What are the best vegetable garden layout plans?
Planting a new vegetable garden takes a lot of planning upfront.
In addition to thinking about the types of plants you’ll grow in your garden, you also need to plan out the placement and spacing of each of those plants. That means you really need to plan ahead to create the best garden for your backyard space.
Finding great vegetable garden layout plans and spacing tips is essential when planning your garden to help you make the most of your gardening space.
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Vegetable Garden Layout Considerations
There is a lot to consider when you start planning the layout of your garden. For that reason, it’s a good idea to sit down and make a plan before you even start digging. But before you can create a solid plan for your garden, you need to think about a few different factors that will go into your garden’s layout:
- Location of your garden: Finding the perfect location for your garden is the first step toward creating a garden layout. Once you know where your garden will be located, you’ll have a better idea of how big your garden will be and where you can plant your vegetables to maximize your harvest.
- Planting methods: There are two basic planting methods to consider for your vegetable garden – raised beds and rows. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Consider which type of planting method is best for your garden before you plan your layout because each type of garden has different layout requirements.
- Plant spacing: Each of the plants you grow in your garden will need to be spaced properly to maximize its growth. Make sure you understand the spacing requirements of each type of plant you grow to ensure you don’t overcrowd your garden.
- Companion planting: In addition to having specific spacing requirements, many vegetable plants also have companion planting requirements. Some plants grow better when placed next to other plants. And some plants are damaged when placed to certain other vegetables. That’s why it’s important to consider companion planting guidelines when planning your garden layout.
Picking the Best Location for Your Garden
Finding the perfect location for your garden is essential to having a bountiful harvest at the end of the growing season.
There are several factors to consider when picking the right location for your garden. During your planning phase, take a look in your yard and find a location that has these important characteristics:
- Ample sunlight. In order for your garden to grow, your plants will need a minimum of eight hours of direct sunlight per day. Finding a spot in your yard that receives plenty of sunshine is the most important characteristic when picking a location for your garden. Make sure to check the location throughout the day to see if any part of the spot is shaded as the sun moves through the sky. Tall trees, shrubs, walls, and fences can all cast shadows on your yard throughout the day, so taking note of the spots that receive shade can help you determine which vegetables to plant in each spot in your garden.
- Level ground. To ensure your garden has proper drainage, picking a level area in your yard is essential. Avoid areas that flood during heavy rains or sloped ground that allows the water to quickly run off before soaking into the ground.
- Proximity to your home. Placing your garden in a location that is close to your home is helpful throughout the growing season. During the planting phase, having nearby water access will make watering your garden much easier. And when you’re ready to harvest, having a garden near your kitchen will make picking vegetables much simpler.
Raised Bed Gardening Layouts
Using raised beds in your garden is a great way to increase the planting space in your garden and make use of smaller gardening areas.
When creating a layout for your garden, one of the most common methods is to build raised beds that are three to four feet wide with walking paths between each garden bed. A smaller bed width and pathways surrounding each bed will make maintaining your garden beds easier because you won’t have to walk into the beds to weed, water, and harvest your plants.
In addition to thinking about the layout of your garden beds, it’s also a good idea to think about the layout of your plants within your raised beds.
When planting in raised beds, many gardeners plant taller plants in the center of their garden and taper off smaller plants around the perimeter of the garden. This allows all plants to receive the maximum amount of sunlight throughout the day.
Another popular method for planning your garden when using raised beds is to plant the tallest plants at the back (or west side) of the garden and your smaller plants in the front (or east side). This planting method will keep your taller plants from casting shade on your shorter plants as the sun moves across the sky throughout the day.
Planning a Garden with Rows
Larger gardens are often planted in rows with plants growing directly in the ground.
This popular planting method is a great way to organize and layout a variety of plants in your garden. To increase spacing in your garden, consider planting your vegetables in long rows. This method will help give your plants plenty of room to develop as they grow.
