A well-planned raised bed layout produces 3-5 times more food per square foot than a traditional row garden. The secret isn’t magic soil or special varieties—it’s strategic use of space through intensive spacing, thoughtful companion planting, and systematic crop rotation. These three pillars of raised bed planning transform a simple wooden box into a precision food-production system.
Most gardeners fill their raised beds impulsively—a tomato here, some lettuce there, whatever fits wherever there’s space. This approach wastes potential. A planned layout maximizes every square inch, reduces pest and disease problems through strategic plant placement, and maintains soil fertility year after year through rotation. Investing 30 minutes in planning before you plant saves hours of troubleshooting later and multiplies your harvest.
Key Takeaways
- Square foot gardening spacing produces 2-5 times more food per area than row gardening by eliminating wasted walkway space
- Place tall crops on the north side of beds to prevent shading shorter plants
- Companion planting reduces pest pressure by 30-50% through strategic plant combinations
- A 4-year crop rotation prevents soil-borne disease buildup and balances nutrient demands
- Succession planting (replanting harvested spaces immediately) can double a bed’s annual output
Intensive Spacing: The Square Foot Method
How It Works
Intensive spacing eliminates traditional garden rows with wide walkways between them. Instead, plants fill the entire bed surface in a grid pattern at the closest spacing that allows full development. Since raised beds are never walked on (you reach in from the sides), no space is wasted on paths.
The popular “square foot gardening” method divides the bed into a grid of 1-foot squares, each planted with a specific number of plants based on their mature size. A 4×8-foot bed creates 32 planting squares—each one a mini-garden producing a specific crop. This system is intuitive, organized, and remarkably productive.
Plant Spacing Chart
| Plant | Plants Per Square Foot | Spacing | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomatoes (determinate) | 1 per 2 sq ft | 18-24 in | Cage or stake each plant |
| Tomatoes (indeterminate) | 1 per 4 sq ft | 24 in | Heavy pruning needed |
| Peppers | 1 | 12 in | Both sweet and hot |
| Cucumbers (trellised) | 2 | 6 in | Must trellis vertically |
| Bush beans | 9 | 4 in | Succession plant every 3 weeks |
| Pole beans (trellised) | 8 | 4 in | North side with trellis |
| Lettuce (head) | 4 | 6 in | Succession plant |
| Lettuce (leaf) | 4-6 | 4-6 in | Cut-and-come-again |
| Spinach | 9 | 4 in | Cool season crop |
| Kale | 1 | 12 in | Harvest outer leaves continuously |
| Cabbage | 1 | 12-18 in | Large heading varieties need more space |
| Broccoli | 1 | 12 in | Harvest side shoots after main head |
| Carrots | 16 | 3 in | Thin seedlings to proper spacing |
| Radishes | 16 | 3 in | Fastest crop: 21-30 days |
| Beets | 9 | 4 in | Thin multi-germ seeds |
| Onions | 9-16 | 3-4 in | Green onions at 16, bulb onions at 9 |
| Garlic | 9 | 4 in | Plant in fall for summer harvest |
| Peas | 8 | 3-4 in | Trellis support needed |
| Swiss chard | 4 | 6 in | Cut-and-come-again harvesting |
| Zucchini | 1 per 4 sq ft | 24 in | Sprawling habit—give space |
| Herbs (basil, cilantro) | 4 | 6 in | Pinch regularly for bushier growth |
| Herbs (rosemary, sage) | 1 | 12 in | Woody perennials need room |
Orientation and Sun Planning
The North-to-South Rule
Arrange plants by height from north to south within the bed. Tallest crops on the north end (or north side if the bed runs east-west) so they don’t shade shorter neighbors. This simple rule ensures every plant receives maximum sunlight regardless of its height.
North end (tallest): Trellised crops (pole beans, peas, cucumbers), staked tomatoes, corn, sunflowers. Middle: Medium-height crops (peppers, bush beans, eggplant, kale, broccoli). South end (shortest): Low-growing crops (lettuce, spinach, radishes, carrots, herbs, strawberries).
If your bed runs north-south (the long dimension pointing north), place tall crops along the western edge to avoid afternoon shade on neighboring plants. East-west oriented beds are slightly easier to plan because the tall/short gradient follows naturally from back to front.
Companion Planting Guide for Raised Beds
Why Companions Matter More in Raised Beds
The intensive spacing of raised beds places plants in close proximity, amplifying both positive and negative plant interactions. Strategic companion planting becomes especially valuable in this concentrated environment. Beneficial companions confuse pests, share nutrients, attract pollinators, and even improve flavor in their neighbors.
Best Companion Combinations
The Three Sisters (corn + beans + squash): The classic Native American combination. Corn provides a trellis for climbing beans. Beans fix nitrogen that feeds corn and squash. Squash shades the ground, suppressing weeds and retaining moisture. In a raised bed, dedicate a 4×4 section to this combination.
Tomato Guild: Tomatoes + basil + carrots + parsley. Basil improves tomato flavor and repels aphids and hornworms. Carrots loosen soil around tomato roots. Parsley attracts beneficial predatory insects. Plant basil between tomato plants, carrots and parsley at the feet.
Brassica Protection: Cabbage/broccoli/kale + dill + nasturtiums + onions. Dill attracts beneficial wasps that parasitize cabbage worms. Nasturtiums act as trap crops for aphids. Onion family members repel cabbage moths. This combination reduces brassica pest damage by 40-60%.
