# When planting in rows...



## CarolynRenee (Jan 30, 2008)

It seems that the most common way that I've been seeing for row gardening is to mound up the rows that the plants are in.

We did this a few years in a row & I just wondered why in mounds? Whenever I would water, the water just rolls off & down into the "valleys" between the rows. So we've been planting in depressions or in valleys now.

Is there a specific reason for the mounding?


----------



## NickieL (Jun 15, 2007)

I do it because we often get massive ammounts of rain and it helps the plants to survive and not drown.


----------



## geo in mi (Nov 14, 2008)

You have to learn to do what works best for your conditions. I make depressions for most plants, which really helps during dry periods. Even drive stakes in the centers for the squash, etc, so I can locate the depressions after the leaves grow too big to see them.. Level soil for seed plantings. But here's a few reasons why some folks make mounds: http://www.gardenersnet.com/atoz/hillingplants.htm

geo


----------



## ChickadeeL (Dec 10, 2008)

What kind of soil do you have?

That is usually an indicator for the mounds. Clay soils that do not drain well can benefit from mounding. In a sandy soil that would make your crop dry out more quickly, and would be a problem.

Sometimes people do it to give the plants more support as well.


----------



## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

I mound mine because of clay. My mounds are compost and barn cleanings and the path are hard as rock. My planting mounds don't stand in water and they hold water when there is a dryspell. And it gives me more planting space. I plant on the sides as well.
Ok.. and it just looks cool.


----------



## EDDIE BUCK (Jul 17, 2005)

I agree with all the above posts.In my opinion,if you have gardened two years planting flat or in lower furrows with decent rain,and your crops did well,keep doing that.Your soil drains well.About the only advantage ridges in your garden would do,is if you make the ridges in the previous fall,come spring,the ridges will be dryer and warmer earlier.

But like I said,if what you have been doing,works,keep on keeping on.Around here,the farmers that grow corn and plant flat, and get normal rain fall,they make bumper crops,but if rain fall is above average,look out,some corn will drown.Where as,if it was ridge planted,none drowns,but not many bumper crops.

One other thing,if after a good rain,you see water ponding anywhere in the garden,if its still there about an hour later,go with the ridges or dig a draining furrow to keep that water from Standing.


----------



## NickieL (Jun 15, 2007)

I have my entire veggie garden at a slant as well. Its the best draining spot in my swamp yard so that slant helps too. It warms up and dries the quickest so I can get early stuff in before anyone else in the area tends to get theirs in. I chose my kitchen garden spot well.


----------



## gina kay (Sep 12, 2007)

We had a friend make our rows for us since we don't have a tractor and he made good sized rows. I planted on the mounds since the dirt was loose and in case we had heavy rains. Our soil is sandy and wouldn't you know we haven't had rain in over two weeks and none predicted for the next few weeks. I guess I'll be going up and down rows (twelve 54 ft rows) making depressions around each plant.


----------



## ronbre (Apr 26, 2009)

as all said above basically it's best to know your soil and your plant needs..i'm not familiar with your area..but i live in BOTH conditions..we have cold clay soil..and we get droughts..both..so we generally plant on the level with a slight depression around water needy plants..but plants that might need drier conditions are on raised beds..with lots of organic matter inside the soil of the beds to hold in moisture..

we also have a variety of soils..some areas are heavy heavy clay and they need different treatment than the sandy areas..and then we have soils that are built up with ton's of organic matter in some areas..they are pretty much left somewhat level with a slight tilt to drain away not only the excess water but frost


----------



## CarolynRenee (Jan 30, 2008)

Our general area is mostly rocks / clay, but in our garden area we've been able to build up the soil pretty nice. I started with the depressions because they seemed to gather the most water when I irrigate (which, admittedly, I'm apt to "forget" to do as often as I should).


----------



## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

Planting in mounds or mounded rows has been around forever and has multiple advantages. The most obvious would be to provide drainage in heavy soils. Another would be for irrigation by surface flow. What is least obvious is that it allows for closer planting. Many of the normal garden plants have feeder roots which go down 4 or 5 feet but they are not the ones which determine planting density. That is determined by the surface roots which take in oxygen. A mound or mounded row presents more surface area to allow the roots to breathe. Those roots, incidentally, serve the plants better if only damp rather than drenched. So, plant on top, not in the valley.

Martin


----------



## 57plymouth (Dec 23, 2008)

I set my plow so that I get a low trough for a walk way, then I set the middle shovel to just knock the top of the row in to make a furrow in the top of the mound. That lets the water stay on the plants, and I can plow between the rows to keep weeds down.

So, I plant in the valley on the top of the mound!!


----------



## Txsteader (Aug 22, 2005)

57plymouth said:


> I set my plow so that I get a low trough for a walk way, then I set the middle shovel to just knock the top of the row in to make a furrow in the top of the mound. That lets the water stay on the plants, and I can plow between the rows to keep weeds down.
> 
> So, I plant in the valley on the top of the mound!!


I do the same thing in my garden, but with the back of my hoe. I plant in the trough which later holds water, giving it time to soak in rather than run off. Where I plant things like melons and squash in mounds, I make a depression in the middle, forming a lip on the outer perimeter of the mound and that helps to hold the water a little longer. Hope that makes sense.


----------



## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

I thought of another good reason for raised beds this morning... Flooding!
We had an unbelievable amount of downpouring rain yesterday.
We also have have hard pack clay.. I mean hard! So that rain, if it falls to quickly runs off the property like it would down concrete. We have a dry creek through the middle of the garden, but yesterday was too much for all the runoff. 
If it were not for raised beds, I would have NO garden today. I can see where the water went around my planting mounds adn all of my plants are fine.
I have a few tomatoes where I haven't hilled up the dirt. They are still there, but you can see where they had been completely under rushing water!
Hooray! for mounded planting beds!!


----------



## Randy Rooster (Dec 14, 2004)

I plant everyting but my corn on hilled rows. Mostly for better drainage ( has kept me from totally losing crops in the past) and it also helps warm the soil faster in spring for better early growth, and it is not as far down to bend over to pull weeds and the crop.


----------



## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Good advice here. What is apparently basic is to know your soil and how the water flows (or doesn't flow). 

Since our entire garden area is on about a 5% slant and is a mixture (now) of clay/sandy loam, making the rows (indentations) horizontal to the slope keeps the water from running off too quickly. Since we have about 2-3 ft of good top soil on it, we can grow just about anything now. (It took a few years after double/deep plowing, winter seeding, spreading barn bedding from our animals & tilling all under to get it this way; but it is well worth the effort.)

I don't think we can understate the need of caring for our soil.


----------

