Planting and Garden Spacing Calculator
.planting-calc-container {
font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif;
max-width: 800px;
margin: 20px auto;
padding: 25px;
border: 1px solid #e0e0e0;
border-radius: 12px;
background-color: #ffffff;
color: #333;
box-shadow: 0 4px 15px rgba(0,0,0,0.05);
}
.planting-calc-container h2 {
color: #2d5a27;
text-align: center;
margin-top: 0;
font-size: 28px;
}
.planting-calc-grid {
display: grid;
grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr;
gap: 20px;
margin-bottom: 25px;
}
.planting-calc-field {
display: flex;
flex-direction: column;
}
.planting-calc-field label {
font-weight: 600;
margin-bottom: 8px;
font-size: 14px;
color: #444;
}
.planting-calc-field input, .planting-calc-field select {
padding: 12px;
border: 2px solid #ddd;
border-radius: 6px;
font-size: 16px;
transition: border-color 0.3s;
}
.planting-calc-field input:focus {
border-color: #2d5a27;
outline: none;
}
.planting-calc-btn {
grid-column: span 2;
background-color: #2d5a27;
color: white;
border: none;
padding: 15px;
font-size: 18px;
font-weight: bold;
border-radius: 6px;
cursor: pointer;
transition: background-color 0.3s;
}
.planting-calc-btn:hover {
background-color: #1e3d1a;
}
.planting-calc-result {
margin-top: 25px;
padding: 20px;
background-color: #f1f8f1;
border-radius: 8px;
border-left: 5px solid #2d5a27;
}
.result-item {
display: flex;
justify-content: space-between;
margin-bottom: 10px;
font-size: 16px;
}
.result-value {
font-weight: bold;
color: #2d5a27;
font-size: 18px;
}
.planting-article {
margin-top: 40px;
line-height: 1.6;
color: #444;
}
.planting-article h3 {
color: #2d5a27;
font-size: 22px;
border-bottom: 2px solid #f0f0f0;
padding-bottom: 10px;
}
.planting-article table {
width: 100%;
border-collapse: collapse;
margin: 20px 0;
}
.planting-article table th, .planting-article table td {
padding: 12px;
border: 1px solid #eee;
text-align: left;
}
.planting-article table th {
background-color: #f9f9f9;
}
@media (max-width: 600px) {
.planting-calc-grid {
grid-template-columns: 1fr;
}
.planting-calc-btn {
grid-column: 1;
}
}
Planting & Garden Spacing Calculator
Plot Length (feet)
Plot Width (feet)
Spacing Between Plants (inches)
Spacing Between Rows (inches)
Cost per Seed/Seedling ($)
Planting Pattern
Rectangular Grid
Offset/Triangular
Calculate Planting Needs
Total Area:
Plants Per Row:
Number of Rows:
Total Plants Needed:
Estimated Total Cost:
How to Use the Planting Calculator
Planning a productive garden starts with accurate math. Whether you are planting a small backyard raised bed or a multi-acre field, knowing exactly how many plants you need prevents wasted money and ensures plants have enough room to thrive. Overcrowding can lead to poor air circulation and disease, while over-spacing leads to wasted water and increased weed pressure.
The Math Behind the Spacing
This calculator uses two primary methods for determining plant counts:
Rectangular Grid: This is the standard method where plants are placed in straight lines, forming squares or rectangles. The formula is: (Length / Plant Spacing) × (Width / Row Spacing).Offset/Triangular Pattern: This method staggers the rows to increase plant density by about 15% without reducing the distance between individual plants. It is often used in intensive "Square Foot Gardening" or permaculture designs.
Common Plant Spacing Guide
Vegetable
Plant Spacing (Inches)
Row Spacing (Inches)
Tomatoes
18″ – 24″
36″ – 48″
Carrots
2″ – 3″
12″
Peppers
12″ – 15″
24″ – 30″
Lettuce
6″ – 10″
12″
Real-World Example Calculation
Imagine you have a garden bed that is 10 feet long and 4 feet wide . You want to plant peppers that require 12 inches (1 foot) between plants and 24 inches (2 feet) between rows.
1. Length (10ft) / Plant Spacing (1ft) = 10 plants per row.20 plants total.
If each pepper seedling costs $1.50, your total project cost would be 20 × $1.50 = $30.00.
function calculateGarden() {
var lengthFeet = parseFloat(document.getElementById("plotLength").value);
var widthFeet = parseFloat(document.getElementById("plotWidth").value);
var plantSpaceInches = parseFloat(document.getElementById("plantSpacing").value);
var rowSpaceInches = parseFloat(document.getElementById("rowSpacing").value);
var unitCost = parseFloat(document.getElementById("unitCost").value);
var method = document.getElementById("calcMethod").value;
if (isNaN(lengthFeet) || isNaN(widthFeet) || isNaN(plantSpaceInches) || isNaN(rowSpaceInches) || lengthFeet <= 0 || widthFeet 0) plantsPerRow += 1;
if (numRows > 0) numRows += 1;
totalPlants = plantsPerRow * numRows;
} else {
// Calculation for offset/triangular grid (hexagonal packing)
// Increases density by factor of 1 / sin(60deg) approx 1.15
numRows = Math.floor((widthFeet – rowSpaceFeet) / (rowSpaceFeet * 0.866)) + 1;
plantsPerRow = Math.floor(lengthFeet / plantSpaceFeet);
// In staggered rows, every second row has one less plant
var fullRows = Math.ceil(numRows / 2);
var shortRows = Math.floor(numRows / 2);
totalPlants = (fullRows * (plantsPerRow + 1)) + (shortRows * plantsPerRow);
// Simplified display for offset
plantsPerRow = plantsPerRow + 1;
}
// Display Results
document.getElementById("plantingResult").style.display = "block";
document.getElementById("resArea").innerText = area.toFixed(2) + " sq. ft.";
document.getElementById("resPerRow").innerText = plantsPerRow;
document.getElementById("resRows").innerText = numRows;
document.getElementById("resTotal").innerText = totalPlants;
if (!isNaN(unitCost) && unitCost > 0) {
var totalCost = totalPlants * unitCost;
document.getElementById("costRow").style.display = "flex";
document.getElementById("resCost").innerText = "$" + totalCost.toFixed(2);
} else {
document.getElementById("costRow").style.display = "none";
}
}