Plant Spacing Calculator
How many plants do you need to fill a bed? Enter the area and spacing — for square or staggered layouts.
Staggered (triangular) layout fits ~15% more plants and looks fuller than a square grid. Space plants by their mature width for full coverage without crowding.
How the plant spacing calculator works
Square grid: plants = bed area ÷ spacing² (in feet). Triangular / staggered: the same, divided by 0.866 — about 15% more plants, because offset rows fill the gaps. Landscapers almost always plant triangular for even, full coverage.
Pick spacing by mature size
Space to the plant's grown width, not its nursery-pot size: groundcovers 8–12″, small shrubs 18–24″, larger shrubs 30–48″. Plant to mature width and the bed fills in without crowding or bare gaps.
Want the beds designed and planted for you?
We design and install plant beds that thrive in Southwest Florida — right plants, right spacing, across North Port, Venice, Port Charlotte & Englewood.
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