Things You'll Need:
- Hoe
- Rake
- Rototiller
- Fertilizer
- Mulch
- Poly hoops and floating row covers
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Step 1
Plant vegetables in direct sunlight where there is minimal shade. Place tall pole beans and corn, which are light barriers, in rows toward the back of the garden
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Step 2
Form the garden rows with a rake and a hoe. Use the hoe edge to make the required size furrow for planting seeds in a flat row garden and rake closed once planted. Pull the soil toward the center from both sides with a rake to make raised garden rows.
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Step 3
Make the garden rows the width of the rototiller for early crops like peas that are tilled and replanted.
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Step 4
Plant a circle garden in rows with the tallest vegetables in the center working out to short vegetables on the outside. Rows also work well in terraced gardens.
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Step 5
Furrow the rows along the contour of the land in hilly areas to prevent soil erosion and moisture loss. Contour planting is an excellent method for retaining water in between the rows for plants.
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Step 6
Leave enough space between the rows to allow room to walk and gather produce comfortably when the plants have fully matured.
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Step 7
Make rows 18 to 24 inches wide to allow for trellised and caged vegetables like cucumbers and tomatoes.
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Step 8
Build a row of mounds 4 feet apart for summer squash and cantaloupes that need warm soil for successful growth.
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Step 9
Plant the garden in short rows in narrow beds for a watered down version of French intensive gardening without the dense plantings.
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Step 10
Thin the vegetable seedlings to the required distance specified for the seed type. Selectively remove seedlings until they are spaced as necessary in the garden rows.
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Step 11
Weed and fertilize a garden row in March and plant lettuce, spinach, radishes and beets. Add mulch and water frequently. Place polytunnel hoops over the row every 2 or 3 feet, lay a floating row cover over top, and harvest a garden salad in less than 2 months.
