VegLogGet the app

Raised bed layout ideas

Pick a layout, then change the size and crops to suit your bed. The planner works out spacing, plant numbers and sowing dates as you go.

Four layouts to start from

  • Mixed vegetable bed

    1.2 × 2.4 m, planted in 30 cm squares

    An easy mix for a first season: tomatoes, courgette, beans, salads and roots.

    Tomato, Basil, French marigold, French bean, Courgette, Lettuce, Radish, Spring onion, Carrot, Beetroot, Salad leaves, Pea, Kale, Chard, Parsley, Spinach

    Use this layout

  • Salad bed

    1.2 × 1.2 m, planted in 30 cm squares

    Lettuce, rocket, radishes, spinach and herbs for picking all summer.

    Lettuce, Rocket, Radish, Spring onion, Spinach, Beetroot, Chard, Coriander, Carrot, Parsley

    Use this layout

  • Tomato bed

    1.2 × 2.4 m, planted in 30 cm squares

    Tomatoes and peppers with basil, dwarf beans and salads for a sunny spot.

    Tomato, Basil, French marigold, Sweet pepper, Chilli, French bean, Cucumber, Lettuce, Carrot, Radish, Coriander, Beetroot, Salad leaves, Chard, Parsley, Nasturtium

    Use this layout

  • Kitchen herbs

    0.9 × 0.9 m, planted in 30 cm squares

    Nine herbs and flowers in a square by the back door.

    Basil, Parsley, Chives, Coriander, Dill, Mint, Strawberry, Nasturtium, French marigold

    Use this layout

Plan your raised bed

It starts on a 1.2 × 2.4 m (about 4 × 8 ft) bed. Change the width and length to match yours.

Bed size, shape and units
Units
Shape
Plant in

This page can't save your plan. Print it, or on iPhone or iPad.

Start from a layout

Save your plan in VegLog

This page can't save plans. When you close it, your plan is gone.

VegLog on iPhone and iPad keeps every bed you draw, tells you what to sow each week, warns you before a frost and keeps a record of your harvests.

Free for your first growing space. No account, no ads.

Tips for laying out a raised bed

  • Plant in squares or blocks. You don't walk on a raised bed, so you don't need paths between rows. Space plants the same distance apart in every direction.
  • Put tall crops at the north end. Tomatoes, climbing beans and sweetcorn there won't shade the smaller crops. In the southern hemisphere, put them at the south end.
  • Give big plants room. A courgette or squash needs about 90 cm square on its own. The planner warns you if a patch is too small.
  • Plant again when crops come out. Move the date slider through the summer to see where early crops like radishes and salad leave room for a second crop.

Layouts for a particular size: 4x8 raised bed, square foot garden, small vegetable garden and herb garden.

Our guides cover planning a raised bed, the best vegetables for raised beds and square foot gardening. To work out how much soil you need, use the raised bed soil calculator.

Questions

What is a good layout for a 4 x 8 raised bed?

Split it into 32 squares of 30 cm (1 ft) and give each crop the squares it needs: one for a tomato or kale plant, four for a courgette, and one square holds 16 carrots or 4 lettuces. Put tall crops at the north end so they don't shade the rest.

How do I lay out vegetables in a raised bed?

Plant in squares or blocks instead of long rows, because you don't walk on the bed. Put crops that grow well together side by side, such as tomatoes and basil, and keep onions and garlic away from peas and beans.

What should I plant together in a raised bed?

Good pairs include tomatoes with basil and marigolds, carrots with onions or leeks, and sweetcorn with squash and climbing beans. The planner above checks each neighbour as you add crops.

Save your raised bed plan

VegLog keeps every bed you draw, reminds you when to sow, and keeps a record of your harvests. Free for your first growing space.