Raised garden North-South or East-West ?

[Bob]

I have been given 10 - 2 1/2 in x 11 1/2 in x 8 ft boards and plan on making two 4 x 16 ft raised beds. Looked on the WEB and found some say North-South others say East-West.

Bob ( Northen CA )

[George Shirley]

Our main garden, 26 ft X 17 ft, runs east and west to get sun coverage all day. Does well. We have another that is 30 inches by 75 ft, runs alongside a hurricane fence. Does equally well as it is on the west side of our home and there are no trees next door to shade it. Does equally well as the other. I reckon it's a crap shoot and depends on how much your raised beds will be shaded from the sun.

George, SW LA

[Jay]

[gardenlen]

g;day bob,

generally north/south so that bothe sides of the bed get even sunshine.

snipped With peace and brightest of blessings,

len

-- "Be Content With What You Have And May You Find Serenity and Tranquillity In A World That You May Not Understand."

[Val]

I ran my raised beds, 3 X 16, north/south. They were 3 feet wide because that was the length I could reach while seated on one side and reaching across to the other. I planted the west most bed with the very tallest stuff, on purpose, because it shaded my leafy salad crops in the bed next to it from the harshest of the afternoon sun. The rest of the beds got full sun from sunrise to sunset. The lumber I used was the same dimension as yours but I made mine two boards high, approx 24". I used the trimmings of 4" x 4" fence posts to lag bolt the corners and where the boards butted up to each other. Since a back injury kept me from bending I used another piece of the lumber from the sides to make a sliding bench. My raised beds where a scant

18" apart, the exact width of one swipe with the lawn mower. Under the sliding seat I screwed 2x2s across the ends so the board wouldn't slip "off the rails" so to speak. I could work along without my back giving me problems while seated and just pull my weed/harvest basket with me. I could do two beds at each sitting, very efficient, and didn't let my screwed up spine stop me from growing fabulous veggie crops.

Val

[Bob]

Thank you all for your help. I guess North-South on both sides of my walkway to the shop.

Now the work starts!

Bob

[simy1]

Yes, it makes so little difference that if you have a walkway in place it makes sense to turn it into one of the paths. Also keep in mind that if you plant in blocks (say, a 4X4 patch of carrots next to a 4X$ patch of cabbage) is different than if you plant in rows ( a 30 ft row of carrots next to a 30ft row of cabbage). Rows may prefer N-S but patches may prefer E-W. Finally, shade turns to your advantage oftentimes. Many fall and winter greens will do better if they are shaded by, say, tomatoes during the hot months. I make it a point of planting cabbage under the pole beans. It is not beneficial to the beans, but the N from their roots and the shade turns superb cabbage by season's end. Carrots, bok choi, lettuce, chicory, will also prefer a little shading in the summer.