Simple Solution to Low Sunshine in a Square Foot Garden

I was disappointed when I realized that I would not be able to grow vegetables in the courtyard planter in front of my house. It was the obvious place. It’s close, has water handy and is even rectangular. I worked out how to put in a grid despite the garden edge being brick. Unfortunately there just isn’t enough sunshine however “perfect” it seemed. So I gave up and went the easier route…roses.

But then I went for a walk. It wasn’t the first walk I took in my new neighborhood. The view of the coastline is spectacular here, making it a good place to go. Maybe that’s why I didn’t notice my neighbor’s patio. But this week I did notice. They have a wall like mine with a cover like mine. Their patio even faces the same direction as mine, and it’s in full sun! Look, they have flower boxes on the top of the short wall. What a great idea. I even know how long the area is sunny, because I have been adjusting my window coverings on that side of the house during the day to protect my new floors.

When I turned the corner and walked by the front of their house, my neighbor was outside. Good timing. I chatted with him and asked where he bought the flower boxes on his patio. I told him I thought the location would be great for my vegetables. He thought it was a good idea too, and asked his wife where she bought the containers on their patio wall. Target. Terrific. There’s one not too far away. When I went home I called them. No luck there, so I asked about other Target locations. She talked to her supervisor who informed her that all Target stores removed their garden departments.

That started a search that took three days and lots of driving to complete. I looked online first, of course, but only found very small or very large rectangular boxes. They were either inappropriate due to their size or very expensive. So I got in the car and went to an Armstrong Garden Center, Wal-Mart, Lowe’s and two Home Depot stores. I didn’t have any luck until I visited the Green Thumb nursery in Lake Forest. Bingo! They had exactly what I was looking for. It even came in three sizes. I bought four of the medium sized boxes and drip trays for underneath. My mistake. I’m going back for two more.

Here’s my lesson for lack of sunshine in a square foot garden, look elsewhere before giving up. Take a walk around your neighborhood. See what they are doing. Talk to them, find out the solutions they came up with for the “not enough sunshine” problem. I’m new to this area. My neighbors are not. Later this morning I’m going back to the Green Thumb nursery and buying two more flower boxes and drip trays. Then I’m going over to Lowe’s for two bags of square foot gardening soil.

Tomorrow I’m going to the nearby Armstrong Garden Center for vegetable transplants and marigolds. They are having a 15% off sale this weekend. I also like the people there. They have been extremely helpful. They are the ones who located my small copper garden hose pot when I couldn’t find anything the right size. They also had beautiful Double Delight roses, two of which are sitting in my front courtyard awaiting planting in what was going to be my square foot garden. I guess that’s another lesson. Although I will be at two other stores where they sell vegetable transplants, I’m making a separate trip to the store where the employees went the extra mile and helped me out.

Although I have grown my own food in a huge raised square foot garden in the backyard of a suburban home in the past and gardened in containers on wheels on the third floor of a condo, this is the first time I have planted a square foot garden in flower boxes on a short wall. It will be much easier, I think, since there is water right there, abundant sunshine and I won’t even need to bend over to harvest my vegetables. This may be the easiest way to garden yet. I’ll keep you informed.

Until next time,

Elizabeth