Intensive Grow Beds

Square Foot Gardening & Intensive Grow Beds

We have made a PVC over-head canopy system that triples your garden space. In one case we had a fivefold increase!

We have learned some of this behind the scenes at Epcot Center in Orlando, Florida.

In one 4X4 area we planted thornless blackberries and ran them up into the PVC overhang, and then trained the plants to go over the top of the overhang into two other beds. The beds which have the berries hanging over them must contain partial shade-loving plants.

With this system we increased our growing area by up to five times! The five growing areas are these:

  1. the lower, shade-loving plant areas,
  2. the plants growing up the strings into the trellises,
  3. there is a growing area on the left side,
  4. one on the top,
  5. and finally one to the right side.

That’s five growing areas. We call these intensive grow beds. This can get a little tricky and it requires special instruction to do it right so that enough sunlight can come through. We have plans available upon request.

Blackberry Bushes Have Been Taught to Grow Up Into the Canopy, Giving the Plants Below Them Needed Shade

Blackberry Bushes Have Been Taught to Grow Up Into the Canopy, Giving the Plants Below Them Needed Shade

The Bushes Form a Shade Canopy

The Bushes Form a Shade Canopy