The Spacing of Garden Vegetables

Space is an important factor when planning your vegetable garden.

Planning your vegetable garden is a big part of having a successful and productive garden. One of the major concerns when planning your garden is spacing. You need to know how far apart to space your plants to give them the necessary room to grow and produce fruit. Overcrowded plants will not produce as much as plants that have adequate space.

Vines

Vining plants vine need plenty of space. Use fencing to help them to grow up and not spread out all over the garden. If you have fencing up around your garden, plant these plants around the perimeter to save space. Leave about 18 inches of space between the row closest the fence and the next row of garden vegetables.

Caged Plants

Caged plants can take a lot of space between the rows, but you can sometimes plant more seeds or seedling within the cage to make the best use of the space. For caged plants; such as tomatoes, squash or peas; allow 2 feet between the rows for room to move and work when tending your garden.

Bushes

There are many different bush varieties of garden vegetables. Some are very compact but still produce many vegetables. Beans are one common bush vegetable, as are some types of cucumbers. Some tomatoes grow on smaller, compact bushes that do not need staking or caging. When planting these garden vegetables, allow 2 feet between the rows.

Small Vegetables

Some vegetables take up very little space, as they grow mainly upwards instead of outwards. These vegetables include carrots, green onions, lettuce and corn. It is not necessary to leave as much space between the rows as with other vegetables. Leave about 1 foot between rows of these vegetables.

Raised Beds

If you are planting your vegetables in raised beds, spacing can drastically change. Typically, each bed is specifically for one vegetable. This allows you to grow your vegetables in a much tighter space. You do not need to plant them as far apart as with a traditional row type garden. Most of your plants will fair well when planted only about 8 inches apart.

References

• "Southern Living Garden Guide": Lois Trigg Chaplin, Editor: 1996
• "The Edible Heirloom Garden": Rosalind Creasy: 1999
• Iowa State: Planting a Home Vegetable Garden