Garden Scheme

Plant library  ·  Spacing charts

Vegetable spacing chart

In-row spacing for 84 vegetables, measured center to center, alongside mature size, hardiness zones, and sun needs. These are the same figures the Garden Scheme planner applies when you draw a bed to scale.

Spacing across this chart runs from 2 inches (5 cm) to 6 ft (1.8 m). Click any column heading to sort.

Vegetables — 84 plants, center-to-center spacing
Plant Spacing Mature size USDA zones Sun
Amaranth (Greens)Amaranthus spp. 12 inches30 cm 4 ft tall, 2 ft wide 3–11 Full Sun
ArtichokeCynara cardunculus var. scolymus 3 ft90 cm 4 ft tall, 4 ft wide 7–11 Full Sun
ArugulaEruca vesicaria 6 inches15 cm 1 ft tall, 0.75 ft wide 2–11 Partial Sun
AsparagusAsparagus officinalis 18 inches45 cm 5 ft tall, 1.5 ft wide 3–9 Full Sun
Bell PepperCapsicum annuum 18 inches45 cm 2.5 ft tall, 2 ft wide 3–11 Full Sun
Bitter MelonMomordica charantia 2 ft60 cm 12 ft tall, 2 ft wide 4–11 Full Sun
Bok ChoyBrassica rapa subsp. chinensis 9 inches23 cm 1.5 ft tall, 1 ft wide 2–11 Partial Sun
Bottle GourdLagenaria siceraria 3 ft90 cm 15 ft tall, 4 ft wide 3–11 Full Sun
BroccoliBrassica oleracea var. italica 18 inches45 cm 2.5 ft tall, 2 ft wide 3–11 Full Sun
Brussels SproutBrassica oleracea var. gemmifera 2 ft60 cm 3 ft tall, 2 ft wide 2–9 Full Sun
Bush Lima BeanPhaseolus lunatus 6 inches15 cm 2 ft tall, 1.5 ft wide 2–11 Full Sun
Bush Snap BeanPhaseolus vulgaris 6 inches15 cm 1.5 ft tall, 1.5 ft wide 3–11 Full Sun
Butternut SquashCucurbita moschata 4 ft1.2 m 1.5 ft tall, 8 ft wide 3–11 Full Sun
CabbageBrassica oleracea var. capitata 18 inches45 cm 1.5 ft tall, 2 ft wide 3–11 Full Sun
CantaloupeCucumis melo var. cantalupensis 2 ft60 cm 1 ft tall, 6 ft wide 2–11 Full Sun
CarrotDaucus carota subsp. sativus 3 inches8 cm 1 ft tall, 0.5 ft wide 3–11 Full Sun
CassavaManihot esculenta 3 ft90 cm 8 ft tall, 4 ft wide 9–12 Full Sun
CauliflowerBrassica oleracea var. botrytis 18 inches45 cm 2 ft tall, 2 ft wide 2–11 Full Sun
CeleryApium graveolens var. dulce 9 inches23 cm 1.5 ft tall, 1 ft wide 2–11 Full Sun
ChayoteSechium edule 6 ft1.8 m 20 ft tall, 10 ft wide 8–11 Full Sun
ChervilAnthriscus cerefolium 9 inches23 cm 1.5 ft tall, 1 ft wide 3–11 Partial Shade
Collard GreensBrassica oleracea var. viridis 18 inches45 cm 3 ft tall, 2 ft wide 2–11 Full Sun
Corn SaladValerianella locusta 3 inches8 cm 0.5 ft tall, 0.5 ft wide 3–10 Partial Sun
CowpeaVigna unguiculata 6 inches15 cm 2.5 ft tall, 2 ft wide 3–11 Full Sun
CucumberCucumis sativus 12 inches30 cm 4 ft tall, 4 ft wide 3–11 Full Sun
Daikon RadishRaphanus sativus var. longipinnatus 6 inches15 cm 1.5 ft tall, 1 ft wide 2–11 Full Sun
DandelionTaraxacum officinale 6 inches15 cm 0.75 ft tall, 0.75 ft wide 3–10 Full Sun
EdamameGlycine max 6 inches15 cm 2.5 ft tall, 1.5 ft wide 2–11 Full Sun
EggplantSolanum melongena 2 ft60 cm 3 ft tall, 2.5 ft wide 4–11 Full Sun
