Vegetable Garden row/Bed orientation: E-W or N-S?

[nickolas]

I know it depends on which direction your ground slopes(if it slopes) but I'm wondering if there is any benefit to orientating your rows/beds so that they run either east to west, or north to south?

[SOB]

Here in the Northern Hemisphere the sun angles to the south so as long as you keep your taller pants on the north side of the garden it will not shade the rest of the garden. Using this thinking it doesn't matter as much how the rows are oriented - it's more about placement of varieties.

For the southern hemisphere, where you are, it is the opposite. Put your taller plants on the south side of the garden since your sun angles to the north.

[Marlingardener]

Orienting your rows so they aren't "against" the wind, but are with the prevailing winds will help keep your plants upright. Here in windtunnel Texas, we plant north to south because the prevailing winds are out of the north.
As the previous poster said, placement of tall/short plants is more important than using a compass!

[ruggr10]

I've never been to the southern hemisphere, but just noting the 1 time i went to California and saw the ocean on the wrong side and how much it messed with my head: I wonder what would happen in the southern hemisphere if the sun were on the wrong side?

I may some day have to the make trip and see!

[klevelyn]

I've done it both ways and my garden has been fine. I think your slope and topography is the deciding factor. I am going to make my rows east to west this season.

last season they were north to south. I want to see if it matters in my part of the country. It is a good Idea to keep your taller plants to the north here in the US. That may be different in other parts of the world.