Plant Spacing Calculator
Calculate how many vegetables fit in any pot, container, window box, or raised bed. Get an instant visual layout with common UK vegetables or custom spacing.
Container & Plant Details
Results
You can fit approximately:
-
plants
• Green dots represent individual plants
• Spacing shown is center-to-center
• Works for any pot, container, or raised bed
grows better next to —
Check more companions →Plant Spacing Chart — Quick Reference
Common vegetables with recommended spacing for rows and square foot gardening. All measurements in centimetres.
| Vegetable | Between Plants | Between Rows | Per Sq Foot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carrot | 5 cm | 20 cm | 16 |
| Radish | 5 cm | 20 cm | 16 |
| Onion | 8 cm | 25 cm | 9 |
| Garlic | 10 cm | 25 cm | 9 |
| Beetroot | 10 cm | 30 cm | 9 |
| Parsnip | 10 cm | 30 cm | 9 |
| Spinach | 12 cm | 25 cm | 9 |
| Chives | 15 cm | 20 cm | 9 |
| Cilantro (Coriander) | 15 cm | 20 cm | 9 |
| Basil | 20 cm | 30 cm | 4 |
| Lettuce | 22 cm | 27 cm | 4 |
| Chard | 25 cm | 45 cm | 4 |
| Celery | 25 cm | 30 cm | 4 |
| Fennel | 30 cm | 40 cm | 1 |
| Thyme | 30 cm | 30 cm | 1 |
| Kale | 35 cm | 40 cm | 1 |
| Pepper (Sweet) | 40 cm | 40 cm | 1 |
| Tomato | 45 cm | 60 cm | 1 |
| Broccoli | 45 cm | 60 cm | 1 |
| Aubergine | 50 cm | 60 cm | 1 |
| Cabbage | 50 cm | 60 cm | 1 |
| Rosemary | 60 cm | 60 cm | 1 |
| Courgette (Zucchini) | 75 cm | 85 cm | 1 |
| Pumpkin | 120 cm | 120 cm | 1 |
Spacing varies by variety. Always check your seed packet. "Per Sq Foot" is based on square foot gardening method (30 cm × 30 cm grid).
How Plant Spacing Works
Plant spacing determines how much room each plant gets to grow. Get it right and plants have enough light, water, and nutrients to produce well. Get it wrong and you end up with stunted plants competing for resources, or wasted space that could be growing food.
There are two measurements that matter: the distance between individual plants in a row (plant spacing), and the distance between the rows themselves (row spacing). Row spacing is usually wider because you need room to walk, weed, and harvest between rows.
Row spacing vs square foot gardening
Traditional row spacing assumes you need paths between rows. In a raised bed or container, you can access plants from the sides, so you can use tighter spacing. Square foot gardening takes this further by dividing beds into 30 cm (1 foot) squares and planting a set number of plants per square based on their size.
For example, carrots spaced 5 cm apart in rows 20 cm apart give you about 16 plants per square foot. Tomatoes at 45 cm spacing give you one plant per square foot. The calculator above handles both approaches — just enter the spacing that matches your method.
The formula
For a rectangular bed, the basic calculation is: plants per row = bed width ÷ plant spacing, then number of rows = bed length ÷ row spacing. Multiply the two for total plant count. For round containers, the calculator uses a ring-based layout that maximises the number of plants while maintaining even spacing.
When to space tighter or wider
Space tighter than recommended if you're growing baby leaves (lettuce, rocket, spinach) for cut-and-come-again harvesting, or if you're growing in very fertile soil with regular feeding. Space wider if your soil is poor, water is limited, or you're growing in partial shade where plants need to spread to find light.
Hedge Plant Spacing Guide
Hedge spacing depends on the species and how dense you want the finished hedge. Here are common recommendations.
| Hedge Type | Single Row | Double Row | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Privet | 30 cm | 25 cm | Fast-growing, clips well. 3-5 plants per metre. |
| Box (Buxus) | 20 cm | 15 cm | Slow-growing, dense. 5-6 plants per metre for low hedges. |
| Beech | 40 cm | 33 cm | Retains copper leaves in winter. 3 plants per metre. |
| Hornbeam | 40 cm | 33 cm | Similar to beech, better on heavy clay soils. |
| Yew | 45 cm | 35 cm | Slow but long-lived. 2-3 plants per metre. |
| Laurel | 60 cm | 45 cm | Large leaves, fast-growing. 2 plants per metre. |
| Hawthorn | 30 cm | 25 cm | Native, thorny. Good for wildlife hedges. 3-5 per metre. |
| Leylandii | 75 cm | — | Very fast. Single row only. Needs regular trimming. |
How to calculate hedge plants needed
Measure the total length of your hedge in metres. For a single row, divide by the spacing. A 10-metre privet hedge at 30 cm spacing needs 33 plants (10 ÷ 0.3). For a double row, stagger the plants in a zigzag pattern with rows 30-40 cm apart, and use the tighter spacing from the table above.
Double rows fill in faster and create a denser hedge sooner, but cost more upfront. For most garden hedges, a single row at the recommended spacing will fill in within 2-3 years for fast growers like privet, or 4-5 years for slower species like yew.
