TomatoesCage or stake them; sauce varieties suit preserving.
12plants
48 sq ft
PeppersMix sweet and hot to taste.
12plants
18 sq ft
CucumbersGrow up a trellis to save space; pickling types for preserving.
6plants
12 sq ft
Zucchini and summer squashOne or two plants feed most families.
4plants
36 sq ft
Bush beansSow again every 3 weeks for a steady supply.
40plants
4 sq ft
LettuceSow a few plants every 2 weeks rather than all at once.
24plants
6 sq ft
CarrotsThin seedlings to about 3 inches apart.
120plants
8 sq ft
OnionsStorage varieties keep for months once cured.
60sets or transplants
7 sq ft
How the planner works
For each crop, the planner multiplies a typical number of plants per person by the size of your household and rounds up. It then adds up the bed space each plant needs, using close spacing suited to raised beds, and converts the total into standard 4×8 ft beds.
Treat the result as a first plan. Families who eat a lot of salad, or who don’t like zucchini, should adjust. After one season you will know which crops you ran short of and which ones you gave away to the neighbors.
Tips for a productive small garden
Sow lettuce, beans and carrots in small batches every 2 to 3 weeks instead of all at once.
Grow cucumbers, pole beans and peas up a trellis to use vertical space.
Follow early crops like peas and spinach with summer crops in the same bed.
Frequently asked questions
How many tomato plants do I need per person?
About 3 plants per person gives plenty of fresh tomatoes through the summer. If you want to can sauce or salsa, plan on roughly 6 plants per person, ideally paste varieties such as Roma or San Marzano.
How big a garden do I need to feed a family of four?
For fresh eating from a typical mix of 8 popular crops, about 100 to 150 square feet of beds, or four to five 4×8 ft raised beds. Growing enough to preserve for winter takes roughly two to three times as much space.
What is the difference between fresh eating and preserving?
"Fresh eating" covers what your household eats during the growing season. "Fresh and preserving" adds extra for freezing, canning or storing, such as tomatoes for sauce, beans for the freezer and storage onions and potatoes.
Should I count children as a full person?
Young children usually eat about half as much as adults. For two adults and two small children, entering 3 people is a reasonable estimate.
Where do these numbers come from?
They are typical planning figures from university Extension and seed company guides. Sources vary, so we use conservative middle values. Yields depend on your climate, soil and varieties, so keep notes and adjust next year.
A ready-to-use planting plan for one 4×8 ft raised bed with tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, beans, lettuce, carrots, onions and radishes, square foot by square foot.
How to work out the last planting date for fall vegetables by counting back from your first fall frost, with a worked example and the best crops for fall.