Garden Bed Planner

Garden Bed Layout

Plants {{ totalPlants }} Rows {{ rowCount }} Area {{ plantableAreaDisplay }} Soil {{ soilVolumeDisplay }} Spacing {{ spacingDisplay }} Sun {{ sunHoursDisplay }} Orientation {{ orientationLabel }} Yield {{ yieldDisplay }} Harvest {{ firstHarvestDisplay }}

Bed length:

Bed width:

Planting date:

Plant preset:

Layout style:

Orientation:

Sun hours:

hours/day

In-row spacing:

Row spacing:

Edge buffer:

Pollinator strip:

Offset planting:

Use transplants:

Bed depth:

Mulch depth:

Days to maturity:

days

Harvest window:

weeks

Succession gap:

weeks

Yield per plant:

Layout seed:

Metric	Value	Copy
{{ metric.label }}	{{ metric.value }}

Row	Plants	Spacing	Notes	Copy
{{ row.label }}	{{ row.plants }}	{{ row.spacing }}	{{ row.note }}

Step	Date	Notes	Copy
{{ event.label }}	{{ event.dateLabel }}	{{ event.detail }}

Add a planting date to generate the crop timeline milestones.

Productive row Pollinator strip Offset rows are dashed Orientation {{ layoutState.orientationLabel }}

Plants render to scale within the plantable area; dashed shading marks offset lanes for better airflow.

Visual preview appears once enough spacing data is available.

Chart displays plant counts per row after offsets and reserved strips.

No layout yet. Adjust bed size and choose a crop to preview spacing.

Tags: Education , Gardening , Productivity

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Garden bed layouts are practical plans that turn bed size, crop needs, and sunlight into a planting pattern you can follow. The goal is a clear count of rows and plants with spacing that balances airflow, access, and yield.

You provide bed length and width (feet or metres), pick a crop preset or set custom spacing in inches or centimetres, and note how many hours of sun the spot receives. Edge buffers, bed depth, mulch depth, and yield per plant accept either imperial or metric units, and the planner normalizes them before running the layout math.

Results read like a quick site sketch and a short brief. A compact diagram shows rows at scale, the metrics list spells out spacing and volumes in both unit systems, and a simple timeline appears when you add a date. Companion suggestions can repeat by keeping a seed value the same.

Think of the outcome as a starting point rather than a guarantee. Variety choice, pruning, irrigation, heat, and pest pressure can move timelines and yields, so treat estimates as guides and adjust after your first run.

Technical Details:

The planner models a rectangular raised bed with uniform rows. Inputs are bed length and width (ft or m), in‑row spacing (in or cm), row spacing (in or cm), an optional edge buffer on both sides (ft or m), hours of direct sun per day, and crop factors such as days to maturity, harvest window, succession gap, and yield per plant (lb or kg).

From those quantities it computes usable planting width, rows that fit, plants per row, total plants, plantable area, soil fill and mulch coverage, a simple yield estimate, and orientation guidance. Orientation is either set explicitly or chosen automatically based on logged sun hours.

Each crop preset carries a recommended sunlight range and defaults for spacing, lead time for transplants, days to maturity, expected harvest duration, and a typical yield per plant. The sunlight note flags values below or above the recommended window so you can decide whether to thin, prune, or shade.

Comparisons are valid when geometry and spacing are consistent across runs. Results assume level frames, uniform soil depth, evenly spaced plants, and similar training or pruning for the crop family.

\begin{array}{l} U = W - 2 B & A = L \cdot U & F = L \cdot W \\ N = R p \cdot N r & N r = ⌊ \frac{12 L}{S} ⌋ & R = ⌊ \frac{12 U}{R} ⌋ \\ R e = {\begin{matrix} R & single or staggered \\ 2 R & double \end{matrix}} & R p = R e - P & Y = N \cdot y pp \\ V soil = F \cdot \frac{D}{12} & V mulch = A \cdot \frac{M}{12} \end{array}

Symbols and units
Symbol	Meaning	Unit/Datatype	Source
L	Bed length	ft / m	Input
W	Bed width	ft / m	Input
B	Edge buffer each side	ft / m	Input
U	Usable width	ft	Derived
S	In‑row spacing	in / cm	Input
Rs	Row spacing	in / cm	Input
Re	Effective rows	count	Derived
P	Pollinator rows reserved	0 or 1	Input
Rp	Productive rows	count	Derived
Nr	Plants per row	count	Derived
N	Total plants	count	Derived
ypp	Yield per plant	lb / kg	Input or preset
Y	Estimated yield	lb / kg	Derived
A	Plantable area	sq ft	Derived
F	Bed footprint	sq ft	Derived
D	Bed depth	in / cm	Input
M	Mulch depth	in / cm	Input
H	Sun hours	h/day	Input
O	Orientation label	text	Derived

Worked example. With L = 12 ft, W = 4 ft, B = 0.5 ft, S = 18 in, Rs = 30 in, single rows and no pollinator strip: U = 3.0 ft, Nr = ⌊144/18⌋ = 8, Re = ⌊36/30⌋ = 1, Rp = 1, N = 8. If ypp = 9.5 lb, then Y = 76 lb. Soil volume for D = 10 in is F·D/12 = 48·10/12 ≈ 40 cu ft; mulch at M = 2 in over A = 36 sq ft is 6 cu ft.

Orientation logic

If orientation is set, keep that value.
Otherwise, choose north to south when H ≥ 6.
Otherwise, choose east to west.

