Plant Spacing - Recommended distances between plants (2024)

One of the questions that we are asked frequently by our customers is plant spacing. How far apart do I plant my trees or shrubs?

In reply to those questions, the following is useful information.

Plant Spacing

Spacing guidelines for various types of tree plantations are listed as follows (43,560 square feet/acre):

Christmas Trees 6 x 6 foot spacing, 1210 trees/acre 8 x 8 foot spacing, 680 trees/acre 5 x 6 foot spacing, 1450 trees/acre

Reforestation 8 x 8 foot spacing, 680 trees/acre

Windbreaks 8 x 10 foot spacing in staggered rows, 545 trees/acre 10 x 10 foot spacing in staggered rows, 436 trees/acre 6 x 6 foot spacing in staggered rows for shrubs, 1210 trees/acre

In planning windbreaks, the first item to consider is location. Place the planting on the windward side of areas needing protection with inside rows no closer than 50 feet from area to be protected. Snow, when accompanied by wind, will pile up in driveways and around buildings if the planting is too close. Avoid planting tall-growing trees under utility lines. Where driveways and main roads join, avoid creating hazardous blind corners by planting no closer than 20 feet to the main road. Curve the windbreak when possible for ease of cultivation and a pleasing appearance.

Plan the number and length of rows so proper numbers of trees and shrubs can be ordered. Determine species needed and spacing between each plant and spacing between rows. Row spacing should be 12-20 feet. Distance between plants in the shrub row should be 3-5 feet for deciduous species; if juniper is used for a shrub row, space plants 5-7 feet apart. For interior rows, space evergreens 8-12 feet apart and deciduous trees 10-14 feet apart.

Place the shrub row on the windward side of windbreaks. Next, come two or more rows of deciduous trees and then evergreen trees. Where space is limited, it is better to have two or three rows of evergreens rather than deciduous trees because evergreens form a far more efficient wind, dust, and snow barrier. However, most evergreen species are slower growing than deciduous species.

The above information was taken from the Conservation Tree Seedlings Planting and Care Guide for Arizona Landowners published by the Arizona State Land Department Forestry Division.

In landscape plantings for hedges, shrubs are generally spaced 3-5 feet apart. To create a tree hedge (maybe to mark a property line), space trees 8-10 feet apart for deciduous trees and about 10 feet apart for evergreen trees.

Grapes - plant 3 feet apart in rows that are 8-10 feet apart.

Groundcovers - plant 12" apart for border and mass plantings.

Strawberries - plant 2' apart in raised rows in full sun.

Plant Spacing - Recommended distances between plants (2024)

FAQs

Plant Spacing - Recommended distances between plants? ›

Row spacing should be 12-20 feet. Distance between plants in the shrub row should be 3-5 feet for deciduous species; if juniper is used for a shrub row, space plants 5-7 feet apart. For interior rows, space evergreens 8-12 feet apart and deciduous trees 10-14 feet apart.

What is the ideal distance between two plants? ›

A good visual rule of thumb for plant spacing is to plant so the tips of the leaves from one mature plant are 2-4 cm from the tips of the leaves of another plant. This usually can be estimated as: Around 5-10cm between seedlings for small leafy vegetables like Lettuce and Cai Xin.

How far apart should you plant different plants? ›

The easy way to determine spacing between different plants is to use the average of their mature sizes. As an example, when planting a 5-foot-wide hydrangea planted next to a boxwood that grows up to 3 feet wide, space the plants 4 feet apart. Remember to measure from the center of one plant to the next.

What is the best spacing for plants? ›

The 4-inch spacing is for bush beans and spinach. A 6-inch spacing is needed for Swiss chard, leaf lettuce and parsley. A whole 12-inch square is required for each broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, corn, eggplant, muskmelon and pepper plant.

What is the formula for plant spacing? ›

For a square bed, multiply the length of the bed by its width to determine how many plants per square foot. For a circular planting bed, you can calculate how many plants per square foot is ideal by multiplying 3.14 by the distance from the center to the edge of the bed.

Can plants be too close together? ›

You're on your way to an even more beautiful garden. But before you get digging, there are a few things to keep in mind as you choose where to place your new plants. Putting plants too close together in a garden can stress them out, which limits their growth, beauty, and overall health.

What is the distance between 5 consecutive plants? ›

5 consecutive plants have 4 parts between them, So, the distance between 5 consecutive plants = 4 × 10.1 m = 40.4 m. Hence, the correct answer is an option(2) i.e., 40.4 m. -> UPSC Civil Services 2025 Exam Dates have been announced.

What is the spacing for perennials? ›

Plants whose mature height is 3' or above should be planted 2' to 3' feet apart, and plants 2' to 3' tall should be spaced 1.5' to 2' apart. Below 2' tall, spacing should be 1'. Most perennials benefit from lifting and dividing every three to four years.

Can you plant plants right next to each other? ›

The process is known as companion planting. It is believed that growing certain plants in close proximity to others may help deter pests, promote growth and even improve flavor—or on the opposite end of the spectrum, certain plants, when planted close to one another, may actually stunt each other's growth.

How to space plants in landscaping? ›

There are two basic rules when arranging plants in the beds: 1) space the individual plants so that they touch each other when they reach their mature size, and 2) overlap the masses of plants and connect them so that they flow without space between them. Avoid gaps or large open areas between masses.

What is the row spacing of plants? ›

Row spacing (along with seeding rate) determines the crop arrangement in a field, altering how fast the crop canopy closes (leaves from adjoining rows begin overlapping) and the ways in which weeds grow between crop rows.

What is the distance between plants per row? ›

The ideal spacing between the rows in your garden provides ample room for your plants to grow and for you to work in. In most cases it is a good idea to leave at least 18 to 36 inches of space between each row of plants.

How far do plants need to be apart? ›

Plants of intermediate size should be placed at least 18 to 24 inches apart (four to three plants per 10 square feet) and larger plants should be spaced roughly three feet apart.

What is distance between two plants? ›

Distance between plants in the shrub row should be 3-5 feet for deciduous species; if juniper is used for a shrub row, space plants 5-7 feet apart. For interior rows, space evergreens 8-12 feet apart and deciduous trees 10-14 feet apart.

How far apart should incompatible plants be planted? ›

Plants that have negative or detrimental relationships, should be planted at least two to three rows apart. Infestation of pests or disease can occur more quickly if you plant all the same crop close together.

How far apart should plant rows be? ›

For most tillers, rows should be at least 36 inches wide. This way you can go back between the rows and lightly cultivate for weed control until the crop starts to fill in between the rows. For most crops such as beans, corn, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, okra, peas and squash, 36-inch row spacing would be the minimum.

Why do plants need to be spaced apart? ›

Space to Grow

A plant's roots need space so that they can spread out and absorb water and nutrients. Its leaves need space so that they access light. When plants grow too close together, they have to compete for these resources.

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