A short row is easier for a beginning gardener to water, weed, and observe than a row running across the whole garden. Straight lines and labels also help you recognize the seedlings you planted.
- Read the seed packet for planting time, depth, final spacing between plants, and spacing between rows.
- Mark both ends of a short row with labelled sticks and stretch a string between them as a guide.
- Sow at the packet depth and spacing. Tiny seeds can be placed on homemade seed tape.
- Water gently and keep the surface from crusting while seeds germinate.
- Compare new shoots along the string with the seedling picture on the packet before pulling nearby weeds.
- Thin crowded seedlings at the stage and distance recommended for the crop.
The original “mini rows” moved rows only 1 to 2½ inches (2.5 to 6 cm) apart while keeping normal plant spacing. That still crowds roots and leaves and can reduce light and airflow. Make the row shorter, not narrower, and preserve the full row spacing.