Crop Arrangement In Gardens: What Is The Best Way To Orient Garden Rows (2024)

FAQs

Crop Arrangement In Gardens: What Is The Best Way To Orient Garden Rows? ›

Most experts believe that the best way to orient garden rows in the Northern hemisphere is north to south. This gives the most sun exposure and allows for ample air circulation. When crops are planted east to west, the rows tend to shade each other.

Most folks agree that planting north-south is marginally better, with the rationale running as follows: When rows run east-west, a tall crop in a south row can easily shade out a shorter crop in the next row north.

South-facing gardens get the most sun exposure. From sunrise to sunset, the garden is lit up (as long as it isn't shaded by trees). South-facing gardens are great for planting summer annuals like vinca and angelonia, or sun-loving vegetables like tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers.

As a general rule, put tall veggies toward the back of the bed, mid-sized ones in the middle, and smaller plants in the front or as a border. Consider adding pollinator plants to attract beneficial insects that can not only help you get a better harvest, but will also prey on garden pests.

For most tillers, rows should be at least 36 inches wide. This way you can go back between the rows and lightly cultivate for weed control until the crop starts to fill in between the rows. For most crops such as beans, corn, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, okra, peas and squash, 36-inch row spacing would be the minimum.

The first trick is by using a string and two stakes. So we place a stake on each end of the row and run the string between the stakes and tie it off. The strings sit about a foot above the soil or sometimes six inches and that indicates the straight row.

And a layer of straw mulch between your veggie rows sets off your plants and makes your garden look neat and tidy. Although it takes a little effort up front, mulching with straw will save you time in the long run when it comes to weeding and watering.

Always plant the tallest vegetables to the northern side of the garden and the shorter growing vegetables to the southern side of the garden. That said, most recommendations agree that planting north-south is marginally better. The north-south orientation allows the sun to penetrate the garden by shining down the rows.

South-facing windows provide the most light: direct sunlight within 2 to 3 feet of the window; bright, indirect sunlight up to 5 feet from the window; and semi-shade up to 8 feet away from the window. East and west-facing windows provide some direct light up to 3 feet and indirect light up to 5 feet away.

Choose a sunny spot. Most vegetables do best in full sun, over 8 hours of direct sunlight per day. If you don't have this much sun, consider sticking with crops that are more likely to tolerate some shade, such as herbs, and greens, like lettuce and spinach.

How should I arrange plants in my garden? ›

There are two basic rules when arranging plants in the beds: 1) space the individual plants so that they touch each other when they reach their mature size, and 2) overlap the masses of plants and connect them so that they flow without space between them. Avoid gaps or large open areas between masses.

The most basic garden plan consists of a design with straight, long rows running north to south orientation. A north to south direction will ensure that the garden gets the best sun exposure and air circulation. A garden that runs east to west tends to get too shaded from the crops growing in the preceding row.

Most experts believe that the best way to orient garden rows in the Northern hemisphere is north to south. This gives the most sun exposure and allows for ample air circulation. When crops are planted east to west, the rows tend to shade each other.

Rows Vegetable Garden Layout Plan

The other rule of thumb when using this layout plan is to organize your spacing so that your tallest growing vegetables are planted on the north side of your rows. Follow them with medium height vegetables, and then plant your shortest crop on the south side of the rows.

Farmers should consider row spacing based on-field productivity. In high yielding environments, greater than 235 bushels per acre, yield increased 8-10 bushels per acre when planted in 20-inch rows compared to 30-inch. In environments with less than 180 bushels per acre, both 20- and 30-inch spacing had similar yields.

The mound creates a small-scale raised bed for cultivating plants and seeds. It's especially good for root crops requiring loose soil and space below ground. For those with small gardens, it's a great way to optimize space.

Pro Tip: Orient the trellis so the growing surfaces face east and west, rather than north and south, to maximize sun exposure on both sides.