Bringing Plants Indoors: Murphy's Oil Soap Spray and Square Foot Gardening

Gardener asked for Murphy's oil soap/water ratio for pre-indoor spray, and explanation of square foot gardening.

Insecticidal Soap Mix

3 tsp Murphy's oil soap OR non-concentrated lemon dish soap per gallon water. Same as commercial insecticidal soap.

Square Foot Gardening

Intensive method by Mel Bartholomew. Raised beds (cedar), 4×4 ft typical. Plants spaced closely in blocks, not rows.

Benefits

• No soil compaction (never walk in beds).
• Higher yields (block planting).
• Efficient water/fertilizer (no row waste).
• Less weeding (no rows).
• Easy pest control, crop rotation by bed.
• No spring tilling.
• Vertical trellises at north end for vines.

Planting Density (per sq ft)

• 9: onions, beets, bush beans, peas, garlic, spinach
• 16: carrots, radishes
• 4: lettuce, chard, marigolds, kohlrabi
• 1: tomato, pepper, eggplant, broccoli, cabbage, corn
• 1 per 2 sq ft: squash, cucumber, melon
• 6 on trellis: vining beans/peas

Read Bartholomew's book for full details. Works nationwide.