EndiveCichorium endivia 9 inches23 cm 1 ft tall, 1 ft wide 3–11 Full Sun
English PeaPisum sativum 3 inches8 cm 3 ft tall, 1 ft wide 2–11 Full Sun
Fava BeanVicia faba 9 inches23 cm 4 ft tall, 1.5 ft wide 2–11 Full Sun
Fennel (Bulb)Foeniculum vulgare var. azoricum 12 inches30 cm 2 ft tall, 1 ft wide 4–11 Full Sun
Garbanzo BeanCicer arietinum 6 inches15 cm 2 ft tall, 1.5 ft wide 3–11 Full Sun
Garden CressLepidium sativum 3 inches8 cm 1 ft tall, 0.5 ft wide 3–11 Full Sun
GarlicAllium sativum 6 inches15 cm 1.5 ft tall, 0.5 ft wide 3–10 Full Sun
GingerZingiber officinale 12 inches30 cm 3 ft tall, 2 ft wide 8–12 Partial Shade
Habanero PepperCapsicum chinense 18 inches45 cm 3 ft tall, 2 ft wide 4–11 Full Sun
Honeydew MelonCucumis melo var. inodorus 3 ft90 cm 1 ft tall, 6 ft wide 3–11 Full Sun
HorseradishArmoracia rusticana 2 ft60 cm 3 ft tall, 2 ft wide 3–9 Full Sun
Hyacinth BeanLablab purpureus 12 inches30 cm 12 ft tall, 3 ft wide 3–11 Full Sun
JicamaPachyrhizus erosus 12 inches30 cm 10 ft tall, 3 ft wide 9–11 Full Sun
KaleBrassica oleracea var. sabellica 18 inches45 cm 2 ft tall, 2 ft wide 2–11 Full Sun
KohlrabiBrassica oleracea var. gongylodes 6 inches15 cm 1.5 ft tall, 1 ft wide 2–11 Full Sun
Kuri SquashCucurbita maxima 4 ft1.2 m 1.5 ft tall, 8 ft wide 3–11 Full Sun
LeekAllium ampeloprasum 6 inches15 cm 2.5 ft tall, 0.5 ft wide 2–9 Full Sun
Lettuce (Looseleaf)Lactuca sativa 7 inches18 cm 0.8 ft tall, 0.8 ft wide 3–11 Partial Sun
LuffaLuffa aegyptiaca 3 ft90 cm 15 ft tall, 3 ft wide 4–11 Full Sun
Malabar SpinachBasella alba 18 inches45 cm 10 ft tall, 2 ft wide 3–11 Full Sun
MizunaBrassica rapa var. nipposinica 9 inches23 cm 1 ft tall, 1 ft wide 3–11 Full Sun
Mustard GreensBrassica juncea 6 inches15 cm 2 ft tall, 1.5 ft wide 2–11 Full Sun
Napa CabbageBrassica rapa subsp. pekinensis 12 inches30 cm 1.5 ft tall, 1 ft wide 2–11 Full Sun
New Zealand SpinachTetragonia tetragonioides 18 inches45 cm 1 ft tall, 3 ft wide 3–11 Full Sun
OkraAbelmoschus esculentus 18 inches45 cm 6 ft tall, 3 ft wide 2–11 Full Sun
Onion (Bulb)Allium cepa 4 inches10 cm 2 ft tall, 0.5 ft wide 3–11 Full Sun
ParsnipPastinaca sativa 4 inches10 cm 1.5 ft tall, 1 ft wide 2–11 Full Sun
PeanutArachis hypogaea 12 inches30 cm 1.5 ft tall, 1.5 ft wide 4–11 Full Sun
PotatoSolanum tuberosum 12 inches30 cm 2 ft tall, 2 ft wide 3–11 Full Sun
RadicchioCichorium intybus 9 inches23 cm 1 ft tall, 1 ft wide 3–11 Full Sun
RadishRaphanus sativus 2 inches5 cm 0.5 ft tall, 0.3 ft wide 2–11 Full Sun
RhubarbRheum rhabarbarum 3 ft90 cm 3 ft tall, 3 ft wide 3–8 Full Sun
Runner BeanPhaseolus coccineus 9 inches23 cm 10 ft tall, 1.5 ft wide 3–11 Full Sun
RutabagaBrassica napus var. napobrassica 6 inches15 cm 1.5 ft tall, 1.5 ft wide 2–11 Full Sun
SalsifyTragopogon porrifolius 6 inches15 cm 3 ft tall, 0.75 ft wide 3–9 Full Sun
ScallionAllium fistulosum 3 inches8 cm 1.2 ft tall, 0.3 ft wide 3–11 Full Sun
