You can fit
- 40sq ft
- 15–18in apart
- 0.53plants per sq ft
- About 21 pepper plants fit in 40 sq ft. Garden experts' spacing gives 17 to 25.
- Set plants 15 to 18 in apart every way.
Plant spacing chart
Inches between plants. In a row and between rows are for a garden in rows. In a bed is the same space every way.Centimeters between plants. In a row and between rows are for a garden in rows. In a bed is the same space every way.
| Plant | In a row | Between rows | In a bed | Per sq ft | Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato, staked | 18–2446–61 | 36–4891–122 | 2461 | 1 | |
| Tomato, in a cage | 30–3676–91 | 36–4891–122 | —— | — | |
| Tomato, on the ground | 36–4891–122 | 36–4891–122 | —— | — | |
| Pepper | 12–2430–61 | 3691 | 15–1838–46 | 1 | |
| Eggplant | 18–2446–61 | 3691 | 18–2446–61 | 1 | |
| Cucumber | 2461 | 48–72122–183 | 24–3661–91 | 2 | |
| Summer squash, zucchini | 2461 | 48–72122–183 | 36–4891–122 | 1 per 2 | |
| Winter squash | 48–60122–152 | 96244 | 36–4891–122 | 1 per 2 | |
| Pumpkin | 48–60122–152 | 72–90183–229 | —— | 1 per 2 | |
| Cantaloupe, muskmelon | 18–2446–61 | 48–72122–183 | 36–4891–122 | 1 per 2 | |
| Watermelon | 48–60122–152 | 72–90183–229 | 36–4891–122 | — | |
| Bean, bush | 3–58–13 | 3691 | 615 | 9 | |
| Bean, pole | 6–1215–30 | 48–60122–152 | —— | 8 | |
| Pea | 2–45–10 | 12–2430–61 | 4–610–15 | 8 | |
| Sweet corn | 8–1220–30 | 3691 | —— | 4 | |
| Okra | 12–1830–46 | 3691 | —— | 1 | |
| Potato | 1230 | 3691 | 12–1530–38 | 1 | |
| Broccoli | 18–2446–61 | 3691 | 1846 | 1 | |
| Cabbage | 12–1830–46 | 3691 | 1846 | 1 | |
| Cauliflower | 18–2446–61 | 3691 | 1846 | 1 | |
| Kale | 8–1220–30 | 3691 | —— | 2 | |
| Lettuce | 4–1210–30 | 18–2446–61 | 7–918–23 | 4 | |
| Spinach | 3–68–15 | 12–1830–46 | 4–610–15 | 9 | |
| Onion | 3–48–10 | 12–2430–61 | 4–610–15 | 9 | |
| Garlic | 615 | 18–3646–91 | —— | 9 | |
| Carrot | 1–23–5 | 1846 | 2–35–8 | 16 | |
| Radish | 2–35–8 | 12–1830–46 | 2–35–8 | 16 | |
| Beet | 2–35–8 | 1846 | 4–610–15 | 9 | |
| Strawberry, June-bearing | 18–2446–61 | 48122 | —— | — |
In a row and between rows: K-State MF315 (credit Ward Upham and Rebecca McMahon). Tomatoes: Iowa State. Strawberries: Iowa State. In a bed: Colorado State GardenNotes #720. Per sq ft: NC State 4-H. A dash means we found no expert figure.
How far apart to plant tomatoes
It depends on how the tomato grows. Iowa State Extension says:
- Staked tomatoes: 18 to 24 in46 to 61 cm apart.
- Tomatoes in a cage: 30 to 36 in76 to 91 cm apart.
- Tomatoes left to sprawl on the ground: 36 to 48 in91 to 122 cm apart.
K-State says to keep tomato rows 36 to 48 in91 to 122 cm apart.
Square foot gardening
Square foot gardening splits a bed into squares, 1 foot on each side. Each square gets a set number of plants. NC State Extension gives these:
- 16 a square: carrots, radishes.
- 9 a square: bush beans, spinach, beets, onions, garlic.
- 8 a square, on a trellis: peas, pole beans.
- 4 a square: lettuce, sweet corn.
- 2 a square: kale, cucumbers on a trellis.
- 1 a square: tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, potatoes, okra, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower.
- 1 for every 2 squares: squash, zucchini, pumpkins, melons.
Offset planting fits more
In an offset grid, you shift every other row by half a space. The plants make little triangles. Each plant still has the same room around it.
You fit about 15% more plants this way. At 12 in apart, 100 sq ft holds 100 plants in a square grid. It holds 115 in an offset grid. These numbers match a table from UGA Extension.
How the math works
- Area. Length times width. For a circle, half the width times itself, times 3.1416. One meter is 3.28084 feet.
- Room for each plant. In rows: the space in the row times the space between rows. In a square grid: the space times itself. In an offset grid: the space times itself, times 0.866.
- Plants. Area in square inches (sq ft times 144), divided by the room for each plant, rounded down.
- Range. The low count uses the widest spacing in the chart. The high count uses the closest. The middle uses the spacing halfway between. That is our pick.
- Square foot. Area in sq ft times the plants per square, rounded down.
- Metric. One inch is 2.54 cm.
Questions
How far apart should I plant tomatoes?
Iowa State says 18 to 24 in for staked tomatoes and 30 to 36 in for tomatoes in cages. Tomatoes on the ground need 36 to 48 in.
How many plants per square foot?
It goes from 16 for small plants like carrots to 1 for big ones like tomatoes and peppers. Squash and melons need 2 squares each.
How do I figure out plant spacing?
Find how much room one plant takes. In a square grid, that is the space times itself. Divide your area by it. Type your size above and we do it for you.
What is offset planting?
You plant in rows, but shift every other row by half a space. It fits about 15% more plants in the same bed.
Why does the chart give a range?
Garden experts give a low and a high. Closer spacing fits more plants. Wider spacing fits fewer. The middle is our pick.
Sources
- K-State Research and Extension MF315, Vegetable Garden Planting Guide (Ward Upham, Rebecca McMahon)Feb 2023Space in a row and between rows for each crop
- Colorado State Extension GardenNotes #720, Vegetable Planting GuideSep 2024Space every way in a bed
- Iowa State Extension, spacing for tomatoesJun 2026Staked, caged and sprawling tomatoes
- Iowa State Extension, Planting Strawberries in the Home GardenMar 1998Strawberry spacing in matted rows
- NC State Extension 4-H, Square Foot GardeningMar 2021Plants in each square foot
- UGA Extension Bulletin 931, Table 31Nov 2024Plants per 100 sq ft, square vs offset