Square Foot Gardening Planting Chart
This square foot gardening chart shows how many plants fit in one square foot, how tall each crop grows, when you can harvest it, and how long the seeds stay good in storage. Use it when you’re laying out your raised bed grid — it takes the guesswork out of spacing so you don’t end up with crowded, stunted plants. If you want to see exactly how these numbers are worked out (or calculate spacing for a plant that isn’t listed), the 1-4-9-16 spacing method and formula below explain it step by step.
| Plant | Height | Spacing per Sq Ft | Edible Season | Weeks: Seed to Harvest | Seed Storage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BasilOcimum basilicum | 1 to 2′ | 1 or 4 | Summer | 12 | 2 yrs. |
| BeansPhaseolus vulgaris | 12 to 18″ (bush); to 7′ (pole) | 9 (bush), 8 (pole) | Summer | 7 to 8 | 2 yrs. |
| BeetsBeta vulgaris | 12″ | 9 or 16 | Spring Fall | 8 | 4 to 5 yrs. |
| Bok ChoyBrassica rapa subsp. chinensis | 1 to 2′ | 4 | Fall | 6 to 7 | 4 yrs. |
| BroccoliBrassica oleracea var. italica | 18 to 24″ | 1 | Spring Fall | 16 | 5 to 6 yrs. |
| Brussels SproutsBrassica oleracea var. gemmifera | 2½’ | 1 | Spring Fall | 20 | 4 yrs. |
| CabbageBrassica oleracea var. capitata | 12 to 18″ | 1 | Spring Fall | 16 | 5 to 6 yrs. |
| CarrotsDaucus carota subsp. sativus | 12″ | 16 | Spring Fall | 10 | 3 to 4 yrs. |
| CauliflowerBrassica oleracea var. botrytis | 18 to 24″ | 1 | Spring Fall | 14 | 5 to 6 yrs. |
| CeleryApium graveolens | 12 to 16″ | 4 | Spring Fall | 12 to 14 | 4 to 5 yrs. |
| ChivesAllium schoenoprasum | 6 to 12″ | 16 | Late Spring Summer | 16 | 2 yrs. |
| CilantroCoriandrum sativum | 1 to 2′ | 1 | Late Spring Summer | 5 (leaves) | 1 to 2 yrs. (seeds) |
| Collard GreensBrassica oleracea | 2 to 3′ | 1 | Spring – Winter | 8 to 10 | 6 yrs. |
| CornZea mays | 5 to 6′ | 4 | Summer | 9 to 13 | 1 to 2 yrs. |
| CucumberCucumis sativus | Vine | 2 | Summer | 9 | 5 to 6 yrs. |
| DillAnethum graveolens | 3′ | 1 | Summer | 5 | 4 to 5 yrs. |
| EggplantSolanum melongena | 24 to 30″ | 1 | Summer | 19 | 5 to 6 yrs. |
| Fennel HerbFoeniculum vulgare | 30 to 72″ | 1 | Spring Fall | 6 | 5 to 6 yrs. |
| GarlicAllium sativum | 18 to 24″ | 9 | Summer Fall | 12 | No |
| KaleBrassica oleracea var. sabellica | 10 to 24″ | 1 | Spring Fall | 6 | 4 yrs. |
| KohlrabiBrassica oleracea var. gongylodes | 12 to 18″ | 9 | Spring Fall | 4 to 5 | 3 yrs. |
| Leaf LettuceLactuca sativa | 6 to 12″ | 4 | Spring Fall Winter | 7 | 5 to 6 yrs. |
| LeeksAllium ampeloprasum var. porrum | 24″ | 9 | Fall | 14 | 2 yrs. |
| MelonsCucumis melo | Vine | 1 per 2 squares | Summer | 12 | 5 to 6 yrs. |
| MintMentha spp. | 1 to 3′ | 1 | Summer | NA | NA |
| Mustard GreensBrassica juncea | 20 to 24″ | 16 | Spring Fall | 4 | 4 yrs. |
| OkraAbelmoschus esculentus | 18 to 24″ | 1 | Summer | 12 | 2 yrs. |
| OnionsAllium cepa | 12″ | 16 | Summer Fall | 20 | 1 to 2 yrs. |
| OreganoOriganum vulgare | 1 to 2′ | 1 | Spring Fall | 16 | NA |
| ParsleyPetroselinum crispum | 6 to 12″ | 4 | Spring – Winter | 14 | 2 to 3 yrs. |
| ParsnipsPastinaca sativa | 10 to 15″ | 4 | Fall | 15 to 17 | No |
| Peas, Sugar SnapPisum sativum | Vine | 8 | Spring Fall | 10 | 3 to 4 yrs. |
| PeppersCapsicum spp. | 12 to 24″ | 1 | Summer | 19 | 4 to 5 yrs. |
| PotatoesSolanum tuberosum | 12 to 24″ | 4 | Spring Fall | 12 | NA |
| Pumpkins & Winter SquashCucurbita spp. | Vine | 1 per 2 squares | Summer Fall | 12 | 5 to 6 yrs. |
| RadishesRaphanus sativus | 6 to 12″ | 16 | Spring Fall | 4 | 5 to 6 yrs. |
| SpinachSpinacia oleracea | 6 to 12″ | 9 | Spring Fall Winter | 7 | 5 to 6 yrs. |
| StrawberriesFragaria × ananassa | 6 to 12″ | 4 | Spring Fall | NA | NA |
| Squash / ZucchiniCucurbita pepo | Bush or Vine | 1 (bush), 1 per 2 (vine) | Summer | 8 | 5 to 6 yrs. |
| Swiss ChardBeta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris | 12 to 18″ | 4 | Spring – Winter | 8 | 4 to 5 yrs. |
| TomatoesSolanum lycopersicum | 3′ (bush); 6′ (vine) | 1 per 4 squares (bush) | Summer | 17 | 4 to 5 yrs. |
Spacing, height, and harvest-time figures follow the classic Square Foot Gardening (SFG) plant-spacing system – the same 1-4-9-16 grid method explained below.
