Garden row direction?

[Ruderunner]

Does it make a difference if rows are North South vs East West? Mainly concerning sunlight exposure.

I have 2 plots, my primary one, 24x16, the rows are East West. This is dictated by it's surroundings, and while I could go North South, I'd lose too much space to walkways.

The second plot I plan to enlarge to 24x16 and have the option of direction. With mommas approval anyway.

My property is bordered by trees on the west and north, trees to the east but farther away. Not much for obstacles on the south other than our single story home.

 

[DirtMechanic]

No. What matters is the plant height. Were I to row east to west, squash and other shorties to the far south and on the north side okra and my 8 foot tomato cages. As it is I like to try for a bit of south east, since the full sun afternoon energy settles to our southwest. Still, shade is a real design concern.

 

[Ruderunner]

Yeah, I've been growing my taller crops on the north and west borders to prevent shading things too much.

I'd love to move everything to the front of the house, much better sun exposure. But, local wildlife would do a number on it since zoning won't allow an adequate fence.

As it is, the sun clears the trees around 7am, full sun by 8. The trees to the west start to take a toll around 2pm and by 4 there's no direct sun. The trees on the west are close but thin.

 

[Meadowlark]

It can make a huge difference if you use garden equipment, e.g. small tractors and even tillers. Optimizing the garden space for equipment enables my old worn-out body to garden a significantly larger space with equipment than I could not otherwise do. Long rows going the longest direction in the available space is what I'm referring to.

 

[Ruderunner]

That's part of why I run my one plot long ways. But, just as much that I'd lose square footage if I ran it's rows the other way.

I'm getting there on not being able to do things by hand. My current row width and spacing is based on a tiller width. Just happens to leave enough width for the beer depository

 

[Toddz]

This is a late reply but my garden is situated at an angle of southwest to northeast so that my rows are going in that direction because we have a lot of wind and it blows from the southwest most of the time. That way when strong storm winds come through, my plants stand a better chance of staying upright.

It looks like I was drunk when I tilled the garden but it helps. However it is not perfect.

 

[DirtMechanic]

This is a late reply but my garden is situated at an angle of southwest to northeast so that my rows are going in that direction because we have a lot of wind and it blows from the southwest most of the time. That way when strong storm winds come through, my plants stand a better chance of staying upright.

It looks like I was drunk when I tilled the garden but it helps. However it is not perfect.

I tried a randomized planting last year just to see what might show up as a positive. I was inspired by yellow squash near tomato the previous year. It was a mess and hard to get around. This year it's mason twine and rulers baby.

 

[Toddz]

My earthway seeder provides a straight row as long as I get the first row straight. I am thinking about buying a Jang seeder because we are talking about turning 5 acres of our farm into a vegetable and fruit farm. Specializing in hard to find fruit. It's just a dream right now.

 

[DirtMechanic]

My earthway seeder provides a straight row as long as I get the first row straight. I am thinking about buying a Jang seeder because we are talking about turning 5 acres of our farm into a vegetable and fruit farm. Specializing in hard to find fruit. It's just a dream right now.

Thats more than 215,000 square feet of work. Careful what you wish for! Too small to make money but oh the weeding!

 

[Toddz]

Yes it is but I forgot to mention that we will be growing apples, Asian pears, jostaberries, goji berries, honeyberry, goose berries and maybe kiwi and yellow raspberries for local sale since the yellow raspberries don't ship well.

It will be a lot of work but I have two sons who will be partners in the operation and we are going to apply the most up to date methods that we can find.

 

[Toddz]

Thats more than 215,000 square feet of work. Careful what you wish for! Too small to make money but oh the weeding!

We had an idea on how to price and sell our produce by having an auction and let the market decided the price. It has some holes in the plan but we're not married to the idea and it is years away.

 

[Meadowlark]

I'll take the first order of Gooseberries.

 

[Toddz]

I used to mow this elderly ladies yard and every month she bake me a gooseberry pie. These weren't the sweeter red varieties, these were old fashioned green ones.

 

[Meadowlark]

That's what I'm talking about...the old-fashioned green ones. Summers are too hot here to grow those and I miss them.

 

[delightfulbags]

Does it make a difference if rows are North South vs East West? Mainly concerning sunlight exposure.

I have 2 plots, my primary one, 24x16, the rows are East West. This is dictated by it's surroundings, and while I could go North South, I'd lose too much space to walkways.

The second plot I plan to enlarge to 24x16 and have the option of direction. With mommas approval anyway.

My property is bordered by trees on the west and north, trees to the east but farther away from Texas TX601TG Manual online. Not much for obstacles on the south other than our single story home.

The orientation of rows in relation to sunlight exposure can indeed make a difference in gardening or farming. Here's some information to consider:

East-West Rows:

• Pros: With East-West rows, your plants will receive sunlight exposure on both sides throughout the day. This can help ensure more even distribution of light and potentially minimize shading issues.
• Cons: If your property has obstacles to the east or west, such as trees or structures, they may cast shadows on the rows at certain times of the day, potentially reducing overall sunlight exposure.

North-South Rows:

• Pros: North-South rows can maximize sunlight exposure throughout the day. This orientation allows plants to receive sunlight from the south, which is typically the strongest and most consistent source of light. It can help minimize shading issues from surrounding obstacles.
• Cons: Depending on the height of your house, the rows running north-south may cast shadows on the eastern or western sides of the rows, potentially affecting sunlight exposure during certain parts of the day.

Considering your specific situation:

• If your property has trees to the west and north, east-west rows may help mitigate shading issues from those directions.
• If there are no significant obstacles on the south side, north-south rows may provide more consistent and optimal sunlight exposure throughout the day.

Ultimately, it's important to assess your specific conditions, such as the height and location of surrounding obstacles, to determine the best row orientation for your gardening needs.