I agree with Justaguy2. I also note that you're using raised beds... you may want to try the spacing addressed a the site below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Plant Spacing in Raised Beds

i space my rows 5-8 feet apart. why, well i use a garden tractor to work the garden and require the room to drive down each row, even after plants get large. also, i have the room so why not.

for a raised bed i would plant using recommended plant spacing and not row spacing.

Spacing is not important. The thing you have to think about is tending (weeding - harvest) of your crops.

Hi

I've got to disagree with paulc_gardener. Spacing is very important for many vegetables. If you space them too close they compete with each other for water and nutrients and root space. If you space them too far apart you waste space and invite weeds to take up residence in the empty space.

As paulc_gardener says tending is something to be concerned about but spacing is too.

As an easy experiment try planting 2 rows of carrots. Thin one row to a carrot every 1/4 inch and the other to a carrot every 2-3 inches.

Good Luck

Here is a link that might be useful: The Wicked Good Garden

Spacing matters. Plants compete with each other for nutrients, water, and light. Overcrowd and they'll tend to end up stunted and lower quality than they could have been at full spacing.

Even on a raised bed, my "between row" spacings tend to be larger than my "between plant" spacings, to facilitate weeding. I like to give my carrots about 36 square inches of soil each (minimum). I could space them 6" apart in all directions, but then I'd have to hand-weed - no room to put a hoe anywhere. I prefer to space them 2" apart in rows 18" apart. Then, for most of the crop cycle I can weed easily with a hoe because there will be some space in between the rows, yet the carrot's roots can expand into all the between-row space to find water and nutrients and can grow large and tender.

Thanks to all for sharing.

Again, I'm a newbie gardener, but here are some thoughts that prompted the original question, as I try to wrap my brain around the issue:

Clearly, spacing "matters," but the WHY it matters should influence the spacing a gardener uses. For example, if thinning carrots to 3" of its neighbor is enough to allow for competition of water, etc, then why space more than 3" between rows?

Since I don't have a tractor, that's one less reason for wide rows. I don't walk on my raised beds, so that another reason that can be eliminated.

If main reason for wide rows is for ease of weeding, then aren't there other ways to manage weeds so I can safely keep less space between rows (and hopefully a greater yield/sq ft? How about muching for weed suppression?

If I'm missing something, please feel illuminate me.

Hi again gaetanol,

If you have a bed that you can reach into half way from each side you can plant the carrots (for instance) 3 inches apart in all directions. All of your row space then falls outside the bed. If you want to cultivate with a hoe you should space based on the width of the hoe.
Last season I grew a horseshoe shaped bed of melons on a trellis. The melons were handy from the center and from the perimeter.

Reading this thread several things are brought to light:

paulc_gardener says,
"The thing you have to think about is tending (weeding - harvest) of your crops."

justaguy2 says,
"the need to get people or machines between rows for harvesting"

I said,
"they compete with each other for water and nutrients and root space." and jayo seconds.

So design your garden with these things in mind. Allow enough space for each plant to thrive(this is different for each type), and allow enough space for you to cultivate in the manner you wish.