Vegetable Seedling Spacing

One of the questions we are most often asked is ‘How far apart should I plant these seedlings?’ There are a range of answers to that question, mostly based on the way you plan to harvest your plants. If you plan to regularly pick outside leaves as the plant continues to mature, you can plant them a bit closer together. If the plant is a compact or dwarf variety, you can also fit a few more in your row.

Here are some general guidelines:

Year-round crops

Broccoli, cauliflower, kale, collards, cabbage …. 12 to 18 inches apart

Chicory, Radicchio, endive …. 6 to 8 inches apart

Lettuce …. 8 to 12 inches apart

Spinach …. 12 inches apart

Swiss Chard …. 8 inches apart

Warm season crops

Beans …. 2-3 inches apart

Eggplants …. 18 inches apart

Melons …. 24 to 36 inches apart

Peppers + Chiles …. 12 to 18 inches apart

Peas …. 2-3 inches apart

Tomatoes ­— determinate or dwarf …. 3 feet apart

Tomatoes ­— indeterminate …. 4 feet apart

Pumpkins …. 4 feet apart

Winter squash …. 3 feet apart

Zucchini + Summer squash …. 3 feet apart