Plant Spacing Calculator
ANNUALS & GROUNDCOVER SplPACING
The quantity of plants needed for a space depends on how far apart they will be planted. For many materials, this depends on mature size of the chosen annual, shrub or tree. However, with groundcovers, spacing also needs to take into account how long you are willing to wait for the materials to fill in. For example, Dwarf Mondo Grass will spread quite a bit but it is a slow growing plant, so closer together might be better, depending on how long you are willing to wait for it to cover an area. Enter your square footage (length X width), as well as the distance apart you plan on spacing the materials in the calculator below to determine how many plants to purchase.
ALTERNATIVE METHOD:
In this chart below, the left column indicates how far apart you intend to space your plants, and the right column is the number you need to multiply by the total square footage of the area you intend to plant.
Example: if you want to cover an area of 120 square feet with plant that you intend on spacing 10 inches apart, the equation would look like this:
120 (Sq Ft) x 1.45 = 174 (Plants)
| Space between plants | Spacing multiplier (plants per sq. ft.) |
| 4″ | 9 |
| 5” | 5.76 |
| 6” | 4 |
| 7” | 2.94 |
| 8” | 2.25 |
| 9” | 1.78 |
| 10” | 1.45 |
| 11” | 1.19 |
| 12” | 1 |
| 15” | .64 |
| 18” | .44 |
| 24” | .25 |
| 30” | .16 |
| 36” | .11 |
Plan Better Gardens With the Plant Spacing Calculator
Getting plant spacing right is one of the most important steps in building a healthy, thriving garden. With our Plant Spacing Calculator, you can instantly determine the ideal distance between flowers, shrubs, vegetables, and landscape plants—no guesswork, no crowding, and no wasted space. Proper spacing leads to stronger growth, better airflow, and long-lasting plant health.
For more gardening tools, spacing charts, and expert planting tips, explore the rest of The Good Earth Garden Center website. Discover resources that go beyond our Plant Spacing Calculator and help you design a beautiful, well-planned garden with confidence.
