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