🌿 Garden Planning Guide
How many plants per square, sample 4x4 and 4x8 bed layouts, companion planting combinations, and a complete spacing chart for 40+ vegetables.
Download our printable plant spacing grid with 40+ vegetables, 4x4 and 4x8 bed templates, and companion planting quick-reference.
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Square foot gardening works by dividing your bed into a grid of 1-foot squares and planting each square at the maximum density its spacing allows. No wasted space, no row gaps, no walking paths between plants.
Mel Bartholomew's original system is elegantly simple: if a seed packet says "space 12 inches apart," plant 1 per square. If it says "6 inches," plant 4 per square (2x2 grid). If "4 inches," plant 9 per square (3x3 grid). If "3 inches," plant 16 per square (4x4 grid).
This dense spacing does something conventional row gardening doesn't: the plants' leaves shade the soil between them, suppressing weeds and retaining moisture. A well-planted SFG bed essentially creates a living mulch. You spend less time weeding, less time watering, and more time harvesting.
SFG works best in a specific soil mix: 1/3 blended compost, 1/3 peat moss or coconut coir, 1/3 coarse vermiculite. This "Mel's Mix" drains perfectly, never compacts, and requires no additional fertilizer in the first year. See our raised bed soil mix guide for the full recipe and substitutions.
Quick reference for the most common vegetables. Based on recommended plant spacing converted to SFG grid density.
| Crop | Spacing | Per Square | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomatoes (large) | 24 in | 1 per 4 squares | Use a trellis; indeterminate varieties need the most space |
| Tomatoes (cherry) | 18 in | 1 per 2 squares | Train vertically on a trellis to maximize space |
| Peppers | 12 in | 1 per square | Compact plants; excellent SFG performers |
| Eggplant | 18 in | 1 per 2 squares | Large plants; stake for support |
| Cucumbers | 12 in | 1 per square | Train up a trellis on the north side of bed |
| Zucchini / Summer squash | 24 in | 1 per 4 squares | Bush varieties only; vining squash needs a separate bed |
| Pole beans | 6 in | 4 per square | Grow up a trellis; very productive per square foot |
| Bush beans | 6 in | 4 per square | Succession plant every 3 weeks |
| Peas | 4 in | 9 per square | Trellis needed; spring and fall crop |
| Lettuce | 6 in | 4 per square | Cut-and-come-again; succession plant every 2 weeks |
| Spinach | 4 in | 9 per square | Bolt-resistant varieties for summer; re-sow in fall |
| Kale / Chard | 12 in | 1 per square | Large plants; harvest outer leaves continuously |
| Broccoli / Cabbage | 18 in | 1 per 2 squares | Heavy feeders; follow with nitrogen-fixing beans |
| Carrots | 3 in | 16 per square | Needs 12 inch deep bed; thin to spacing after germination |
| Beets | 4 in | 9 per square | Thin to final spacing; thinnings are edible greens |
| Radishes | 3 in | 16 per square | Ready in 25 days; plant between slow-growing crops |
| Garlic | 6 in | 4 per square | Plant cloves in fall for summer harvest |
| Onions | 4 in | 9 per square | Green onions: 16 per square at 3 inch spacing |
| Basil | 12 in | 1 per square | Pinch flowers to keep producing; great tomato companion |
| Parsley | 6 in | 4 per square | Biennial; let one go to seed for pollinators |
Three proven combinations for a standard 4x4 (16 square) bed. Each is designed for companion planting synergy and continuous harvest.
Designed for cut-and-come-again harvest from June through September.
Heavy yield bed with pole beans on trellis and succession radishes.
SFG's dense planting creates natural opportunities for companion planting. These combinations improve yield, deter pests, and use every square efficiently.
| Plant | Good Companions | Avoid | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomatoes | Basil, marigolds, carrots, parsley | Fennel, brassicas, potatoes | Basil repels aphids and improves flavor; marigolds deter nematodes |
| Carrots | Onions, leeks, rosemary, sage | Dill, fennel | Onion family deters carrot fly; carrots loosen soil for onion roots |
| Beans | Carrots, squash, cucumbers, corn | Onions, garlic, fennel | Beans fix nitrogen; onion family inhibits nitrogen-fixing bacteria |
| Brassicas | Dill, celery, nasturtiums, onions | Strawberries, tomatoes, peppers | Nasturtiums trap aphids; dill attracts predatory wasps |
| Lettuce | Carrots, radishes, strawberries, tall plants | Celery, parsley | Tall neighbors provide shade in summer, extending lettuce season |
| Peppers | Basil, carrots, tomatoes, okra | Fennel, brassicas | Basil repels thrips and aphids common on peppers |
Fennel is allelopathic — it releases chemicals that suppress the growth of most vegetables. Keep fennel in a container or a dedicated bed, far from everything else. Almost no vegetable thrives next to it, including tomatoes, peppers, beans, and brassicas.
Download our printable 4x4 and 4x8 bed planning templates, complete plant spacing chart, and companion planting quick-reference card.
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The secret to three seasons of food from one bed: replace harvested squares immediately with the next crop.
Lettuce and spinach bolt in heat. When they go, replace with heat-loving crops: beans, cucumbers, basil, summer squash.
When beans and cucumbers finish in August, replant with fall brassicas, spinach, and carrots for October harvest.
Plant radishes in any empty square. They're ready in 25 days and loosen soil for the next crop going in behind them.
Reserve 2-3 squares for perennial herbs (thyme, chives, mint in a pot) that stay put while annuals rotate around them.
Map your raised beds, track what's planted where, and get AI planting recommendations based on your zone and growing season.
Put your harvest to work — these recipes pair with what this guide helps you grow.
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