Raised Bed Planner
Built by Johnny Alto · free, no sign-up · updated July 26, 2026
Design your raised garden bed on a grid before you plant. Set the bed's size, choose crops, and click to lay them out square by square. The planner spaces each crop the way it needs and totals how many plants your bed will hold, so you can plan the whole season and shop with a real list.
Each square represents one square foot of bed. The count is how many of that crop fit in a square at proper spacing, so your bed is full but not overcrowded. Resize the grid to match your bed, then print the plan to plant from.
Plan the bed before you plant
A few minutes planning a raised bed on paper, or on a grid like this one, saves a whole season of crowded, competing plants. Raised beds are usually planned in one-foot squares because that grid makes spacing easy: instead of remembering that carrots want three inches and tomatoes want two feet, you just place one tomato per square or sixteen carrots per square and the spacing takes care of itself. Set your bed's width and length in feet to build the grid, pick a crop, and click squares to fill your layout.
Seeing the whole bed at once helps you balance it. You can tell at a glance whether you have room for that second zucchini, group thirsty crops together, and make sure quick pickers like radishes and lettuce are near the edge where you will harvest often.
Getting the layout right
Keep beds narrow enough to reach the middle from either side, four feet is the usual maximum, and put the tallest crops on the north end so they do not cast shade. Leave room for supports if you are growing vertically, and tuck in flowers and herbs that draw pollinators and deter pests. When the plan looks right, print it and take it to the garden, and pair it with our soil calculator to work out how much to fill the bed.
Raised bed gear
Frequently asked questions
How do I plan a raised bed garden?
Divide the bed into one-foot squares, then place each crop by how many fit per square, from one tomato to sixteen carrots. This planner builds the grid and totals your plants.
How many plants fit in a 4x8 raised bed?
A 4-by-8 bed is 32 square feet. That could be 32 tomatoes at one per square, or hundreds of carrots at sixteen per square, or any mix in between. Plan it square by square.
How wide should a raised bed be?
No wider than four feet so you can reach the center from either side without stepping on the soil. Length can be whatever your space allows.
How much soil will my bed need?
Multiply width by length by depth. Use our raised bed soil calculator to get cubic feet, cubic yards, and how many bags to buy.
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This calculator gives estimates for planning only; always confirm against your own measurements and species research. Some links are to our buying guides, which contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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