to the other. The board should now accept a single square drawn on information technology (Photo F).

one Point Per Square Foot Template:

6. Measure out six″ from the edge, effectually each side, and put a mark. Draw two guide lines across the board. The lines should intersect at the middle point of the board.

Now that we take all of our guide lines fatigued, they will indicate where we will be gluing our "mark hole makers". To make the holes, I found some wood "spools" from a craft store. They are iii/4″ wide x 1″ high, perfect for making a very visible hole in the soil (Photo Yard). Y'all tin can also utilise wooden "chaplet" or anything else you find that will make a small noticeable hole. If you are planting seeds that require a much shorter depth (i.e. lettuce, spinach, etc.), you can come dorsum and fill the hole with a pinch or two of soil.

7. Using a good water resistant/ waterproof forest glue, glue the spools (in this example) to the boards at the points created by the lines we drew in steps 2-vi (Photo H).

8. Yous'll have sixteen to glue on the get-go board (Photo I), nine on the second lath, 4 on the third lath, and finally 1 on the terminal board. Allow those to dry out for at least a few hours.

9. Attach one of the door handles to the opposite side of each board. I measured and marked the eye point on the board so that the handle would be placed correctly (and considering of that 'perfectionist' matter) (Photograph J).

At this point you're basically done. To use them, you simply identify the board in the corner of the bed and press downwards on the handle (Photo K). Here's the cool part. It non only makes the holes that y'all'll put the seeds into, information technology also marks the edge of the square human foot itself! To add more sets of holes, yous line up the marks fabricated in the dirt with the edge of the board. Voila!

Mel Bartholomew would exist proud.

thomasyiestinne.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.finegardening.com/article/diy-square-foot-garden-planting-templates

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