Wondering how much to plant?
This guide gives a general idea of how many plants to grow per person, expected yields, and spacing for common vegetable crops.
This is a handy reference when planning your garden, especially if you are trying to decide how much space to give each crop and how much to plant for your household.
How to Use This Guide
Keep in mind these are general guidelines. Actual yields will vary depending on:
- variety
- weather
- soil quality
- pest pressure
- watering
- how often you harvest
This guide is best used as a planning tool, not a guarantee.
Vegetable Crop Yields, Plants Per Person & Crop Spacing
Artichoke
Plants per person: 1 to 2
Yield: 12 buds per plant after the first year
Spacing: 4 to 6 feet apart
Arugula
Plants per person: 5
Spacing: 6 inches apart
Asparagus
Plants per person:
Grow 30 to 50 roots for a household of 2 to 4 people.
Yield: 3 to 4 pounds of spears per 10-foot row.
Spacing: 12 inches apart
Bean (Dried)
Plants per person: Grow 4 to 8 plants per person
Yield: In pounds. Varies per variety
Spacing: 1 to 3 inches apart in rows 2 to 3 feet apart
Bean (Fava)
Plants per person:
Grow 4 to 8 plants per person
Spacing:
4 to 5 inches apart in rows 18 to 30 inches apart
Bean (Garbanzo)
Plants per person: Grow 4 to 8 plants per person.
Yield: 4 to 6 pounds per 10-foot row.
Spacing:
3 to 6 inches apart in rows 24 to 30 inches apart.
Bean (Lima)
Plants per person:
Grow 4 to 8 per person.
Yield: 4 to 6 pounds per 10-foot row.
Spacing:
Bush Lima Beans 3 to 6 inches apart in rows 24 to 30 inches apart; increase distance for pole Limas.
Beans (Snap)
Plants per person: Grow 4 to 8 plants total of each variety or several varieties per person.
Yield: 3 to 5 pounds per 10-foot row.
Spacing:
1 to 3 inches apart in rows 2 to 3 feet apart.
Beans (Soy)
Plants per person: Grow 4 to 8 plants per person.
Yield: 4 to 6 pounds per 10-foot row.
Spacing: 2 inches apart in rows 2 to 3 feet apart.
Beets
Plants per person:
Grow 5 to 10 mature plants per person.
Yield: 8 to 10 pounds per 10-foot row.
Spacing:
3 inches apart for roots–1 inch apart for greens.
Broccoli
Plants per person: Grow 2 to 4 plants per person.
Yield: 4 to 6 pounds per 10-foot row.
Spacing: 18 to 24 inches apart in rows 3 feet apart.
Brussels Sprouts
Plants per person:
Grow 1 to 2 plants per person.
Yield: 3 to 5 pounds per 10-foot row.
Spacing:
18 to 24 inches apart in rows 36 inches apart.
Cabbage
Plants per person: Grow 4 to 8 plants per person.
Yield: 10 to 25 pounds per 10-foot row.
Spacing:
24 to 30 inches apart.
Carrots
Plants per person:
Grow 30 plants per person.
Yield: 7 to 10 pounds per 10-foot row.
Spacing: Thin plants to 1½ to 2 inches apart in rows 12 inches apart.
Cauliflower
Plants per person: Grow 1 to 2 plants per person.
Yield: 8 to 10 pounds per 10-foot row.
Spacing:
18 to 24 inches apart in rows 3 feet apart.
Celery
Plants per person:
Grow 5 plants per person.
Yield: 6 to 8 stalks per plant.
Spacing: 6 inches apart in rows 2 feet apart.
Chayote
Plants per person: Grow 1 vine for 1 to 4 people.
Spacing:
Set vining plants 10 feet apart and train to a sturdy trellis or wire support.
Chicory
Plants per person: Grow 1 to 2 plants per person.
Spacing:
6 to 12 inches apart in rows 2 to 3 feet apart.
Chinese Cabbage
Plants per person: Grow 6 to 8 heads per person.
Spacing: 4 inches apart in rows 24 to 30 inches apart.
