i see gardens with dirt rows raised up with dirt valleys in between. why is this useful?

Question

Why do people make raised dirt rows?

Answer 1

This is an alternative to a raised bed. The plant roots receive more needed oxygen. It is easy to cultivate or hoe weeds since it can be done standing. Even gardeners who don't use this technique for most of their garden may make hills for growing squash family, cucumbers and corn. This is a variation with similar advantages to mounded rows. Mounding can also be a work around for people with heavy clay soil. The mounds do dry out faster than level ground so it may not be a good strategy for those who live in hot, dry and/or windy sites.