Vegetable rows: north to south or east to west? (2024)

FAQs

Vegetable rows: north to south or east to west? ›

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.

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.

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.

Leafy greens like spinach, cabbage, and arugula grow amazingly well in east-facing gardens, as do colorful flowers like impatiens and fuchsias. West-facing gardens take the second place prize for the most amount of sun. The soft morning light is usually blocked, but the sun in the afternoon shines down brightly.

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.

The best place to plant your tomatoes is in a location within your garden that gets full sun—at least 8-10 hours of direct light every day, though the hours don't necessarily need to be consecutive. For people who live in the Northern Hemisphere, south- and west-facing garden plots will get the most sun.

Ideally, choose the sunniest part of the garden for your beds, away from frost pockets. Most vegetables need 6 to 8 hours of direct sun a day! Note that the south, east, and west sides of your home will get more sun than the north.

With intense afternoon sun exposure and potential for dry soil, finding plants that can thrive in west facing gardens can be a bit of a challenge. However, with careful selection, you can still create a stunning garden that can withstand the conditions of a west facing garden.

What is the best row spacing for a garden? ›

There are a couple of techniques that you can use when trying to get that nice straight row for planting in the garden area. 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.

If you have the space for it, row gardening allows you to plant more and harvest more vegetables. Squares are limited because if they are too big, you can't reach the plants in the middle. You are also limited in the amount of plants/veggies you can grow in the given space.

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.

An east-west orientation has some advantages for frost protection, while a north-south orientation slightly increases the amount of sunlight reaching the plants. Since there is no major advantage, consider designing your garden to maximize efficiency and beauty.

West or south-facing sites are preferred. Vegetable production declines as sunlight decreases, yet some early season crops such as radish or lettuce may be able to be produced in an area that receives a partial day of shade.

Where terrain permits, corn rows can be planted in either a north-south or an east-west direction. Sunlight penetrates more deeply into the plant canopy with north-south than with east-west rows.

Determine the north/south axis of the site and lay out the beds either in a north/south or east/west direction, not on a diagonal. When incorporating a trellis for vine crops such as cucumbers, beans, or grapes, run it east/west, and locate it at the northern end of the bed. Shortest crops can occupy the southern end.

Vegetables that produce roots grow best in partial sun – that is afternoon sun and morning shade. This includes carrots, parsnip, turnips, beetroot, radishes and potatoes. Vegetables where you eat the stems, buds or leaves generally prefer partial shade – that is morning sun and afternoon shade.