Collards
Plants per person: Grow 2 to 3 plants per person.
Yield: 4 to 8 pounds per 10-foot row.
Spacing:
15 to 18 inches apart in rows 3 feet apart.
Corn
Plants per person: Grow 12 to 20 plants per person.
Yield:
1 to 2 ears per plants, 10 to 12 ears per 10-foot row.
Spacing: 4 to 6 inches apart in rows 2 to 3 feet apart.
Cucumber
Plants per person:
Grow 6 plants per person.
Grow 3 to 4 plants per quart for pickling.
Yield: 8 to 10 pounds per 10-foot row.
Spacing: 1 to 3 feet apart in rows 3 to 6 feet apart.
Eggplant
Plants per person: Grow 1 to 2 plants per person.
Yield:
8 fruits per Italian oval varieties; 10 to 15 fruits per Asian varieties.
Spacing: 24 to 30 inches apart in rows 3 feet apart.
Endive & Escarole
Plants per person: Grow 2 to 3 plants per person.
Yield: 3 to 6 pounds per 10-foot row.
Spacing:
6 to 12 inches apart in rows 2 to 3 feet apart.
Garlic
Plants per person: Grow 12 to 16 plants per person.
Yield: 10 to 30 bulbs per 10-foot row.
Spacing: 3 to 6 inches apart in rows 15 inches apart.
Horseradish
Plants per person: Grow 1 plant per person.
Spacing:
30 to 36 inches apart.
Jicama
Plants per person: Grow 1 to 2 plants per person.
Yield: 1 to 6 pound tuber per plant.
Spacing:
8 to 12 inches apart.
Kale
Plants per person: Grow 4 to 5 plants per person.
Yield: 4 to 8 pounds per 10-foot row.
Spacing:
12 inches apart in rows 12 inches apart.
Kohlrabi
Plants per person: Grow 4 to 5 plants per person.
Yield: 4 to 8 pounds per 10-foot row.
Spacing:
4 to 6 inches apart in rows 30 inches apart.
Leeks
Plants per person: Grow 12 to 15 plants per person.
Yield: 4 to 6 pounds per 10-foot row.
Spacing:
2 to 4 inches apart in rows 6 to 10 inches apart.
Lettuce
Plants per person: Grow 6 to 10 plants per person; plant succession crops with each harvest.
Yield: 4 to 10 pounds per 10-foot row.
Spacing: Space looseleaf lettuce 4 inches apart and all other types 12 inches apart in rows 16 to 24 inches apart.
Melon
Plants per person: Grow 2 to plants per person.
Yield: 2 to 3 melons per vine.
Spacing: 3 to 4 feet apart in rows 3 feet wide.
Mustard
Plants per person: Grow 6 to 10 plants per person.
Yield: 3 to 6 pounds per 10-foot row.
Spacing: 6 to 12 inches apart in rows 15 to 30 inches apart.
Okra
Plants per person: Grow 6 plants per person.
Yield: 5 to 10 pounds per 10-foot row.
Spacing:
12 to 18 inches apart in rows 2½ to 4 feet apart.
Onion
Plants per person: Bulb.
Yield: 7 to 10 pounds of bulbs per 10-foot row.
Spacing:
Onion sets or transplants 4 to 5 inches apart in rows 18 inches apart.
Parsnip
Plants per person: Grow 10 plants per person.
Yield: 10 pounds per 10-foot row.
Spacing:
3 to 4 inches apart in rows 24 inches apart.
Peas
Plants per person: Grow 30 plants per person.
Yield: 2 to 6 pounds per 10-foot row.
Spacing:
2 to 4 inches apart in rows 2 feet apart for bush peas, 5 feet apart for vining peas.
Pepper
Plants per person: Grow 2 to 3 plants per person.
Yield: 5 to 18 pounds per 10-foot row.
Spacing:
18 to 24 inches apart in rows 28 to 36 inches apart.
Potato
Plants per person: Grow 1 plant to yield 5 to 10 potatoes.
Yield: 10 to 20 pounds per 10-foot row.