Units, precision, and rounding

Inputs accept decimals; metres convert to feet using 1 m = 3.28084 ft and centimetres convert to inches using 1 in = 2.54 cm.
Displayed areas and volumes round to one decimal; JSON numbers often round to two decimals.
Bag counts round up to the next whole bag (soil 1.5 cu ft, mulch 2 cu ft).
Spacing shows one decimal in the chosen unit (in/cm); length and width display with two decimals (ft/m) in JSON, and yields show one decimal in pounds or two decimals in kilograms.
Decimal separator is a dot; thousands separators are not shown.

Validation and bounds

Input validation
Field	Type	Min	Max	Step/Pattern	Error Text
Bed length	number	1	200	0.1; ft or m	Bed length must be a positive number.
Bed width	number	1	12	0.1; ft or m	Bed width must be a positive number.
Sun hours	number	1	14	0.5
In‑row spacing	number	4	60	1; internally clamped to ≥3	Increase bed length or loosen in‑row spacing to fit at least one plant per row.
Row spacing	number	6	60	1; internally clamped to ≥8	No rows fit within the chosen spacing; shrink spacing or buffers.
Edge buffer	number	0	2	0.1; also ≤ W/2	Edge buffer leaves no room to plant; reduce the buffer or widen the bed.
Bed depth	number	4	24	0.5
Mulch depth	number	0	4	0.5
Yield per plant	number	0.1	25	0.1
Days to maturity	number	20	300	1
Harvest window	number	2	16	0.5
Succession gap	number	0	12	0.5
Layout seed	text	—	32 chars	letters/numbers/‑ ok

I/O and outputs

Diagram shows rows and plant markers to scale inside the plantable area.
Metrics list includes geometry, spacing, volumes, sunlight note, yield, and harvest windows.
Row plan lists each lane with plant count, spacing summary, and notes such as offset or companion.
Timeline appears when a planting date in YYYY‑MM‑DD is provided.
JSON view exposes all inputs and derived values for reuse.

Randomness and reproducibility

Companion suggestions per row are chosen by a deterministic text‑seeded generator.
Identical seeds with the same inputs reproduce the same suggestions.
No gambling use; suggestions are for variety and airflow notes only.

Networking, storage, and determinism

All calculations are browser‑based; inputs are reactive and produce identical outputs for identical inputs.
Copy, download, and export actions are generated locally.

Assumptions and limitations

Rectangular beds only; taper, curves, and paths are not modeled.
Uniform spacing and plant size are assumed across rows.
Sun hours are user estimates and can misstate shade patterns.
Yield per plant is an average; cultivar vigor and pruning change results.
Days to maturity reflect typical conditions, not extreme heat or frost.
Orientation guidance is heuristic and ignores obstacles and wind.
Soil and mulch volumes ignore settling and frame thickness.
Pollinator strip reserves the final row and reduces productive rows.
Heads‑up Very tight spacing may pass geometry but harm airflow and disease control.

Edge cases and error sources

Zero or negative lengths or widths are rejected.
Edge buffer at or above half the width leaves no plantable area.
Row spacing larger than usable width yields zero rows.
In‑row spacing larger than bed length yields zero plants per row.
Floating‑point rounding near thresholds can flip a floor result by one.
Bag counts round up; tiny volumes still show one bag if any material is needed.
ISO dates must be YYYY‑MM‑DD; other formats are ignored.
Locale date display varies; ISO dates are used in JSON.
Very large beds inflate diagram scale and may reduce marker density.
Missing sun hours uses clamped defaults, which may soften guidance.

Privacy and compliance

No data is transmitted or stored server‑side; calculations and exports are produced locally in your browser.

Step‑by‑Step Guide

Garden bed planning from dimensions to a row plan and timeline.

Enter Bed length and Bed width, choosing feet or meters.
Select a Plant preset or switch to Custom to edit spacing.
Set In‑row spacing and Row spacing.
Adjust Edge buffer and optionally add a pollinator strip or offsets.
Optionally provide a planting date in YYYY‑MM‑DD to generate milestones.
Review the diagram, metrics, row plan, and timeline; adjust as needed.

Caution Tight spacing can raise disease risk even if geometry fits.

When numbers look right, save the metrics and row plan and start staging materials.

FAQ

Is my data stored?

No. Calculations run in your browser and copies or exports are generated locally.

How accurate are yield estimates?

They multiply total plants by a typical yield per plant. Update that value for your cultivar and conditions for a closer forecast.

Which units are supported?

Length and width accept feet or metres. Spacing toggles between inches and centimetres. Volumes appear in cubic feet, and yield presents both pounds and kilograms. Time uses days or weeks.

Can I use it offline?

Once loaded, the planner continues to work without a connection. Your inputs and results remain available during the session.

How do I get a timeline?

Provide a planting date in the YYYY‑MM‑DD format. The planner adds indoor start, planting, first harvest, and wrap‑up milestones.

What does a borderline sun note mean?

If sun is near the recommended range, expect variation in maturity and yield. Consider pruning for airflow or adding afternoon shade.

My layout is empty. Why?

Spacing or buffers may leave no rows or plants. Reduce buffers, loosen spacing, or enlarge the bed and recompute.

How do I share results?

Copy metrics, row plans, or JSON directly and paste into notes or documents. Exports are created locally.

Estimates support planning and do not replace hands‑on observation and adjustment in your garden.

Glossary

Plantable area: Bed length times usable width after edge buffers.
In‑row spacing: Distance between plants along a row.
Row spacing: Center‑to‑center distance between adjacent planting lanes.
Pollinator strip: A reserved lane for flowers and herbs attracting beneficial insects.
Yield per plant: Typical marketable harvest weight from one plant.
Days to maturity: Days from planting to first harvest under typical conditions.
Succession gap: Weeks between repeated plantings of the same crop.