Skip to content
Gift season is here: find the perfect plant in 30 seconds. Try the Gift Finder →

Garden Planner

Plan a raised bed or vegetable patch in a couple of minutes. Set the size of your bed, pick a plant and tap or drag across the squares. The planner uses square foot gardening spacing to tell you how many plants fit, and flags good and bad companion pairs as you go. Your plan is saved in this browser so you can come back to it.

Free tool · No sign-up

Garden Planner

Draw your bed, tap squares to plant it, and get plant counts and companion planting tips. Your plan saves in this browser.

Loading the tool…

Tips for a better bed layout

  • Put tall crops (tomatoes, corn, pole beans, cucumbers on a trellis) on the north side so they do not shade shorter plants. In Australia, use the south side.
  • Keep beds 4 feet (1.2 m) wide or less so you can reach the middle without stepping on the soil.
  • Leave a square or two for quick crops like radishes and lettuce that you can re-sow every few weeks.
  • Plant basil and marigolds near tomatoes; keep onions and garlic away from beans and peas.

Need a bed first? Compare our best raised garden bed kits, then work out how much soil to buy with the Soil & Mulch Calculator.

Frequently asked questions

How many plants fit in a 4×8 raised bed?

A 4×8 bed has 32 one-foot squares. That could be 32 tomato or pepper plants at one per square, or a mix such as 4 tomatoes, 8 squares of lettuce (32 plants), 4 squares of carrots (64 plants) and so on. The planner adds it up for you.

What is square foot gardening?

A method of dividing a bed into 1-foot (30 cm) squares and planting each square with a set number of plants: 1 large plant, 4 medium, 9 small or 16 tiny ones. It makes spacing simple and wastes less space than rows.

Can I print or save my plan?

Yes. Your plan saves automatically in the browser you used. Use the Print plan button to print it or save it as a PDF.