Offset Spacing

When seeds or seedlings are planted in offset rows, the rows can be closer and still give plants their ideal amount of space in all directions (r) once mature.

In the diagram to the left, the seedlings are planted their ideal distance apart (d), as listed on a seed packet or in planting instructions, both in their rows and in respect to adjacent rows. This is often done using a “planting stick” with several common planting distances marked on it. After having planted the first row of plants the correct distances apart, the spots for the plants in the second row are found by making gentle arcs with the planting stick approximately where the plant will be. Swung from the center of adjacent plants in the previous row, the point where the arcs of the planting sticks intersect is where the next plant is placed. One can also, if this simplifies things, simply move the next row over the distance typically required within a row and place each plant between those in the previous row. The planting stick method makes the rows slightly closer than if one were to just move the row over the distance of the in-row spacing, but, either way, the plants will be spaced perfectly to barely touch when full size (the dotted circles), shading the ground and creating a “living mulch.”