Whenever you fertilize, don't fertilize with nitrogen near the end of your harvest (it seems to be able to take taste out of the fruit). Using monopotassium phosphate near the end doesn't seem to hurt the flavor, however, and the phosphorus may even encourage faster ripening. It seems to me that nitrogen should primarily be used earlier on, if at all (before the fruit gets very big). Phosphorus and potassium can probably be used any time without significant repercussions to the plants (although maybe to the water supply), so long as you don't use too much. You might try forgoing the fertilizer (or using it very sparingly) and saving your seeds every year to replant the next. According to what I've read, they should become better-adapted to your climate and soil, and get used to having less fertilizer. That's not to say they won't need nutrients, but they in theory should be better at utilizing what is available. You might also consider creating landraces. If you move around a lot, though, this might not be the best option.

My Sweet Hubbard (a 'miniature' Hubbard) grow several vines, each 15-20 feet long. One 4x8 bed is not big enough for that plant alone, with no other squashes. OTOH, I had 5 hills of 3 plants each of smaller squashes in a 3x10 bed last year. Though the consensus in the other thread seems to be that this configuration of 15 plants produces as much squash as 5 plants would ;). If the soil is rich, you have room for most of the above-ground growth to be outside of the bed, and there is dirt under the bed for the roots to extend into, I would put 8 plants in there. And no Hubbard. If you want them to stay with in the bed, or if the bed contains potting soil or yard dirt, or is on top of pavement, I would put 4. Maybe 5, with one as a sacrifice to pests, and 4 to make squashes :).

My brother doesn't grow mint, it just grows... everywhere. Like Justaguy, it's in the cracks of his concrete patio and he has to keep pulling it like weeds. I love it though, he has a mini-hedge of mint between his patio and his raised bed garden. Whenever I go over I give it a kick to brush my foot through the hedge and it smells like mint for a good five minutes. His herb garden is a jumble of herbs. It's 4x4 but he doesn't follow SFG. The basil was huge, and grew together. The rosemary is insane but at least that mostly goes up. The rest just grows together so I'm not even sure what it is. That said, if you want it managable (if that's even possible), I'd suggest 1 per SF. Let us know how it goes. Sinfonian Here is a link that might be useful: Sinfonian's garden in progress...

I get a bit complicated, but it IS a hobby and I have the time. I used to do it the hard way with windows and some lights. Then about 4 years ago I bought a 4 shelf storage unit, 4'w 2' deep, 6' tall. Bought 4' bulb 4 fluorescent light fixtures and attached them to the bottoms of the shelves. Put daylight and/or growlights in the fixtures (whichever was cheaper). Set the shelves to 4", 8", 12" and 18" below the lights. Built small stands of 4" high from plywood to make the seedling trays stay JUST under the lights "the closer the better" (seriously, if you are going to pay for lighting, get the most you can from them). Used sterile potting soil but added water from the fish tanks. and some organic fertilizer when the seedlings were growing. Transplanted the tomatoes from the small 6-pack cells to 4" deep packs I saved from a nursery sale after 4 weeks, and to deeper pots after another 3 weeks. Deeper each time (tomatoes grow roots along buried stems. When I transplant out from inside (after days of gradually increasing sun exposure) I bury the tomato seedlings up to 12" deep in warmed soil from black plastic and cover that with red plastic (reflects light to improve yield). I have poor sunlight, so I have to do nearly everything to get any harvest. But I expect that would improve anyone's harvest. And grew about 10 dozen other veggies and flowers in the light stand.., I can give details if you want. Hope any of that helps...