Traditionally a vegetable garden is a large plot where vegetables are planted in neat single rows. This traditional way of gardening is still a great way to plant for certain vegetables and gardeners with a large amount of space. The large plot with traditional rows may not be your ideal garden type. Over the years there have been more modern ways developed to help accommodate every gardener.
Different Garden Types
Wide Row Gardening
Wide row gardening is when you plant your vegetables in a row that is 2-4 feet wide and as long as you need it to be. When planting within these wide rows you can do two things, you can plant multiple single rows within it, or you can sporadically plant seeds not really worrying about placement within the row. This type of gardening works well if you are trying to grow more within a smaller space. These rows allow for more plants without worrying to much about spacing, just as long as they are about arm’s length so that the vegetables can be easily harvested. I have used this method in my garden, we have had great success with beans, carrots and cucumbers when trellised correctly.
Raised Bed
Raised bed gardening is when your soil is enclosed with walls. The garden beds can be any length or shape. You will find that raised beds are usually 3 to 4 feet wide, this is to make working within the beds easier and at arm’s reach. These gardens are above ground level, but they have no bottoms giving the plants roots room to grow into the ground.
This type of garden method is good for gardeners that have limited space, would like less weed work and it can be used to plant earlier.
These beds can look like garden planters, but when you look closely you will see that garden planters have bottoms and garden beds don’t. Both raised beds and garden planters are used for the foundation of square foot gardening.
Raised Row
A raised row garden is like using a raised bed, but without the outer walls. Unlike traditional rows, raised rows are on top of the soil and surrounded by mulch. The rows are usually built up to 6 inches tall and have sloped edges. They are at least 18 inches wide and can be as long as you need them to be. It is said that this type of gardening is low maintenance and provides a natural way of weed control.
Square Foot Gardening
As the name suggests square foot gardening is when you divide your garden area into small square sections, usually 1-foot x 1-foot. They can be slightly larger depending on the amount of space needed for certain plants. The garden beds can be as long as you like, but the width is usually 4 feet. The design 4 foot by however long is so that all plants will be within your reach.
When using the square foot garden method, the amount of plants can be predetermined per square foot section. This design is recommended for limited space and beginner gardeners. My husband and I used square foot gardening for our first year gardening experiment.
Container Gardening
Container gardening is when containers are used to grow vegetables when there isn’t any gardening space available. This method could also be used if you’re not sure about gardening or just want to grow a small amount. If you are thinking about this method of gardening, make sure you know your plants and what types of containers that work best for them. Container gardening also offers mobility and control.
What Garden Type is Right for You?
We have tried all the garden types in our garden, some have worked while others have failed terribly. Our garden still has a mixture of these methods. We have single rows, wide rows, raised rows and the ones that we haven’t kept around didn’t work for us but might work great for you. Consider the different types of gardening methods and choose which one or ones are right for you and your growing situation.
More About Gardening
- Plan Your Garden
- Seed Starting Indoors
- DIY Herb Container Garden
