Vegetable Garden Layout Tips

When it's time to start preparing your new vegetable garden for spring, one of the first things you'll want to plan for is how your vegetable garden layout will be set up. There are many common layouts to use for vegetable gardening, and there are plenty of alternative vegetable garden layouts too. Let's look at several.

Most vegetable garden layouts have a traditional row design. These rows look much like plowed rows you see in a farmer's field. They're spaced wide enough to walk through in many cases, so that you can take a wheelbarrow into the center of your vegetable garden easily. Smaller vegetable garden layouts may place the rows closer though, because of having to work with confined spaces.
Vegetable garden rows can be laid out with the spacing that works for you though. If you're working in a smaller space, then try planting your vegetable garden rows about one foot apart. Try to keep the rows shorter though, or don't put too many successively, or you may not be able to reach the center rows of your garden once the vegetables start growing.

When planting a traditional row style of vegetable garden layout, you'll want to choose the sunniest location in your yard. You'll also need space remember, because vegetable rows are usually laid out in eight to ten feet lengths. So find the largest, sunniest spot you can to create your vegetable garden layout if you plan to use the traditional row planting methods.

You'll also want to run your vegetable garden rows from east to west, so the plants can get the best air flow and the most amount of sunlight throughout the day. Vegetables need a minimum of five to six hours of sun each day.

If you're using a row layout for your vegetable garden on a hill, be sure to contour your rows with the shape of your slope, so the water does not run off too quickly. You'll also want to make sure your thirstier plants are located towards the bottom of the hill because more water will collect there, whereas the top will be dryer.

Another vegetable garden layout which is becoming popular, is creating raised vegetable garden beds. With raised vegetable garden beds, you'll want to create your beds no more than four feet wide, so it will be easier to reach all of the plants in the bed throughout the growing season. Putting several feet of space between each bed is considered the best layout design too, because you're able to get between each vegetable garden bed to weed, water, and fertilize.

When using raised beds for your vegetable garden layout, you can put small rows in each bed, or create square blocks for planting each vegetable, or simply create mounds placed randomly throughout your garden bed.

Regardless of which vegetable garden layout you choose to use, be sure to plant your tallest crops on the north side of the garden so they won't block the sunlight for your smaller plants. The smallest plants should of course be planted on the south side of the garden, so they'll be able to get plenty of sun throughout the day. You might also want to read up on companion planting, to help organically control pests plus help your vegetable plants to provide the best tasting produce when harvested. 

Related Articles:

Tips on Planting a Vegetable Garden

Planning a Vegetable Garden

Vegetable Garden Soil Preparation

Creating a Raised Vegetable Garden