When planting a vegetable garden in rows, it’s a good idea to plant your taller plants on the western end of your garden. Then, plant your shorter plants on the eastern end. Organizing your rows so they run north to south is also a good idea to help maximize sun exposure for all the plants in your garden.
To make maintaining and cultivating your garden rows easier, it’s a good idea to space your rows wide enough apart to be able to comfortably walk between each row. This will allow you to easily access each of the plants as you walk through the rows.
Garden Spacing for Vegetables
Placing the proper spacing between your plants and your garden rows is important because it improves the growth of the plant and assists in cultivating and harvesting your vegetables.
But different vegetable plants have different growing requirements. That means its essential to plan your garden based on the spacing needs of each type of vegetable you plan to plant.
As you make your garden layout plan, keep in mind the spacing requirements of each of your plants. These spacing guidelines will help you when you start laying out your garden:
- Asparagus: 12 to 18 inches between plants and 36 to 60 inches between rows
- Beets: 2 to 4 inches between plants and 12 to 18 inches between rows
- Broccoli: 18 to 24 inches between plants and 30 to 36 inches between rows
- Bush beans: 2 inches between plants and 18 to 30 inches between rows
- Cabbage: 9 to 18 inches between plants and 18 to 30 inches between rows
- Carrots: 1 to 3 inches between plants and 12 to 18 inches between rows
- Cauliflower: 18 to 24 inches between plants and 24 to 36 inches between rows
- Chard: 4 to 8 inches between plants and 18 to 24 inches between rows
- Corn (planted in rows): 9 to 12 inches between plants and 24 to 48 inches between rows
- Corn (planted in hills): 3 plants per hill with hills planted 36 inches apart and 24 to 48 inches between rows
- Cucumber (planted in rows): 12 inches between plants and 48 to 72 inches between rows
- Cucumber (planted in hills): 3 plants per hill with hills planted 36 inches apart and 48 to 72 inches between rows
- Eggplant: 18 to 24 inches between plants and 30 to 36 inches between rows
- Garlic: 3 inches between plants and 12 to 18 inches between rows
- Kale: 4 to 6 inches between plants and 18 to 24 inches between rows
- Lettuce: 2 to 4 inches between plants and 12 to 18 inches between rows
- Lima beans: 3 to 4 inches between plants and 18 to 30 inches between rows
- Okra: 12 to 15 inches between plants and 36 inches between rows
- Onion (from seed): 2 to 4 inches between plants and 12 to 18 inches between rows
- Onion (from sets): 1 to 4 inches between plants and 12 to 18 inches between rows
- Peas: 1 to 4 inches between plants and 18 to 24 inches between rows
- Peppers: 18 to 24 inches between plants and 18 to 24 inches between rows
- Potatoes: 10 to 12 inches between plants and 24 to 36 inches between rows
- Pumpkins (planted in rows): 24 to 36 inches between plants and 84 to 120 inches between rows
- Pumpkin (planted in hills): 3 plants per hill with hills planted 72 inches apart and 84 to 120 inches between rows
- Radish: 1 to 4 inches between plants and 12 to 18 inches between rows
- Rhubarb: 24 to 36 inches between plants and 36 to 48 inches between rows
- Spinach: 2 to 4 inches between plants and 12 to 18 inches between rows
- Summer squash (planted in rows): 18 to 24 inches between plants and 36 to 48 inches between rows
- Summer squash (planted in hills): 3 plants per hill with hills planted 48 inches apart and 36 to 48 inches between rows
- Winter squash (planted in rows): 24 to 36 inches between plants and 84 to 120 inches between rows
- Winter squash (planted in hills): 3 plants per hill with hills planted 72 inches apart and 84 to 120 inches between rows
- Sweet potatoes: 12 to 18 inches between plants and 36 to 48 inches between rows
- Tomatoes: 18 to 36 inches between plants and 36 to 60 inches between rows
- Turnips: 2 to 4 inches between plants and 12 to 18 inches between rows
- Watermelons (planted in rows): 24 to 36 inches between plants and 84 to 120 inches between rows
- Watermelon (planted in hills): 3 plants per hill with hills planted 72 inches apart and 84 to 120 inches between rows
Companion Planting Garden Layout Ideas
Plants use the plants around them to grow.
