[cowpat]

You always see advice that you can grow veg closer together in raised beds.  Well, my question is 'how much closer?'  Starting with roots - carrots, parsnips, beetroot etc.  I have sown maincrop carrots in rows about a foot apart, as per the packet, but now they are up there seems to be a lot of wasted space.  Any suggestions? or reassurance.

[Muddylou]

I also have raised beds, I plant rows 10" apart as (per the packet instructions). The foliage on carrots gets quite dense, so you need some space between rows for the carrots to get light and also for weeding purposes (bindweed etc).

[Trillium]

I go tighter still at 6" between rows. There's still some air circulation and weed seeds have less chance to get a footing. By spacing so closely I make sure my soil nutrient level is good enough to keep everything healthy and fed.

[Siouxfly]

I'm really packing them in, my carrots are in rows 6" apart and I've used the space between them for spring onions, radishes and some salad leaves which will all be done well before the carrots, many of the radishes are used already. I think I'm quite lucky as my beds are all new with rich soil so I guess that helps.
I've also recently planted my broccoli & brussels and used the space around them for other salad things.
Like yourself I couldn't find any real info. on how close to put things, everywhere just kept mentioning that things can be closer together? So I've just guessed and the only thing I seem to have a problem with thus far is the swede which just went in as seed but I can already see they are too close together to grow any size at all. I actually can't believe they came up so quick. I'll just take every odd one out when they are useable leaving more room for the others, I'm assuming that baby swede are just as edible as fully grown ones here but I don't really know for sure.
I'm also planting my sweetcorn a good bit closer than recommended but that's mainly due to me running out of room already! I've still gor 5 squash to fit in somewhere as well as 4 courgettes.
I guess it's all about trial and error and I am hoping I will learn as I go.

[Goosegirl]

I've read that spacing for all veg in raised beds is worked out by adding the recommended distance between the plants with the distance between the rows, then dividing by two. Plantings are staggered in alternate rows - does that make sense? If your first row starts 10" from the edge of the bed, the next row starts 5" from the edge.

[Ice]

I tend to halve the spacings on the packet in mine.  For other things like broad beans If the pack says 12" apart I put them about 8" and with equal distances all round rather than have wide rows.

[goodegg]

my carrots in the raised bed is 4" my cabbage which are greyhound are 6" each way all my veg in raised beds are a lot closer than they are in the open ground normal cabbage will be going in at around 10" each way parsnips need about 8" each way and so on but like ice says about half normal is about right but when it says plant 6" apart with 12" between rows just plant them 6" each way and you wont go far wrong.

[Chappers]

Ive turned my whole allotment to raised beds this year and ive kept spacings as they should be, i will struggle to eat what ive planted without cramming more in. I also find that if plants are too close together it can be difficult to hoe between them and turn a 5 minute job into a 30 minute job.
I would say unless you are pushed for space then plant everything as per instructions on the packet. 

Paul

[Ice]

I think you are missing the point.  People have raised beds for all sorts of reasons and it's entirely up to them how they plant in them.  What we are saying is that you have the option of successfully planting much closer together in one. 

I find closer planting means more shading resulting in fewer weeds.  I also hand weed rather than hoe.

[starry]

my mum helps me at my allotment (75) and I am always really conscience of spacing but she always says "when my uncle planted his stuff in his veg patch he packed in and always had good results" (she was evacuated during the war to Aylesbury, and had a great time and her love of gardening and country life came from there) so I am relaxing my spacings now and so far so good! 

[Chappers]

I think you are missing the point.  People have raised beds for all sorts of reasons and it's entirely up to them how they plant in them.  What we are saying is that you have the option of successfully planting much closer together in one. 

I find closer planting means more shading resulting in fewer weeds.  I also hand weed rather than hoe.

Of course it is entirely up to them, the question asked for opinions and i gave mine just as you gave yours, i prefer to hoe, hey hoe 

[viettaclark]

I've been doing block planting for some things and it's working a treat. Areas are 2x2' or 4x2' which fits into my 8x4 raised beds and when one crop's harvested another goes in. Doing small patches of successional planting I don't get gluts or bolting, I can experiment with lots of varieties and all the thinnings are eaten. I've still got some rows but I can cram in alot more.
Just got to make sure the soil's rich and fertile and adjust for each crop (eg carrots- no manure, brassicas- lime etc) then just scatter the seed in a block.