Salad Garden: Lettuce + radishes + carrots + chives. Radishes germinate quickly, marking slow-starting carrot rows. Chives repel aphids that target lettuce. Carrots and lettuce share space efficiently as carrots grow below while lettuce sprawls above.
Plants to Keep Apart
Tomatoes and brassicas: Both are heavy feeders that compete for nutrients. Tomatoes may also inhibit brassica growth through allelopathic compounds.
Beans and onion family: Onions, garlic, and shallots stunt bean growth. Keep them in separate bed sections.
Fennel and everything: Fennel inhibits growth of virtually all nearby plants. If growing fennel, isolate it in its own container or bed section.
Dill and carrots: Despite both being umbellifers, mature dill can cross-pollinate with carrots and stunt their growth. Fine when dill is young, but remove before it flowers near carrots.
Crop Rotation: The 4-Year Plan
Why Rotate Crops
Growing the same crop family in the same location year after year allows soil-borne diseases to accumulate, depletes specific nutrients, and builds pest populations. Rotation breaks these cycles by moving crop families to new positions annually. The classic 4-year rotation groups plants by family and nutritional demands.
The Four Groups
Group 1 — Fruiting crops (heavy feeders): Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, squash, melons. These demand the most nutrients and benefit from freshly composted soil. Plant them where legumes grew the previous year to capitalize on residual nitrogen.
Group 2 — Leaf crops (moderate feeders): Lettuce, spinach, kale, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Swiss chard. These need moderate nutrition and follow fruiting crops, utilizing remaining fertility.
Group 3 — Root crops (light feeders): Carrots, beets, radishes, onions, garlic, turnips, parsnips. These prefer leaner soil (excess nitrogen causes forked roots) and follow leaf crops as fertility further declines. See our carrot guide for soil preparation.
Group 4 — Legumes and soil builders: Beans, peas, and cover crops. These fix atmospheric nitrogen into the soil, rebuilding fertility for the next cycle. Follow legumes with heavy-feeding fruiting crops to complete the rotation.
Rotation Schedule for a Single Bed
| Year | Crop Group | Example Crops | Soil Treatment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | Fruiting (heavy feeder) | Tomatoes, peppers, squash | Heavy compost application |
| Year 2 | Leaf (moderate feeder) | Kale, lettuce, broccoli | Light compost top-dress |
| Year 3 | Root (light feeder) | Carrots, onions, beets | No compost; add sand/perlite if needed |
| Year 4 | Legumes (soil builder) | Beans, peas, cover crops | Inoculate seeds; add lime if needed |
With multiple beds, run each bed on the same rotation but offset by one year, so you grow all four groups every season across your garden.
Succession Planting: Double Your Harvest
Succession planting means immediately replanting any harvested space with the next appropriate crop. A square foot of lettuce harvested in June becomes a square foot of bush beans in July, which becomes fall spinach in September. This approach can double or triple a bed’s annual production.
Our comprehensive succession planting guide covers timing charts, crop sequences, and zone-specific schedules.
Quick succession sequences:
- Spring peas → summer beans → fall lettuce
- Spring radishes → summer cucumbers → fall spinach
- Spring lettuce → summer peppers (transplant over lettuce as it bolts) → fall garlic
- Spring broccoli → summer beans → fall kale
Sample Layout: 4×8 Raised Bed
Summer Production Layout
From north to south in a 4×8 bed:
- Row 1 (north, 4×1 ft): 2 indeterminate tomatoes, caged, with basil between them
- Row 2 (4×1 ft): 4 pepper plants
- Row 3 (4×1 ft): 2 sq ft bush beans (18 plants) + 2 sq ft Swiss chard (8 plants)
- Row 4 (4×1 ft): 4 sq ft carrots (64 plants) thinned progressively
- Rows 5-6 (4×2 ft): Lettuce and herb mix: 4 sq ft lettuce (16 heads) + 2 sq ft basil + 2 sq ft mixed herbs
- Row 7 (4×1 ft): Radish succession + green onions
- Row 8 (south edge, 4×1 ft): Marigold border (pest deterrent + pollinator attractant)
This single 4×8 bed produces tomatoes, peppers, beans, chard, carrots, lettuce, herbs, radishes, and green onions—a complete kitchen garden in 32 square feet.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many raised beds do I need to feed a family?
For supplementing a family of four with regular fresh vegetables during growing season, three 4×8 beds (96 sq ft total) provide substantial production. For approaching self-sufficiency in vegetables, plan for 200+ square feet per person—roughly six to eight 4×8 beds for a family of four.
Should I use a grid physically marked on the bed?
For beginners, yes. A physical grid (string, lath strips, or PVC pipe) prevents overcrowding and makes planning visual. Experienced gardeners often internalize spacing and skip the physical grid, but it remains a valuable organizational tool even for veterans.
Can I skip crop rotation in a small garden?
Rotation is less critical in raised beds amended with heavy annual compost additions, but it still provides benefits. At minimum, avoid planting tomato-family crops (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant) in the same spot for consecutive years—soil-borne tomato diseases are the most common rotation-related problem.
What if my raised bed only gets 4-5 hours of sun?
Focus on leafy greens (lettuce, spinach, kale, chard), herbs (parsley, cilantro, chives, mint), and root crops (radishes, beets, carrots). These produce acceptably in partial shade. Avoid fruiting crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash) that need 6-8 hours of direct sun.
How do I plan for fall planting in my raised bed layout?
Reserve 30-50% of bed space for fall crops by choosing early-maturing summer varieties that finish by August, freeing space for fall transplants and direct sowing. Our fall planting guide covers timing and variety selection by zone.
