If you want to grow vegetables and small root crops, consider planting in rows. I would be going over the basics of how to make garden rows in this article.
It is a good idea for people that want to enjoy gardening; planning out the row is an essential part of the process.
There are many advantages that come with row planting; caring for your plant will be easier and you also get to keep things organized with rows.
With a row planting, you get a tiny bed and an evenly spaced plant.
Since there are spaces between the rows, it provides easy access to the plants and gives the crop enough room to develop. This space; furrow is also essential if you have to weed your garden.
There are two approaches to making your rows; you either do it manually or with a tractor.
The annual method is more common since we mostly keep a small garden.
For the manual way of making a garden row, you need the following accessories: tiller, hoe, twine, stakes, and rake.
There are various steps you should keep in mind when making a row for a garden.
This section will guide you on how to make a garden row.
Read: How to Make a Garden Arch With PVC Pipe
Steps To Making A Straight Garden Row
Have a Plan:
It is important to maximize space when planning your garden.
This is why planning should be part of your priority when making a row for your garden. Little measurement is needed here, so get ready for that.
This is because you need an idea of the entire garden space you have before you can divide it into rows.
You shouldn’t, however, just pick a row size that appeals to you.
You need the right garden row spacing to be successful. This, however, depends on the crops you want to plant.
If you are planting small vegetables, they can survive on smaller rows (an average of 15 inches between rows).
Large vegetables, on the other hand, need more space (an average of 36 inches between rows).
Also, if you will be using a machine like a rototiller to get rid of weeds, you need wider rows.
Prepare the Ground:
Your hoe or tiller comes handy here, and you can consult this article on how different types of garden hoes.
If your gardening process will be successful, you need healthy soil.
This is essential as the soil provides the required nutrient that powers the plant.
This is why you need to prepare the soil before you mark the rows adequately
You can add fertilizer or compost over the ground. You can also loosen the soil using a rototiller.
Make sure there is adequate watering as well. You can use a rake to smoothen the soil surface to level it up.
The goal here is to slightly turn the soil over, so the more rich side is exposed for planting.
Now is also a good time to get rid of rocks if possible.
Read: When to Apply Lime to Vegetable Garden?
Mark Your Territory:
For you to successfully plant your garden in a row, you need a guide.
From one edge of the garden, put a stake in the ground and space it depending on the type of crop you want to grow.
From the first row, you can measure to get the location of the second row.
This should guide you till you make all the rows you want to.
Use twine to make a line on each side of the stakes. This will give you a straight line
Plant the Crops/Vegetables:
Using the length of each twine as a guide, make a planting furrow in the soil.
With the tip of your hoe handle, you can make shallow furrows if you are not planting deep-rooted crops.
For deep-rooted crops like beans, use a cutlass to make a deep furrow.
You can also make a trench which serves as an irrigation channel for your crops.
Use your hoe to make a furrow four inches deep by the side. This will help ensure that the root gets irrigation water when needed.
With the spacing recommended in the first point above, plant the seeds depending on the plant variety.
Remove the twine, cover the seeds, and add enough water after planting.
Read: When to Plant a Garden in Texas (Tomatoes, Vegetables.)
How to make a Garden Row With a Tractor
Rather than using a hoe, if you have the means, you can use a tractor to make garden rows.
It is easy, simple, and convenient to use.
There are various tractor accessories you can use with your tractor to make straight garden rows for your crops.
It is quite expensive to make garden rows using a tractor.
And I won’t advise this unless you have a really big garden and making the garden rows with a tiller or hoe is not a viable option.
I will discuss multiple attachments you can invest in to make beautiful garden rows.
Hiller Attachment:
If your farm is on a hilly ground, you are better off using a Hiller attachment to make your garden row.
It will not only make rows but also softens the soil as it comes with adjustable wings, which helps make various garden row width on your seedbed.
The disks are evenly spaced; hence it makes trenches on the sides as well.
Hiller attachment comes in various types. There are some attachments that make three rows at once rather than one row.
You should, however, consider factors like needs, planting conditions, soil types, and crop types before going for a Hiller attachment.
Middle Buster Attachment:
This is another fantastic option for making garden rows. It works well after the soil has been tilled.
This attachment features a double-wing cutting blade that digs the ground to the right depth for whatever you want to plant.
Middle buster features a 3 point attachment which attaches perfectly to almost all types of tractors.
This way, you get smooth garden rows in the middle of the tire track. It is simple to operate as all you need to do is follow your tire track while making the next row.
You can adjust the depth of each row based on the crop you are planting.
When compared to Hiller’s attachment, the beds are not as neat.
It is, however, a right choice compared to shovel and hoe.
Useful tips in Making a Garden Row with a Tractor
Leaving enough space between rows is essential; standard practise.
If you would be using a tiller later or a machine to weed. In addition, the space between the rows is vital to enable the crops to develop.
The spacing depends on the type of crops, which is usually printed behind the seed packet. It is also a factor of the kind of plant.
The correct planting depth is vital and vital as it determines if the seed will germinate.
Types of Row Planting for Vegetable Planting
There are many ways you can have your garden rows. We will, however, explore the two simplest types.
These are the single row planting and extensive row planting.
Single Row Planting
Single row planting is easy and convenient. It involves setting seeds in a single row which are structured in parallel lines.
This approach is recommended for vine crops that grow vertically. Examples are trellised peas.
Single row planting is also a good idea for corn and tomatoes.
Pollination will be pretty easy for the corns, and you will have a bountiful harvest with the tomatoes as it will spread outward well on stalking.
Wide Row Planting
If you do not have much space and you want to maximize it, try wide row planting.
This involves planting your crops and vegetables in strips and blocks, which could be up to five feet wide.
This is opposed to a single row planting.
We recommend wide row planting for crops and veggies that you harvest over a long period.
Examples are green beans. It is not suitable for crops you harvest over a short period like corn. It comes with the advantage of space-saving as you get to cluster more plants in less space. Also, your plants grow densely, which reduces weed infestation.
Another advantage when you plant crops together in a cluster is that they create a shade.
This reduces evaporation, keeping the soil cool.
For farmers and gardeners that live in warmer climates, wide row planting is a good idea.
Planting in a wide row is also a good idea for people with small garden spaces. Planting this way increases yield.
Besides, the harvest with a wide row planting can be as much as five times the yield from a single row.
In using a wide row planting method, make sure the rows are no more than 6 feet wide.
With this, you will be able to reach the inner parts of the plants when you want.
Conclusion
Making a garden row for your vegetables and other crops is pretty easy.
With simple gardening tools like hoe and shovel, you can create beautiful garden rows that will give bountiful yields with the steps recommended above.
You can also use a tractor with the right attachment to make fantastic garden rows.
These are easy and recommended for large scale farming.
Garden rows are easy to make and comes with several advantages.
It is a good idea if you want to have a garden you will be proud of.
We have also explored two significant types of garden rows that anyone can consider when making a garden row.
Read: Can I Use Black Mulch for Vegetable Garden?
