Plant Spacing - Square Foot Gardening as a Plant Spacing Guide

Plant Spacing - Square Foot Gardening as a Plant Spacing Guide

Square foot gardening is an easy guide for spacing your plants and vegetable crops. I divide my garden growing space into 12 inch x 12 inch squares and plant according to the chart below. 

 

 VEGETABLE CROP PLANTS PER SQUARE FOOT
Amaranth 4
Annual Flowers 9
Arugula 4
Asian Greens (Mizuna, Tatsoi) 4
Asparagus 2 squares per plant
Basil 2
Beans - Bush & Pole 9
Beets 9
Bok Choy - Small varieties 9
Bok Choy - Large varieties
Broccoli 1
Brussels Sprouts 1
Cabbage - Napa 4
Cabbage - Savoy, Red 1
Calabaza 1 plant per 9 squares
Cantaloupe 2 squares per plant
Carrots 16
Cauliflower 1
Celery 4
Celtuce 2
Chives 4
Cilantro 9
Collard Greens 1
Corn 4
Cowpeas / Southern Peas 4
Cucumbers - growing vertically 2
Dill 4
Eggplant

1

Endive 4
Fennel 4
Garlic 9
Green Onions 16
Kale 1
Kohlrabi 4
Leeks 9
Lettuce - heading like Romaine 4
Lettuce - Loose leaf 6
Lettuce - heading like Iceberg 2
Luffa / Loofah - grown vertically 1 plant every 2 squares
Melons 2 squares per plant
Mint 4
Mustard Greens (baby greens) 16
Mustard Greens (full size) 4
Okra 1
Onions - bunching 9
Onions - bulbing 4
Oregano 1
Parsley 4
Parsnips 9
Peanuts 1
Peas 9
Peppers 1
Potatoes 1
Pumpkins (Seminole Pumpkins) 1 plant per 9 squares
Quinoa 4
Radicchio 2
Radish 16
Rhubarb 1
Romaine 4
Rosemary 1
Rutabaga 4
Sage 1
Scallions 36
Shallots 4
Snake Bean Gourd - grown vertically 1 plant every 2 squares
Sorrel 2
Spinach 9
Squash - Summer or Winter 1 plant per 9 squares
Strawberry 4
Sunflowers 1
Sweet Potatoes 1
Swiss Chard 4
Tarragon 1
Tomatoes - grown on a trellis or cages 1 plant per 4 squares
Tomatoes - grown with tomato hooks 1 plant per square
Tromboncino Rampicante - grown vertically 1 plant every 2 squares
Tromboncino Rampicante - grown on the ground 1 plant per 9 squares
Turnips 9
Thai Soldier Long Beans 4
Thyme 4
Watercress 1
Watermelon 1 plant per 4 squares
Yard Long Beans 9
Zucchini 1 plant per 4 squares

 

Generally, I plan my rows or garden growing space to be no more than 4 foot wide, by however foot long I can fit into the space. Using even numbers really helps divide the space equally into perfect squares.

Sometimes I use graphing paper to draw out my garden beds with 4 tiny squares equaling one 12 inch x 12 inch square. It is also useful as a "map" to my garden. I notate variety names on my garden map to keep track. I try to mark varieties with plastic tags but sometimes they go missing. It is also a great reference for the next season, so I remember what was growing in that spot previously for proper crop rotation. 

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