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Your Opinions on Spacing

MickEmery
11 years ago

I had my 1st SFG this year. I'm in love! My only concern is with the spacing of some of my plants.

For example: I planted many, many beets @ 9 or 16 per square. They seem to get crowded out & a good portion of them are spindly.

Beans seemed WAY too crowded @ 9 per square & many plants were stunted & non-producing.

I'd really like some of your feedback on what works best for you, not only for amount but also sizes.

Thanks in advance,
Mick

P.S. I tried uploading pics of my garden, previously, but apparently the pic size was too big.

Comments (7)

  • yolos - 8a Ga. Brooks
    11 years ago

    Many people swear by the nine bean per square. I tried it in the spring and didn't like it so the second planting in July I used 5 per square. That seemed to work better for me.

    X X
    -X-
    X X

    With 9 per square it was hard to find the beans. When I pulled the plants I found many beans on the lower part of the plants that I never saw. And it was hard to get rid of the aphids because the plants were packed in so tight.

  • snibb
    11 years ago

    Your beets should only be planted 9 per square, and they really shouldn't be crowded at all. Beans are at 9 and I can't figure out why folks have problems with it. As I look at how your spacing them, I think you've probably got it a little wrong. I've got a picture of the right way(at least taught by Mel Bartholomew)beans should be planted in a post on my website. It's at www.thewealthyearth.com. You'll have to go back to February or March of last year, or somewhere in there. The post says something like "First mistake.." The mistake wasn't the spacing but something else. Give it a look. Maybe it will help you out a bit. Good luck. Hang in there....top of the new year to you all

  • cindre2000
    11 years ago

    The only time I was able to keep 9 beans/square was when I planted them far to early and they were stunted (Beans are not a spring crop!). Now I do 4-5 per square and keep them on the edges so they can overflow.

  • snibb
    11 years ago

    Oppps...my mistake. I misread this and thought we were talking about peas, not beans. But yes, beans are definitely a warm weather crop and you should be able to plant 9 in a square-along the back of the box, not taking up the entire square. You should be able to plant your beans in back of the square to grow vertically, and then be able to plant 2 heads of lettuce in the front of that square. Hope that makes sense. It really does work as you can see...

  • angela12345
    11 years ago

    But of course, this is only if they are pole beans. If they are bush beans they do not get very tall at all and do not grow vertically.

  • Charlie
    11 years ago

    I plan to plant romaine lettuce this year; how many per square? I am also going to try to grow romain in containers under light starting in February. For an 8 inch pot how many plants?

  • snibb
    11 years ago

    Romaine lettuce would be 4 per square. In an 8' pot? I'd guess maybe one. Someone else who has more experience growing in pots would probably give you a better idea though. I never grow in containers anymore.

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