How much space do you need for a small vegetable garden?
A general guideline for a summer vegetable garden is to plan on about 100 square feet per person. Advanced: If you’re more ambitious and want year-round groceries, plan on about 200 square feet per person. Freeze or can at least half of the harvest for winter use.
How many vegetables should you plant per person?
Planting a vegetable garden for a family

Crop (number of plants per ft. of row) | Number of plants per person |
---|---|
Radish (thin to 12 plants/ft. of row) | 10-15 plants |
Spinach (Thin to 6 plants/ft. of row) | 30-60 plants |
Squash (1 plant/6 ft. of row) | 1-2 plants |
Tomato (1 plant/2 ft. of row) | 2-4 plants |
How do you maximize vegetable space in a garden?
Here are nine tips from One Yard Revolution on how to maximize your growing space:
- Grow your plants in garden beds, not rows.
- Optimize the spacing between garden beds.
- Grow vertically.
- Try succession planting.
- Inter-plant.
- Use all your space, and grow in the shade.
- Grow food in your front yard.
- Grow micro-greens.
What’s the easiest veg to grow?
10 Easiest Vegetables to Grow Yourself
- Peas.
- Radishes.
- Carrots.
- Cucumbers.
- Kale.
- Swiss Chard.
- Beets.
- Summer Squash (Zucchini) Summer squash and zucchini like well-composted soil and need plenty of space (plant them 3 to 6 feet apart in warm soil and lots of sun.)
How big of a garden do I need for a family of 4?
20 feet by 40 feet
Generally speaking, 200 square feet of garden space per person will allow for a harvest that feeds everyone year-round. For an average family of four, plan for an 800 square-foot garden—a plot that’s 20 feet by 40 feet in size should do the trick. If your family is larger (or smaller), scale up or down as needed.
