How to Dig Rows for Gardening
Planting your vegetables in straight rows allows you to efficiently do gardening tasks such as adding fertilizer, weeding and watering. It also helps you organize and label what's growing in your garden. Digging rows for gardening starts with loosening and preparing the soil across the entire garden area to ensure the plants' roots will have plenty of room to grow.
Prepare your garden space by digging up existing vegetation with a shovel or spade, and tilling the soil to about 12 inches deep for an in-ground garden. Alternatively, you can create a raised-bed frame in your garden area. There's no need to till the soil mix you add to a raised bed. Turn fertilizer or compost into the top 6 inches of soil.
Draw a plan for your garden, deciding what plants you will place in which rows. Consider the space requirements for each vegetable; some require 12 inches between rows, while others require 18 inches, for example.
Measure half the necessary row spacing for your first row of vegetables from the side of the garden. For example, if your vegetable requires 12 inches between rows, measure 6 inches from the side of the garden.
Place a stake at each end of the garden to mark where you want to dig a row. Tie a string between the stakes to serve as a guide to keep the row straight. Alternatively, you can lay the straight edge of a long piece of lumber along the line where you want to dig the row. Digging straight rows helps the garden look tidy and makes weeding and irrigation easier.
Dig along your guide to the depth required for the seeds, using a hoe or spade. Refer to your seed pack or seedling instructions; each plant or seed will perform best when it's planted at its preferred depth. Turn the dirt between the rows to form a ridge.
Move all your markers to where you will dig the next row, measuring the recommended row spacing for the vegetable you're planting. Dig your next row. Continue digging rows across the garden area.
- Raised-bed frame
- Measuring tape
- Rubber mallet
- Be certain you know where buried utility lines are before you begin digging. Call 811 to have these lines marked, to ensure you don't accidentally cut one. This is a free service in all states.
- After placing your seeds or seedlings in the rows, use a spade or hoe to move dirt from the center ridges to fill in over and around the seeds or seedlings. The center areas may remain slightly raised at first compared with your planted rows, but they will level out during the growing season.
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