How to Use This Calculator
1. Choose Your Shape
Select Rectangle for raised beds, troughs, window boxes, or rectangular pots. Select Round for circular pots, round raised beds, or circular containers.
2. Enter Dimensions
Measure your pot or bed and enter the dimensions in centimeters. For rectangular spaces, measure width and length. For round spaces, measure the diameter across the widest point.
3. Select Your Plant
Choose from common UK vegetables to automatically load recommended spacing, or select "Custom" to enter your own spacing from a seed packet.
Common Raised Bed Sizes
Not sure what dimensions to enter? Here are standard raised bed sizes and what fits in them.
120 × 60 cm (4 × 2 ft)
Compact bed. Fits 8 lettuce, 4 pepper plants, or 48 carrots. Good for patios and small gardens.
120 × 120 cm (4 × 4 ft)
Classic square foot garden. 16 squares, reachable from all sides. The most popular size for beginners.
240 × 120 cm (8 × 4 ft)
Standard allotment bed. 32 squares. Enough for a serious vegetable rotation with multiple crops.
300 × 120 cm (10 × 4 ft)
Large bed. 40 squares. Room for sprawling crops like courgettes alongside compact vegetables.
Popular Uses
Round Pots & Containers
Perfect for balcony tomatoes, patio peppers, or herb pots
Window Boxes
Calculate lettuce, herbs, or flower spacing for rectangular troughs
Raised Beds
Plan vegetable layouts for rectangular or circular raised beds
Grow Bags
Optimize plant spacing in rectangular or round grow bags
Related Reading
Plan Your Garden
- Companion Planting Checker – What to plant together
- Crop Timeline Calculator – When to sow and harvest
More Tools
- Companion Planting Checker – What to plant together
- Crop Timeline Calculator – When to sow and harvest
Note: Spacing requirements vary by variety, soil fertility, and growing conditions. Always check your seed packet for specific recommendations.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate plant spacing?
For a rectangular bed, divide the bed width by the plant spacing to get plants per row, then divide the bed length by the row spacing to get the number of rows. Multiply the two numbers for total plant count. For example, a 120 cm × 120 cm bed with 30 cm plant spacing and 30 cm row spacing fits 4 × 4 = 16 plants.
How many plants fit in a square foot?
It depends on the plant size. In a 30 cm × 30 cm square: 16 carrots or radishes (5 cm spacing), 9 onions or beetroot (8-10 cm spacing), 4 lettuce (15 cm spacing), or 1 tomato, pepper, broccoli, or cabbage (30+ cm spacing). These are based on the square foot gardening method.
How far apart should hedge plants be?
Hedge spacing depends on the species. Privet and hawthorn: 30 cm apart (3-5 per metre). Box (Buxus): 20 cm apart (5-6 per metre). Beech and hornbeam: 40 cm apart (3 per metre). Yew: 45 cm apart (2-3 per metre). Laurel: 60 cm apart (2 per metre). For a denser hedge, plant in a double staggered row with slightly tighter spacing.
What is the difference between plant spacing and row spacing?
Plant spacing is the distance between individual plants within the same row. Row spacing is the distance between the rows themselves. Row spacing is usually wider than plant spacing because you need room to access plants for weeding, watering, and harvesting. In raised beds where you can reach from the sides, you can often use tighter row spacing.
Can I plant closer than the recommended spacing?
Yes, in some cases. Baby leaf crops like lettuce, rocket, and spinach can be planted much closer if you're harvesting young leaves rather than full heads. Plants in very fertile soil with regular feeding can also tolerate tighter spacing. However, overcrowding increases disease risk due to poor airflow and leads to smaller harvests per plant.
How many plants per square foot at 6 inch spacing?
At 6 inch (15 cm) spacing in a grid pattern, you can fit 4 plants per square foot. With an offset pattern, you can fit approximately 4.6 plants per square foot — about 15% more than a standard grid.
What is the difference between grid and offset spacing?
Grid spacing places plants in straight rows and columns. Offset (or triangular) spacing staggers every other row so plants nestle into the gaps, fitting roughly 15% more plants in the same area while maintaining the same distance between each plant.
How do I calculate plants for a circular bed?
Measure the diameter of your circular bed, then use the formula: area = pi × radius². Divide the area by the square of your plant spacing to get an approximate count. Our calculator handles this automatically — just select the round bed shape and enter the diameter.
What spacing do tomatoes need?
Tomatoes need 45-60 cm (18-24 inches) between plants depending on the variety. Determinate (bush) varieties can be spaced at 45 cm, while indeterminate (cordon) varieties need 60 cm for good airflow and access.
How many plants fit in a pot or container?
It depends on the pot size and plant spacing. A 40 cm round pot fits about 4 chives (15 cm spacing) or 2 basil plants (20 cm spacing). An 80 × 20 cm window box fits around 5 chives or 4 basil plants. Select the Round shape for circular pots or Rectangle for troughs and window boxes, enter your pot dimensions, and the calculator gives you an exact count with a visual layout.