How to Calculate Plants Per Square Foot (The 1-4-9-16 Method)
The numbers in the “Spacing per Sq Ft” column above all come from the same system: the classic Square Foot Gardening (SFG) spacing grid. Instead of measuring inches between individual plants, each square foot is divided into a smaller grid based on how much room the mature plant actually needs.
The Standard Spacing Grid
1 per square
12″ spacing or more — broccoli, peppers, tomatoes4 per square
6″ spacing — lettuce, celery, chives9 per square
4″ spacing — spinach, bok choy, kohlrabi16 per square
3″ spacing — carrots, onions, radishesVining crops like cucumbers, melons, squash, and pumpkins don’t fit this grid at all — they’re normally trained vertically on a trellis or given 2 full squares per plant, which is why the chart above lists them as “Vine” or “1 per 2 squares” instead of a grid number.
Worked Example: How Many Plants Fit in a 4×4 Raised Bed?
Planting carrots at 16 per square: 16 squares × 16 plants = 256 carrots.
Planting broccoli at 1 per square instead: 16 squares × 1 plant = 16 broccoli plants.
Look up any plant’s number in the chart above, multiply by the number of square feet in your bed, and that’s your total plant count for that crop.
Calculating Spacing for a Plant Not on the Chart
If a seed packet gives you a spacing distance that isn’t already in the table, gardeners commonly extend the same logic: divide 144 (the number of square inches in one square foot) by the spacing distance in inches, squared, then round down to the nearest whole number that fits a grid.
Example: an 8″ spacing → 144 ÷ (8 × 8) = 144 ÷ 64 = 2.25 → plant 2 per square.
This isn’t a formal rule from the original Square Foot Gardening method itself — Mel Bartholomew’s system is built around the four standard grid sizes (1, 4, 9, and 16) — but it’s a widely used shortcut for fitting an unlisted plant into the same system.
Square Foot Garden Bed Depth & Soil
The original Square Foot Gardening method calls for a bed depth of about 6 inches, which is enough for the vast majority of the plants in the chart above when filled with a loose, well-draining growing mix. Larger root crops such as carrots, parsnips, and potatoes generally do better with extra depth (commonly 10 to 12 inches), though that’s general raised-bed guidance rather than a rule specific to the SFG system.
The soil blend associated with the method is often called Mel’s Mix, made from equal parts (roughly 1:1:1 by volume) compost, peat moss or coco coir, and coarse vermiculite. You don’t have to use that exact recipe — if you’re working out your own blend of topsoil, compost, and sand instead, the Soil Mix Ratio Calculator can help you get the proportions right.
Once you know your bed’s dimensions and depth, the Raised Bed Soil Calculator figures out exactly how much fill you’ll need to buy, and the rest of the full calculator collection covers everything else from cost to delivery.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many plants fit in one square foot?
It depends on the plant’s mature spacing needs: 1 per square for plants needing 12” or more (broccoli, peppers, tomatoes), 4 per square at 6” spacing (lettuce, celery), 9 per square at 4” spacing (spinach, bok choy), or 16 per square at 3” spacing (carrots, onions, radishes). Check the chart above for the exact number for your plant.
What is the 1-4-9-16 method in square foot gardening?
It’s the spacing system behind the whole method: each square foot is divided into a grid of 1, 4, 9, or 16 equal cells depending on how much space the mature plant needs, so you plant by the square instead of measuring individual inches between seeds.
How do I calculate spacing for a plant that isn’t on this chart?
Divide 144 by the spacing distance (in inches) squared, then round down to a whole number. For example, an 8” spacing gives 144 ÷ (8 × 8) = 2.25, so you’d plant 2 per square. This is a gardener’s shortcut for extending the method, not an official rule from the original four grid sizes.
How deep does a square foot garden bed need to be?
The original method calls for about 6 inches, which works for most plants on this chart. Larger root crops like carrots, parsnips, and potatoes typically do better with 10 to 12 inches of depth.
What is Mel’s Mix?
It’s the soil blend associated with the Square Foot Gardening method: roughly equal parts (1:1:1 by volume) compost, peat moss or coco coir, and coarse vermiculite. If you’re using a different combination of topsoil, compost, and sand instead, the Soil Mix Ratio Calculator can help you work out the proportions.
Do vining crops like cucumbers and squash follow the same grid?
No. Vining crops are usually trellised vertically or given a full 2 squares per plant rather than fitting into the 1-4-9-16 grid, which is why they’re marked “Vine” or “1 per 2 squares” in the chart above instead of a grid number.
Daniel
Founder & Editor – TopSoilCalcOnline.com
Daniel is the founder and primary editor of TopSoilCalcOnline.com, a practical resource built to help homeowners, landscapers, and contractors accurately calculate topsoil, compost, and soil mix requirements. With hands-on experience in lawn preparation, raised beds, topdressing, and bulk soil planning, Daniel focuses on turning complex volume calculations into simple, reliable tools. Every calculator and guide on this site is designed to reduce material waste, prevent over-ordering, and help users plan landscaping projects with confidence and precision.