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Square Foot Gardening

How many plants fit in one square foot?

The fast answer for every plant we grow — with a visual that shows you what each square actually looks like.

Square foot gardening divides your bed into 1'×1' squares and tells you exactly how many of each plant goes in each square. It's the easiest way for a beginner to start.

How to read the chart

Each number tells you exactly how to space the plants in one 1'×1' square.

1/ sqft

Big plants

Tomato, pepper, eggplant

4/ sqft

Medium plants

Lettuce, basil, kale

9/ sqft

Small plants

Spinach, beets, peas

16/ sqft

Tiny plants

Radish, carrot, onion

How square foot gardening works

1

Mark your squares

Divide your raised bed into a grid of 1-foot squares. A 4'×4' bed gives you 16 squares.

2

Pick your plants

Use the chart below to see how many of each plant fit in one square — anywhere from 1 (tomatoes, peppers) to 16 (radishes, carrots).

3

Plant + space evenly

Spread the seeds or seedlings evenly across the square. The chart numbers already give them room to grow — don't crowd them.

The chart

Every plant we grow, with its spacing.

Plants per sqft:
Sort:

→Why fewer is more

A tomato plant needs 1 full square foot — that's not stinginess, it's roots. Crowding cuts your harvest in half because the plants compete for water and nutrients. Trust the numbers.

→Tall plants on the north side

Plant tall crops (tomatoes, corn, sunflowers) on the north edge of your bed so they don't shade the shorter plants. Reverse this if you're in the southern hemisphere.

→Mix your squares

Each square can be a different plant. A 4'×4' bed can grow 16 different things — radishes in one square, basil in another, lettuce in a third. Variety = pollinators + fewer pests.

→Succession planting

Once you harvest a fast-growing square (radishes, lettuce), replant it immediately. A single square can yield 2–3 crops in one season.

Ready to plan your bed?

Use the 8×8 garden planner to lay out a full bed visually, or browse every plant guide we've published.

8×8 Garden Planner →Browse Plant Guides