ShallotAllium cepa var. aggregatum 6 inches15 cm 1 ft tall, 0.5 ft wide 2–11 Full Sun
Snow PeaPisum sativum var. saccharatum 3 inches8 cm 5 ft tall, 1 ft wide 2–11 Full Sun
SorrelRumex acetosa 12 inches30 cm 2 ft tall, 1.5 ft wide 3–9 Full Sun
SpinachSpinacia oleracea 5 inches12 cm 0.8 ft tall, 0.8 ft wide 2–11 Partial Sun
Sugar Snap PeaPisum sativum var. macrocarpon 3 inches8 cm 5 ft tall, 1 ft wide 3–11 Full Sun
SunchokeHelianthus tuberosus 2 ft60 cm 8 ft tall, 3 ft wide 3–9 Full Sun
Sweet CornZea mays var. saccharata 12 inches30 cm 7 ft tall, 1.5 ft wide 3–11 Full Sun
Sweet PotatoIpomoea batatas 12 inches30 cm 1 ft tall, 4 ft wide 5–11 Full Sun
Swiss ChardBeta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris 9 inches23 cm 1.5 ft tall, 1 ft wide 3–11 Full Sun
TatsoiBrassica rapa subsp. narinosa 6 inches15 cm 0.75 ft tall, 1 ft wide 2–11 Partial Sun
TomatilloPhysalis philadelphica 2 ft60 cm 3 ft tall, 3 ft wide 2–11 Full Sun
TomatoSolanum lycopersicum 2 ft60 cm 6 ft tall, 3 ft wide 3–11 Full Sun
True YamDioscorea alata 2 ft60 cm 20 ft tall, 5 ft wide 9–12 Full Sun
TurmericCurcuma longa 18 inches45 cm 3.5 ft tall, 2.5 ft wide 8–12 Partial Shade
TurnipBrassica rapa subsp. rapa 4 inches10 cm 1.5 ft tall, 1 ft wide 2–11 Full Sun
WatercressNasturtium officinale 12 inches30 cm 0.75 ft tall, 1.5 ft wide 3–11 Partial Sun
WatermelonCitrullus lanatus 3 ft90 cm 1 ft tall, 8 ft wide 2–11 Full Sun
Yardlong BeanVigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis 6 inches15 cm 10 ft tall, 1.5 ft wide 3–11 Full Sun
ZucchiniCucurbita pepo 3 ft90 cm 2.5 ft tall, 4 ft wide 3–11 Full Sun

Spacing is center to center — measure between planting holes, not between the edges of the plants. Mature size and hardiness ranges are catalog values and shift with cultivar and local conditions.

How to use this chart

Spacing in this chart is in-row and measured center to center. A traditional row garden adds walking room on top of it — usually 18 to 36 inches between rows for bush crops and more for vining ones. Intensive beds and square-foot layouts use the same figure in both directions and skip the paths entirely, which is why the same crop can be listed at very different densities in different guides.

Direct-sown crops are seeded far thicker than they are grown. Sow at the depth on the packet, then thin to the spacing here once seedlings have their first true leaves. Leaving them at seeding density is the single most common cause of small roots and loose, disappointing heads.

Crowding is not always a mistake. Leaf crops planted close shade the soil and stay tender, and sweet corn has to be planted in a block tight enough to pollinate itself. Crops grown for one large head — cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower — pay for crowding directly in size.

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