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Square Foot Gardening
katxena

Tools for an SFG

18 years ago

I have two related questions. Some background: I have 2 3x6 foot raised beds, filled with a mix inspired by Mel's. Mine is composted manure, vermiculite, coir, kitchen compost, and some nice dirt from my cousin's garden. This is my first outdoor, in the ground garden. I've done container gardening both indoors and out before.

First, I need tools. I have a full-sized spade and hoe. I'm planning to buy small handtools this weekend. I'm planning to buy a trowel and a handfork. I'm seriously tempted by something called a "double weeder", even though I'm pretty sure I don't need it. What other tools do you recommend for an SFG?

Second, I need a place to store my handtools. I live in a townhouse and have no outside storage at all -- no shed, no garage, no nothing. I'm imagining something like a bucket with a tight lid, or one of those carts that you sit on -- something to put the handtools in (and my gloves, and whatever else) that I can move around easily and store outside that won't let water in. A tote would be ok (it would have to come inside and be carried out), but is not my preferred option.

Do you have any suggestions for either of these items?

Comments (3)

  • 18 years ago

    The dirt, in particular, may land you with some extra weeding, but my total tool count includes a spade (which I haven't used on my raised beds since I used it to shovel in the Mel's Mix) a watering can, and two trowels (I have two because I loose things...). Fifteen minutes of work a day (or less, I'm estimating, since your garden is bigger than mine) and mixing in fresh compost as you pull and replant squares, should make sure that you never need the big collection of tools that a "conventional" garden, with its hard packed, walked on, soil, and bevy of weeds (which have lots of space to grow in in the wide, hard-packed, rows).

  • 18 years ago

    Except for the initial set up of the garden beds - which required a drill, stapler, screwdriver, zip ties and scissors - I haven't found a great need for tools thus far in my SFG.

    I have a watering can and a tote bag with the following articles: seed packets, scotch tape (to seal packets), plastic take-out knives (for plant labels), Sharpie pen (for marking the knives), jute twine, and scissors. This is my everyday portable gardening kit that lives in my kitchen pantry by the door out to the garden.

    I also keep a hand trowel on top of my compost bucket, various plant covers (sheets, milk jugs) by the garage door, and a spray bottle in with my small collection of "garden potions" (fish emulsion, Epsom salts, bone meal, etc.)

    So far all weeding and thinning has been done by hand, and instead of using a string trimmer, I've been cutting the grass around the edges of the beds with my scissors. It's easy to keep that under control if I do one box at at time about once a week.

    (Of course I still have garden & yard tools for my other projects and lawn, but I haven't had to break out the heavies on the SFG beds.)

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  • 18 years ago

    Timewind: The dirt is sentimental. I know that sounds goofy, but it's true. My cousin has gardened in the same plot for 40 years, and the dirt is full of his compost, patience and wisdom. He helped me set up my garden, and it makes me feel cozy and warm to have dirt from his garden in it. For me, it's worth a few extra weeds to have that connection between his garden and mine.

    I had thought that an SFG wouldn't require many tools. Thank you for confirming that.

    Tornado6: I hadn't thought about the other things I would need, like markers and a pen. Thanks for sharing your list. I like the idea of a tote bag.

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