Plant-spacing calculator
Work out how many bedding plants, bulbs or ground-cover plants fit into a bed on a regular grid, from its area and your chosen spacing.
Result
Plants needed
How to use this tool
- Measure the length and width of the planting area.
- Set the spacing between plants — check the specific plant's recommended spacing.
- Read the count for this square-grid model; it assumes plants can occupy the calculated edge positions.
Assumptions
- The formula counts positions at intervals starting on the bed edges. Actual border setbacks, plant spread, access and layout may change the practical count; the entered spacing is not a horticultural recommendation.
Technical details: what the fields mean
- Length
length - The longest side of the planting area.
- Width
width - The other side of the planting area.
- Plant spacing
spacing - Distance between plants in both directions — check the plant label or seed packet for the recommended spacing.
Methodology
Plants per row = floor(length ÷ spacing) + 1. Rows = floor(width ÷ spacing) + 1. Total = plants per row × rows — a simple square grid layout.
Worked example
3m × 2m bed, 0.3m entered spacing
Inputs: Length: 3 m, Width: 2 m, Plant spacing: 0.3 m
Result: 77 positions (11 per row × 7 rows) when the grid starts at both bed edges. This is a layout estimate, not a species-specific planting recommendation.
Practical guidance
- Always check the specific plant's own recommended spacing — this varies enormously between bedding plants, shrubs and ground cover.
- Choose spacing from the plant label or reliable growing guidance, considering mature spread and the intended design. A different staggered pattern has a different count from this square-grid formula.
Common mistakes
- Planting too closely, which leads to overcrowding and competition for light, water and nutrients as plants mature.
- Using a mature shrub's eventual spread rather than its young/nursery-pot spacing, resulting in a bed that's overcrowded at first (which some gardeners do intentionally for quicker coverage).
FAQs
How many plants do I need for a 3m x 2m bed?
At 30cm spacing, 77 plants on a simple square grid — enter your own area and spacing above for an exact figure.
What plant spacing should I use?
Check the specific plant's label or seed packet — recommended spacing varies enormously by species and mature size.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-11
A simple square-grid estimate — a staggered layout or an irregular bed shape will give a slightly different actual count.
This tool provides an indicative estimate, based on the assumptions stated above.
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