"SteveB" wrote in message
...
I just tilled my garden, the culmination of a long time of work, a little
at a time.

Now, I'm not sure as to how to lay it out. How far apart should the rows
be? Should I make level trenches so the water flows into the trenches and
goes into the plants, or make a tubing setup with emitters? The garden
plot is on a slant. I had thought making the rows along the horizontal
plane so the water just doesn't run downhill. Am going to put weed
barrier all around, and then cut in where I want to plant things.

Just not sure how to lay it out, keep enough space for walkways, and get
it half way right from the get go.

Help or sites appreciated.


I recently explained and posted pictures of how I lay out my garden, I don't
know if you noticed. Everyone does a garden differently but it would be
easier to discuss and offer you meaningful suggestions if you would disclose
the size of your garden, what you plan to grow, and especially if you post a
few photos. My garden is now fully planted except for the tomatoes which I
will be putting in this afternoon, as nights have been a bit too chilly here
in the Catskills... the set back tomatoes suffer from cold nights is not
worth being impatient. There is already some growth on the plants I put in
a few days ago. I think you're obsessing too much on watering, vegetables
don't like a lot of water or they won't grow deep roots... one deep watering
a week with a hose is plenty... water early on a warm sunny day so water on
the plant leaves can evaporate before night. In a home vegetable garden
there are typically many types of plants, each with different water
requirements, so when I do water I prefer to water by hand. My garden is
located alongside a small spring fed stream so I rarely need to water except
when there is a prolonged dry spell... I lay out my garden according to
which plants do better with more or less water, those that better tolerate
wet feet are planted closer to that stream. My last garden was different in
many ways, sandier soil, a different climate too, so there I had good
results with soaker hoses. With a vegetable garden I would stay aways from
any watering set up that would require making several adjustments as plants
grow, I'd not suggest a tubing with emitter system, those things are too
delicate/fussy for my liking. I'm sure you can find one hour a week for
watering... get one of those large fan shaped diffuser nozzles that puts out
good volume with a soft spray... I like to ream out the holes a few
thousandths of an inch to get more volume with less velocity.