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 near perfect. The laid-back, free spirit part then immediately reminds me that, “the plants could care less if they’re not all straight,” or that “you’re not trying to win an award.”
 | |
| Photo A | |
 | |
| Photo B | |
 | |
| Photo C | |
 | |
| Photo D | |
 | |
| Photo E | |
 | |
| Photo F | |
 | |
| Photo G | |
 | |
| Photo H | |
 | |
| Photo I | |
 | |
| Photo J | |
 | |
| Photo K |
In my attempts to side with the perfectionist in me, I’ve built tools to either save time or fulfill that desire to have all of my seedlings, plants, or rows evenly spaced.
My second admission is that I have not yet applied the Square Foot Gardening methodology to my garden plans – at least not completely. As I started to experiment more with planting in squares rather than rows, I immediately saw a need for something that could save me time and help plant seeds evenly.
In Square Foot Gardening, the common quantities used in planting are 16, 9, 4, and 1 per square foot. So, to accomplish this, I built a set of four “templates” (or “jigs” in the machinery world). Granted, the holes created by this tool may be too wide or deep for certain seeds; this can be remedied by simply filling in the holes with a pinch or two of soil.
The list of things you’ll need:
1. Four 1-foot by 1-foot pieces of plywood, either 3/8″ or 1/2″ thick. Use whatever your home center has that will require the least amount of cutting. If you 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. Tape measure, square or ruler for measuring
3. Pencil or permanent marker
4. 30 “marker hole makers” – small objects to make holes in the soil. I found some wood “spools” from my local craft store.
5. Wood 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)
8. Wood varnish, paint or stain (again, optional if you wish to dress up your new tool)
Skill Level:
Easy
Construction:
1. Take the plywood and cut four 1-foot x 1-foot square pieces from it. If necessary, sand the edges or any rough areas (Photo A).
16 Points Per Square Foot Template:
2. Measuring 1 1/2″ from the edge, put 2-3 pencil or pen marks along each side (Photo B). Then, using these marks, draw a guide line around the board. This area is about 9″ square. Then, put a mark at the 3″ and 6″ points along each side of the board. Draw lines connecting these points, from one side of the board to the other (Photo C). The board should now have a 9-square “grid” drawn on it (Photo D).
9 Points Per Square Foot Template:
3. Measuring 2 1/2″ from the edge, again put 2-3 marks along each side. Then, using these marks, draw a guide line around the board. This area is about 9″ square. Then, put a mark at the 4″ point along each side of the board (which is basically the center of the line). Draw lines connecting these points, from one side of the board to the other. The board should now have a 4-square grid drawn on it (Photo E).
4 Points Per Square Foot Template:
5. Measuring 3 1/2″ from the edge this time, put 2-3 marks along each side. Then, using these marks, draw a guide line around the board. This area is about 6″ square. Draw lines connecting these points, from one side of the board to the other. The board should now have a single square drawn on it (Photo F).
1 Point Per Square Foot Template:
6. Measure 6″ from the edge, around each side, and put a mark. Draw two guide lines across the board. The lines should intersect at the center point of the board.
Now that we have all of our guide lines drawn, they will indicate where we will be gluing our “marker hole makers”. To make the holes, I found some wood “spools” from a craft store. They are 3/4″ wide x 1″ high, perfect for making a very visible hole in the soil (Photo G). You can also use wooden “beads” 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 back and fill the hole with a pinch or two of soil.
7. Using a good water resistant/ waterproof wood glue, glue the spools (in this case) to the boards at the points created by the lines we drew in steps 2-6 (Photo H).
8. You’ll have 16 to glue on the first board (Photo I), 9 on the second board, 4 on the third board, and finally 1 on the last board. Allow those to dry 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 center point on the board so that the handle would be placed correctly (and because of that ‘perfectionist’ thing) (Photo J).
At this point you’re basically done. To use them, you simply place the board in the corner of the bed and press down on the handle (Photo K). Here’s the cool part. It not only makes the holes that you’ll put the seeds into, it also marks the edge of the square foot itself! To add more sets of holes, you line up the marks made in the dirt with the edge of the board. Voila!
Mel Bartholomew would be proud.
Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
As an avid gardener with a strong passion for precision and efficiency, I have spent countless hours perfecting the layout and appearance of my garden. The dichotomy within me between the obsessive-compulsive, perfectionist side and the laid-back, free-spirited side has led me to explore various methods to achieve the ideal garden. In my pursuit of a well-organized and evenly spaced garden, I discovered the Square Foot Gardening methodology.
Square Foot Gardening involves planting in squares rather than traditional rows, using common quantities of 16, 9, 4, and 1 plant per square foot. To streamline the planting process and ensure uniformity, I developed a set of four templates or jigs. These templates are essentially square boards with strategically placed holes that act as markers for planting seeds.
To construct these templates, you will need four 1-foot by 1-foot pieces of plywood, measuring tape or ruler, pencil or permanent marker, 30 small objects such as wooden spools or beads to create holes in the soil, wood glue, four door or cabinet handles, sandpaper (optional), and wood varnish, paint, or stain for aesthetic purposes.
Here's a step-by-step guide to creating the templates:
-
Cut four 1-foot by 1-foot square pieces from the plywood. If necessary, sand the edges or any rough areas.
-
For the template with 16 points per square foot, measure 1 1/2" from the edge of the plywood and make 2-3 marks along each side. Connect these marks to create a 9" square grid on the board.
-
For the template with 9 points per square foot, measure 2 1/2" from the edge and make 2-3 marks along each side. Connect these marks to create a 4-square grid on the board.
-
For the template with 4 points per square foot, measure 3 1/2" from the edge and make 2-3 marks along each side. Connect these marks to create a single square on the board.
-
For the template with 1 point per square foot, measure 6" from the edge and make marks along each side. Connect these marks with two guide lines that intersect at the center point of the board.
-
Using wood glue, attach the small objects (wooden spools or beads) to the boards at the points created by the grid or guide lines.
-
Allow the glue to dry for a few hours.
-
Attach one door handle to the opposite side of each board. Ensure that the handle is placed correctly by measuring and marking the center point on the board.
Once the templates are complete, using them is simple. Place a template in the corner of the garden bed and press down on the handle. The template will create holes for planting seeds and also mark the edge of the square foot. To add more sets of holes, align the marks made in the dirt with the edge of the board.
With these templates, you can easily achieve the precision and uniformity desired in your garden while following the Square Foot Gardening methodology. Now you can enjoy a well-organized and visually appealing garden, impressing even the esteemed Mel Bartholomew himself.
