[Glyn]

I am going to make some new raised beds on some newly cleared ground on my allotment, but was wondering which way I should position them. North-South or East to West. My allotment runs North -South.
Many Thanks
Glyn

[paintedlady]

It doesn't matter too much but ideally east-west.

[Yorkie]

Hate to (potentially) disagree with another member, but it is always best if rows run north - south (both sides get equal light and shade), so I'd recommend north-south beds if you want long rows.

If you actually want lots of shorter rows of stuff (easier to have small amounts of different varieties of veg) then east-west beds are more convenient for planning.

[Eatyourgreens]

In theory N - S sounds better, but I put mine in E - W as it suited the way I wanted the paths.

I am sure stuff will grow either way.


Bob

[peapod]

Same here EYG, space and practicality wise my paths had to be east - west, but it has no shade whatsoever and everything gets its share of sun enough to be happy

[Bombers]

Surely this North/south preference is for long rows only,  stuff that's equally spaced in raised beds doesn't make any difference IMHO.  If your plot is particularly narrow, then you'd run the beds in that direction anyway, to optimise the growing space.

[Yorkie]

Yes, that would be right, Bombers - I did say N-S for long rows

[sunshineband]

Our beds are arranged in pairs at right angled to each other and I just try to make sure that none are overshadowed, say from runner beans. :blink:
It'll be interesting to see whether NS or EW makes any difference to otherwise indentical sowings

[paintedlady]

One of the other major factors to be taken into account is the lay of the land - if your plot is on a slope, it makes sense to avoid having rows that go from top to bottom (especially when it rains heavily)    My logic for an east-west direction is that at midday, hopefully the sun is at its full strength and brightest in the southern most point where all plants will benefit, but as pointed earlier it doesn't really make any difference (I'm not aware of wild plants in an open area growing in some peculiar direction to the sun's position   ) and my big plot has equal number of beds in both directions due to its elongated shape and I've had no problems

[jamesbrownontheroad]

If you can, I'd recommend N-S arrangements, but as others have pointed out, provided you consider whether neighbouring plants are going to over-shadow each other (the primary reason for an N-S layout) then you can do pretty much anything. Our entire allotment site seems to have been planted in such a way that N-S rows suit the plots and the site.