Garden Size Calculator

Figure out how big your garden should be based on your household size and growing goals.

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Garden size depends on your goals. A small salad garden needs about 200 square feet per person, while growing enough to feed a family year-round (including preserving) takes closer to 800 square feet per person.

Tips

Start small your first year — you can always expand once you get comfortable.
A single 4x8 raised bed is a great beginner project and can grow a surprising amount of salad greens and herbs.
Leave at least 3 feet between raised beds so you can walk, kneel, and use a wheelbarrow comfortably.
Year-round growing goals assume you will preserve food by canning, freezing, or dehydrating — plan storage space too.
If space is limited, vertical gardening with trellises can double your growing area for vining crops like beans and cucumbers.