And when you plant companion plants next to each other, those plants work together to thrive.
Conversely, some plants compete with each other for resources, making it a bad idea to put them together. Knowing the different relationships between plants can help you plan your garden to ensure all your plants thrive as they grow.
Consider these companion planting guidelines when planning your vegetable garden layout:
- Asparagus grows well next to basil, parsley, and tomato.
- Beans grow well next to beets (bush beans only), cabbage, carrots, celery, chard, corn, cucumber, eggplant, peas, potatoes, radish, and strawberry. They should avoid garlic, onion, and shallot.
- Beets grow well next to bush beans, cabbage, lettuce, and onion. They should avoid pole beans.
- Cabbage (including broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, and kale) grows well next to beets, celery, chard, cucumber, lettuce, onion, potatoes, and spinach.
- Carrots grow well next to beans, lettuce, onion, peas, peppers, radish, and tomatoes. They should avoid dill.
- Celery grows well next to beans, cabbage, and tomatoes.
- Chard grows well next to beans, cabbage, and onions.
- Corn grows well next to beans, cucumber, melon, parsley, peas, potatoes, pumpkin, and squash. They should avoid tomatoes.
- Cucumber grows well next to beans, cabbage, corn, peas, radish, and tomatoes. They should avoid sage.
- Eggplant grows well next to beans and peppers.
- Lettuce grows well next to beets, cabbage, carrots, onion, radish, and strawberries.
- Melons grow well next to corn, pumpkin, radish, and squash.
- Onions grow well next to beet, cabbage, carrots, chard, lettuce, pepper, strawberries, and tomatoes. They should avoid beans and peas.
- Peas grow well next to beans, carrots, corn, cucumber, radish, and turnip. They should avoid garlic and onion.
- Peppers grow well next to carrots, eggplant, onions, and tomatoes.
- Potatoes grow well next to beans, cabbage, corn, eggplant, and peas. They should avoid tomatoes.
- Pumpkins grow well next to corn, melon, and squash.
- Radishes grow well next to beans, carrots, cucumber, lettuce, melon, and peas.
- Spinach grows well next to cabbage and strawberries.
- Squash grows well next to corn, melon, and pumpkin.
- Tomatoes grow well next to asparagus, carrots, celery, cucumber, onion, parsley, and peppers. They should avoid corn, dill, and potatoes.
- Turnips grow well next to peas.
How to Plan Your Garden Layout
Knowing the basics of garden planning is the first step to planning your garden layout.
After picking a location and understand the requirements of each type of vegetable plant, you can start outlining the layout of your garden.
These easy steps will help you plan your garden so you can start planning your veggies:
- Measure your space. Once you have an idea of the location, it’s time to measure the area to know exactly how much space you have to work with. Measure the length and width of the garden and take note of the measurements so you can start planning the length of your rows or size of your raised beds.
- List your favorite vegetables. Next, make a list of your family’s favorite vegetables to determine what types of plants you’ll add to your garden. Knowing the type of plants you want to grow in your garden will help you create your layout.
- Draw a garden on paper. Create a sketch of your garden layout to start planning the placement of each of your plants. If you plan on using raised beds, first start by figuring out how many beds you can fit in your gardening area. Then, sketch where each bed will be placed. And if you will be growing your garden in rows, first sketch out the length of each row and the space you will put between each row so you know exactly how much growing space you have in your garden.
- Add your plants. Now you can have some fun adding plants to your garden! Compare your list of desired plants to the spacing requirements and companion plants for each variety to help you come up with a layout that works for each of your plants. You may need to move plants around your garden to ensure each of the plants is placed properly according to height, spacing needs, and nearby companions.
- Start planting. After you have your garden layout figured out, you can start adding the plants to your garden. To make things easy, make sure to bring your layout with you while you’re planting so you know exactly where to place each plant for maximum growth potential.
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