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Reviewed · Prices checked October 2026 · How we calculate

Plant Spacing Calculator: How Many Plants Do I Need?

Enter the bed's length and width and how far apart the plants go, from the tag or seed packet. You get the number of plants for a square grid or offset rows.

Inputs

Units
ft
ft
in
Rows
$a plant

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Updates as you type
40plants

for 40 sq ft at 12 in apart, in a square grid.

Plant spacing details
Bed area40 sq ft
Room per plant1.00 sq ft
Plants per 10 sq ft10.0
Plants at your price—
Show the math
10 × 4 ft = 40 sq ftRoom per plant: (12 ÷ 12)² = 1.000 sq ft40 ÷ 1.000 = 40.0 → 40 plants

The price you type is used for this estimate only; it isn't saved.

How it works

The formula

square grid: plants = area ÷ (spacing ÷ 12)²
offset rows: plants = area ÷ ((spacing ÷ 12)² × 0.866)
  • In a square grid each plant has a square of ground the spacing on each side. Offset (triangular) rows set each row half a step over, so every plant is the same distance from six neighbors; that packs about 15% more plants into the same bed (√3 ÷ 2 = 0.866).
  • The spacing is center to center, the figure on plant tags and seed packets.
  • Rounded up to whole plants. Along the edges you may set the outer row half a spacing in from the border.

Plants per 100 sq ft

Plants per 100 sq ft by spacing, square grid and offset rows
SpacingSquare gridOffset rows
6 in400462
8 in225260
10 in144167
12 in100116
15 in6474
18 in4552
24 in2529
36 in1213

Questions people ask

How many plants at 12 inches apart?

One per square foot in a square grid: 100 per 100 sq ft. In offset rows about 116.

What spacing should I use for ground cover?

Follow the plant tag; closer spacing fills in faster but costs more. At 8 in apart a bed needs about 2.25 plants per sq ft in a grid; at 18 in, about 0.44.

Square or offset rows?

Offset rows fill a bed more evenly and leave fewer bare gaps, which suits ground covers and mass plantings. Square rows are easier for vegetables you weed between.