Planning a Vegetable Garden
Layout for a Home Garden

Planning a vegetable garden layout can be one of the most fun parts of gardening!

You can plot your garden on paper to help determine the size, shape, and amount of vegetables you can grow. Or use our interactive Vegetable Garden Planner to create the size you want, choose the vegetables you want; build your garden, and print it!

Freshly harvested green beans from the garden.

Below are two sample 20' x 40' vegetable garden plans to choose from; one with 5 rows of sweet corn, and one without corn.

Or use our planner tool shown below to design and print your own 20 x 40 vegetable garden plan.

Over the years, we have had large in-ground gardens on our farm, raised bed gardens, and also some container gardens. There are advantages to each, and it really depends on your skill level, and how much time and energy you want to spend on gardening. 

Click image to download and print this 20 x 40 vegetable garden plan.

Click image to download this 20 x 40 vegetable garden plan that includes rows of corn.

Use Our Free Online
Vegetable Garden Planner

Free garden tools for your own zip code

Planting Calendar Planting dates for your zip code.

Garden Planner Lay out a bed with correct spacing.

Zone Finder Your zone and frost dates.

Use our free online Vegetable Garden Planner to design a veggie garden that works for you!

Then you have the fun of choosing exactly which vegetables you will plant in this year's garden!

As it helps to organize a bit before starting out, we have assembled some worksheets to aid you in planning your garden:  

An attractive and productive vegetable garden is a source of pride that also provides a bounty of fresh wholesome produce.

It helps to keep your garden plan as simple as you can.

If you learn to really love gardening, you can always increase the size and complexity of your garden plan next year.

What Type of Vegetable Garden to Plant?

Basic types of vegetable gardens to consider.

There are many ways of growing vegetables in a home garden.

Backyard gardens are the most traditional and typical types of plots.

However, many gardeners are discovering the joys of container gardening, raised bed gardens, and square foot gardens.

These types of gardens are great for beginner gardeners, and those who don't have the time or physical strength to prepare, plant, and maintain an in-ground garden.

If simplicity is what you want, please use the links above to see the articles devoted to these specific types of gardens.

Planning a Raised Bed Garden

Backyard Gardening

Click here for the free printable 10' x 20' garden plan (PDF)

Once a site has been selected, measure the garden so you will know the square footage of the area.

Factor in space for extras such as cold frame, rain barrel, storage shed, compost bin, and greenhouse when possible.

Situate these items where they will not encroach on your primary planting ground.

• When planning a vegetable garden layout, draw the proposed plot to scale, laying out the beds and walkways. 

• Garden beds or rows are usually three to four feet wide and run north to south. 

• Make garden paths about two or three feet in width.

• Do not despair if you do not have a big lot for planning a vegetable garden layout. A 500-square-foot space (or 20' x 25') can go a long way toward supplying a family of four with fresh healthy vegetables.

Vegetable Garden Layout

A small, well-laid-out garden with its beds running north and south for the best sun is ideal.

Picture a plot 4 feet wide by 20 feet long.

With a four-foot width, you can reach the center of the garden from either side, so there's no need for paths inside the bed. A straw path along each long side keeps your feet off the soil.

Put the tallest crops, like pole beans and tomatoes, at the north end, and work down to the shortest crops, like lettuce and spinach, at the south end, so nothing gets shaded.

Have room for extras? The picture below shows one way to fit a compost bin, storage shed, rain barrel, cold frame, and greenhouse beside a 4 x 20 garden.

On the west end of the vegetable garden layout, make room for a compost bin in the most northern corner.

Beside it, moving to the south, place your storage shed. Continuing south, leave a spot open for the rain barrel.

Next, the walkway starts just beyond the rain barrel.

Past the path, heading south, put your cold frame.

Last but not least, the greenhouse goes in the southernmost corner of the garden.

Planning a Vegetable Garden Layout that Includes a Greenhouse

Planning a Vegetable Garden Layout
Step-by-Step Success

• Plant tall crops that cast shade, such as beans and corn, in the northern half of the vegetable garden. 

• Group perennial vegetables together, preferably along the edges. 

• A small hedge placed around the site can provide protection from the wind.

• Consider sunlight, soil, and climate when locating the ideal garden spot. 

• Cold air drains downhill and tends to collect in low-lying areas. 

• The coldest and most frost-prone location is at the bottom of the hill. 

• Choose level ground close to the house, so watering, weeding, and harvesting are easy.

5 Layout Tips That Make a Big Difference

• Watch the sun first. Walk your garden in the morning, at noon, and in late afternoon. Note which spots get 6 to 8 hours of sun before you place a single bed.
• Put tall crops on the north side. Corn, pole beans, and tomatoes on trellises go on the north end, so they don't shade the shorter plants.
• Make paths 18 to 24 inches wide. That's room to kneel, carry a basket, and push a wheelbarrow through.
• Tuck lettuce under the tomatoes. The tomato plants shade the lettuce in summer, which slows bolting and uses space that would sit empty.
• Plant melons beside the compost pile. Melons love the extra warmth and moisture, and their vines can spread out without crowding the garden.

Not sure which way your rows should run? Oregon State University Extension explains how to place your garden rows for the best growth.

Healthy Soil is Very Important!

Prior to planning a vegetable garden layout in-ground, it is a good idea to have the soil tested by your local extension agent.

Most garden soil will benefit from adding a layer of compost that includes well-aged manure to add fertility.

Do as much as possible to increase soil fertility and condition, because keeping your plants healthy is key to your gardening success!

Healthy Soil is Important when Planning Your Vegetable Garden

Garden Soil and Compost

Add a Layer of Compost Each Year

Soil tests reveal what type of soil you have to work with and the minerals it already contains.

This information is handy for your next step to gardening success; balancing the key soil ingredients to supply your growing plants their ideal nutrients and soil condition.

A compost pile recycles valuable garden wastes by facilitating its rapid breakdown and decomposition into a humus rich fertilizer.

You can construct a simple compost bin with posts.

For the best results, a compost pile needs to measure at least 40 cubic feet.

Once you've picked a compost bin, the next question is what to put in it.

A good pile is a mix of "greens," like kitchen scraps and grass clippings, and "browns," like dry leaves and straw.

Use about two to three parts browns for every one part greens.

Keep it about as moist as a wrung-out sponge and turn it now and then.

The chart below shows what to add, and what to leave out so your pile doesn't draw pests or spread plant diseases.

An important tip before you plant is to include some herbs or marigolds when planning a vegetable garden layout.

They attract beneficial insects, add color and vitality to the scenery, and the herbs will spice up your home cooked meals.

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Return to our Planning a Vegetable Garden hub for complete guides to garden design, layout, raised beds, containers, and planning tools.

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