Plant Spacing Calculator
Give it your bed's dimensions and the spacing you want between plants, and it lays out how many go in each row and how many the bed holds in total.
Spacing is center-to-center between plants. Lettuce likes about 8 in, peppers want 18, and tomatoes need a good 24 in to breathe.
How it works
Spacing is measured center-to-center, so we convert your inches to feet and divide the bed's length by it. An 8-ft row at 12-in spacing fits about eight plants across, plus one for the plant that starts the row.
The same math runs down the bed's width to get the number of rows. Multiply plants per row by the number of rows and you've got the total the bed will hold.
Different crops want different room to breathe. Lettuce is happy around 8 in, peppers like 18, and tomatoes really want 24 in — crowd them and you invite disease and smaller harvests.
Frequently asked questions
Is spacing measured center-to-center?
It is — you measure from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That way the number holds no matter how big each plant eventually gets, since the roots and stems start at the center.
How far apart should common vegetables go?
Rough guides: lettuce and spinach around 8 in, bush beans 6 in, peppers 18 in, and tomatoes a full 24 in. Check the seed packet, since varieties within a crop can differ.
Does this assume a grid or square-foot layout?
It's a straight grid — even rows and columns at your chosen spacing. Square-foot gardening packs a bit tighter, so treat this as a solid, slightly conservative baseline.
Why does crowding matter?
Plants jammed together fight for light, water, and airflow. Poor airflow especially invites mildew and rot, and starved plants give you smaller, later harvests than a bed that's spaced right.