Square Foot Gardening

by Square Foot Gardening Foundation

Over 3 million copies sold! This revolutionary gardening book gets a revolutionary update for its 4th edition—new plans, options, and advice herald a modern approach to this tried-and-true method.

No digging, no tilling, no fertilizing, no machinery or heavy tools—less watering, waste, and weeding! In All New! Square Foot Gardening, 4th Edition, discover the foolproof gardening method that has helped generations of gardeners around the world raise their own organic vegetables in less space, with less effort, and for less money than traditional row gardens.

The Square Foot Gardening (SFG) technique takes the guesswork out of every step, even if you are completely new to gardening. The process is simple: set up your garden box, fill it with a growing blend known as Mel’s Mix™, and add a square-foot grid on top to guarantee proper plant spacing and maximum yields. With this easy and flexible system, you’ll reap the rewards of baskets of homegrown produce to enjoy with friends and family.

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction, Self Help

272 pages, Paperback

Published January 14, 2025

Reviews

[Claire Howell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super amazing idea with maximizing growth, but misses the mark on regenerative and organic ag principles. Would only recommend for those needing a super systematical approach to gardening.

[Bzz Kolla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for this eCopy to review

All New! Square Foot Gardening, 4th Edition is an enlightening experience. As someone who has always been interested in gardening but often felt overwhelmed by the complexity of traditional methods, this book was a breath of fresh air.

The book introduces the Square Foot Gardening (SFG) method, which is designed to maximise yield while minimising effort and space. The 4th edition brings a modern twist to this tried-and-true technique, offering new plans, updated advice, and practical solutions for today's gardening challenges. What I found particularly impressive was the emphasis on simplicity—no digging, no tilling, no heavy machinery. This approach makes gardening accessible to everyone, regardless of experience or physical ability.

One of the standout features of this edition is the beautifully illustrated garden plans. These visuals made it easy to understand how to layout my garden and ensure proper plant spacing. The extensive charts with crop-by-crop information were incredibly helpful, providing clear guidance on when and how to plant and harvest each vegetable. Additionally, the step-by-step building plans for garden boxes were straightforward and easy to follow, allowing me to set up my garden in just an afternoon.

The book also addresses common gardening issues such as pest control, extreme weather, and soil quality. I appreciated the new information on building and using "top hats" for root crops and the alternative options for Mel’s Mix ingredients. These additions show the authors' commitment to making gardening adaptable and sustainable.

Overall, it is an invaluable resource for both novice and experienced gardeners. The Square Foot Gardening method is not only efficient but also environmentally friendly, making it a perfect choice for anyone looking to grow their own food in a sustainable way. If you're looking to start or improve your garden I highly recommend giving this book a read

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an update on a popular growing method used by the worldwide growing community. I recommend this book for those aiming to maximize what they can grow in the space available to them. This growing method is inclusive for those with very small spaces. It can also be scaled to large spaces. It covers everything a beginner would need to get started growing. Good general information aimed at international audience to get started with this method. Very interesting to learn that if the book’s suggested soil mixture is followed that no further fertilizer is required. I am sure this book’s soil mixture works for beginners new to growing - they need this guidance when putting together a quality soil mixture. Many photos are included - they are not heavily filtered or over-polished. This gives the book a more “true to life” accessible feel. It would’ve been nice to see more images in the section discussing pests - to help the reader identify them. Thank you #CoolSpringsPress and #NetGalley for providing an eCopy so I could review #AllNewSquareFootGardening4thEdition

[Leanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

The original edition of this book is what inspired me to start gardening more seriously. Over the years I have developed my own style of gardening and have adapted and expanded to container gardening as well. I am an occasional visitor to the square foot gardening forum and one of the moderators caused me to question if I had lost some of the method thinking behind square foot gardening. I saw the 4th edition was available in the library and I decided to check it out. I'm so glad I did. For starters, I wanted to read the Forward to see what might be new and to my surprise it was written by Kevin of Epic Gardening, and I've felt connected to his videos for many years. The book provides beautiful color pictures and details in areas that users of the book had questions about from earlier editions. I appreciate this new edition and I am enjoying it as a needed refreshment.

[Christine Blasucci Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent guide to the square foot gardening method which emphasizes maximum yield while utilizing minimum space. I loved the simplicity of the method but was also impressed with the wealth of information contained in this updated edition. In addition to the technique there were sample plans, such and a seasonal rotation and a stir fry plot, many charts with crop information, and alternatives to using Mel’s Mix. I appreciated this last bit of information as previous editions were a little too infomercial for me. Easy to follow instructions to construct a square foot garden and accessories such as top hats are also provided. Overall a great book for someone interested in this gardening method.

[Susan Bewley · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who frequently refers to the previous edition of this gardening book, I was excited to start reading the latest edition of Square Foot Gardening. Like the previous edition, the information is fantastic and easy for anyone to understand. The layout is also great, allowing you to quickly jump to whatever section you need for your gardening expertise, making it a fantastic reference book. What makes it stand out are the new colorful pictures, brand-new gardening plans, and even more plants added compared to previous editions. With all the updated information, I consider the 4th Edition a must for any gardener!

[Rezzi Belle Beanz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this!!!!!

This book has everything. When I thought it had given me all the information I get from most gardening books, I checked how far I was, and i wasn’t even halfway. This book includes, planting guides, A variety of example gardens (like a stirfry garden!!!), it even includes ow to build the components for your square foot garden, and it STILL goes on to include different varieties, and how many squares to use per plant!!! This book is amazing and is going to be so very helpful!!!!

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I frequently refer to the previous edition of this gardening book, I was excited to start reading the latest edition of Square Foot Gardening. Like the previous edition, the information easy for anyone to understand.
This is a fantastic reference book.

I love the new colorful pictures, brand-new gardening plans, and even more plants added compared to previous editions. With all the updated information, I consider the 4th Edition a must for any gardener!

[ToadyJoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Considering that I’ve already read several versions and was familiar with the basics, this book was a nice refresher but not really necessary. Yes it does have some updated and more relevant info for trendy things like raised beds and allows for some alternative supplies. I’m happy to support the foundation by purchasing the book, but honestly you could probably just library or thrift an older version and get along just fine.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Instructional Ideas

I found the gardening ideas in this book to be quite inspiring. I’ve always done a traditional garden but this year I’m going to attempt a raised garden with the square foot gardening techniques. I have to admit, I find the idea of Mel’s Mix hard to believe, but I’ll try it.

[Karma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read to kick start my new veg garden. Great resource. I had an older copy long ago and find the suggestions for spacing, etc., to be especially useful, so I bought it again! Book Bingo 2025, Category: Flowers on the Cover / Title.

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy the simplicity of the principles and the visually appealing book layout. The updated version is slightly different from my original paperback but all the updates are spot on. I will continue to reference this book again and again.

[Wyatt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good entry and and primer on gardening. The target audience is absolute newcomers. That said it is filled with useful information. For better or worse it is extremely rigid, which may lend itself to some people but definitely goes against the nature of plants and gardening.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some good new pointers for me with my garden beds.

[Nickole Swensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy to follow system. The book is super informative for gardeners of all levels.

[Angel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great information for beginning gardeners.

[Ida Wilcox · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is going to make gardening very easy for me next year.

Love the advice and the diagrams to help you along your journey.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

good for beginner gardeners but not great for more experiences gardeners trying to troubleshoot

[CraftyBirdies · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book and if I ever do square foot gardening, I’m buying this book to keep as a reference!