Making Straight Rows

[Durgan]

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?QPBSG 30 May 2010 Self retracting clothesline.

Walking through a hardware store, I found what is the ideal string for making straight rows in a vegetable garden. The device is a self retracting clothes line. The string is about 3/16 inch in diameter, and quite strong. I did a sample run and found it to be most practicable.

[Peppa Pig]

We have always used two pieces of wood about 30cm tall and 30 Diam with thick twine attached.
You poke one end down in the soil unwind the other one to the desired length in a taut fashion and stick that in the soil.(like a washing line but lower)
You follow the straight line for planting, putting seeds in and so on and made with wood and string/whatever you have that is thick enough.
Personally I wouldnt waste my money on something from a hware store when I can make it for less or see if friends, family have the bits I need.
We get more satisfaction from not spending money and keeping it for when we really need it.

[homegrown]

Straight lines are well and good but ask yourself this does mother nature growin straight lines?

[theabsinthefairy]

Straight lines is why Durgan's garden looks so neat, and mine looks like I poked a stick in the ground at the top of the garden, walked down my ploughed line and stuck a stick in at the bottom by squinting up at the first stick and trying to line up the two visually - because that is how I laid my lines out.

I have random beds in the middle of rows, and rows that go off at 90 degree angles to other rows, and some bean and pea canes that look like they are taking a leisurely stroll down the garden after a liquid lunch - which is how I put them in I think.

[oldfella]

One laid back Lady, I'd love to see your Garden, it sounds, well shall we say interesting.

[pelmetman]

One of the advantages to growing in straight lines is that it is easier to sort out the weeds from the seeds
Sue

[Odsox]

Quite so, and by far the easiest way to get those weeds out is with a hoe.
Ever tried hoeing between randomly broadcast sown plants ?

Although my dear old grandfather always chuckled and said "you can get more plants in a bent row"

[theabsinthefairy]

I always start off with a straight row idea, but by the time I get to the bottom of the veggie plot (about 30 metres from top to bottom) I have either wandered off the path or got bored or distracted (pretty shiny things - oh look it's just a bit of seed packet).

Then I end up with too many seedlings and end up wedging them in here there and everywhere to make them fit.

And I know I know weeding would be easier with a hoe, but I have discovered my new relaxed method - which is to take my cushion and a hand fork, sit down with a bottle of beer in the sun and weed in a circle around me, then get up and move down and weed another circle around me with a fresh bottle of beer - It is an interesting method but I have found it feels more like fun than work then. And with approx 400m2 to get through - boring hoeing straight up and down is too easy a chore to put off until too late.

[citizentwiglet]

I grow in a raised bed which is 24 x 4 ft, it's much easier. Still, I've still tacked up bits of string to show where my new sowings are. Once they're all up, I'm going to throw caution to the wind. I need the string to show my 4 year old where not to dig - he's wrecked my swede seedlings and a patch of spring onions in one fell swoop.

[grahamhobbs]

Straight lines are not only good for hoeing, not that I'm keen on hoeing, I prefer mulching, but it is much easier to see if anything is amiss, a quick glance and anything untoward stands out. I used to like informality, but as the years go by you realise that if you are really trying to be self-sufficient, life is a lot easier with straight rows, short grass and neatly clipped edges. Boring perhaps but true. Mind you I still allow marigolds and nasturiums to self-seed and weave their way through my plot, they are great companion plants and the colours are wonderful.

[becks77]

What's a straight line please? my kids sowed my seeds this year....I daren't do any weeding yet for fear of treading on seedlings or pulling up hidden ones in amongst the weeds!!! lol

[theabsinthefairy]

lol Becks77 - I prefer that organic look anyway - my other half says it's my hippy side coming out, I find those regimented lines so conformist but very popular here in France, my neighbours dismiss my gardening style every year, but every harvest time I have surplus to trade for other things that I don't grow - like firewood and wine!

[becks77]

I used to love seeing the regimented French front gardens and dreaming ...."one day I'll have a garden like that".....alas it was not meant to be!
Your swapsies sound good though.

[Peppa Pig]

We have no straight lines or wiggly ones or even artistic curves. We have just moved into a rented house until we buy and it has the hardest compacted soil ever. Will someone lend our gardening fairy a pnuematic drill please?

[theabsinthefairy]

ouch Peppa - good luck