Spacing:
Seed potatoes 10 to 14 inches apart in trenches 24 to 34 inches apart.
Pumpkin
Plants per person: Grow 1 to 2 plants per person.
Yield: 10 to 20 pounds per 10-foot row.
Spacing: Bush pumpkins 24 inches apart in rows 3 feet apart. Set 2 to 3 vining pumpkins on hills spaced 6 to 8 feet apart.
Radicchio
Plants per person: Grow 5 to 6 plants per person.
Spacing: 6 inches apart in rows 18 inches apart.
Radish
Plants per person: Grow 15 plants per person.
Yield: 2 to 5 pounds per 10-foot row.
Spacing: 1 inch apart in rows 12 to 18 inches apart.
Rhubarb
Plants per person: Grow 2 to 3 plants per person.
Yield:
1 to 5 pounds per plant.
Spacing: 3 to 6 feet apart.
Rutabaga
Plants per person: Grow 5 to 10 plants per person.
Yield: 8 to 30 pounds per 10-foot row.
Spacing:
4 to 6 inches apart in rows 15 to 36 inches apart.
Salsify
Plants per person: Grow 10 plants per person.
Yield:
1 to 5 pounds per plant.
Spacing:
3 to 4 inches apart in rows 20 to 30 inches apart.
Scallions
Yield: 1½ pounds per 10-foot row.
Spacing: Onion sets or plants 2 inches apart for scallions or green onions.
Shallot
Yield:
2 to 12 cloves per plant.
Spacing:
5 to 8 inches apart in rows 2 to 4 feet apart.
Sorrel
Grow: 3 plants per person.
Spacing: 12 inches apart in rows 18 inches apart.
Spinach
Grow: 15 plants per person.
Yield: 4 to 7 pounds per 10-foot row.
Spacing: 3 to 4 inches apart in rows 1 to 2 feet apart.
Squash (Summer)
Grow: 1 to 2 plants per person.
Yield: 10 to 80 pounds per 10-foot row.
Spacing: 2 to 4 feet apart in rows 5 feet apart.
Squash (Winter)
Grow: 1 plant per person.
Spacing: Feet apart.
Sunchokes
Grow: 5 to 10 plants per person.
Spacing: 24 inches apart in rows 36 to 40 inches apart.
Sunflower
Grow: 1 plant per person.
Yield: 1 to 2½ pounds of seed per flower.
Spacing: 8 to 12 inches apart in rows 30 to 36 inches apart.
Sweet Potato
Grow: 5 plants per person.
Yield: 8 to 12 pounds per 10-foot row.
Spacing: 12 inches apart in rows 3 feet apart.
Swiss Chard
Grow:
2 to 3 plants per person.
Yield: 8 to 12 pounds per 10-foot row.
Spacing: 12 inches apart in rows 18 to 30 inches apart.
Tomatillo
Grow:
1 to 2 plants per person.
Yield:
1 to 2 pounds per plant.
Spacing: 10 inches apart in rows 2 feet apart.
Tomato (Cherry)
Grow:
1 to 4 plants per person.
Spacing: 3 feet apart in rows 35 to 45 inches apart.
Tomato (Cooking)
Grow:
3 to 6 plants of each variety
Yield: 8 to 10 quarts.
Spacing: 42 inches apart in rows 40 to 50 inches apart.
Tomato (Slicing)
Grow:
1 to 4 plants per person.
Spacing: 42 inches apart in rows 40 to 50 inches apart.
Turnip
Grow:
5 to 10 plants per person.
Yield: 8 to 12 pounds per 10-foot row.
Spacing:
5 to 8 inches apart in rows 15 to 24 inches apart.
Watermelon
Grow:
2 plants per person.
Yield: 8 to 40 pounds per 10-foot row.
Spacing: 4 feet apart in rows 4 feet wide and 8 feet apart.
Final Thoughts
When planning your garden, it helps to know not only what you want to grow, but how much you really need and how much room each crop will take.
Use this guide along with your garden layout and planting schedule to help plan a garden that fits your space and your needs.
