How many plants do I need for 500 square feet?
Filling 500 square feet with plants on 12 inch centers takes 500 plants in a square grid or 578 in staggered rows. At 18 inches it is 223 plants; at 8 inches for a dense ground cover, 1,125; at 36 inches for shrubs, 56. Spacing is the mature width on the plant tag, not the pot size.
Plants for 500 square feet by spacing
| Spacing and typical plants | Square grid | Staggered rows | Cost at $5 each (grid) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 in: lettuce, bulbs | 2,000 | 2,310 | $10,000 |
| 8 in: pachysandra, annuals | 1,125 | 1,300 | $5,625 |
| 12 in: vinca, liriope, sedum | 500 | 578 | $2,500 |
| 18 in: hostas, daylilies, creeping phlox | 223 | 257 | $1,115 |
| 24 in: coneflower, small shrubs | 125 | 145 | $625 |
| 36 in: medium shrubs | 56 | 65 | $280 |
For 500 square feet of bed. Staggered (triangular) rows fit about 15 percent more plants in the same area and close the canopy sooner.
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Planning and buying for 500 square feet
At $4 to $8 per plant in 4 in pots, 500 plants on 12 in centers cost $2,000 to $4,000; the same bed at 18 in spacing with 223 plants is $892 to $1,784 and fills in a season later. Flats of 18 or 32 plugs bring ground covers down to $1 to $2 each, so 1,125 plugs at 8 in spacing is about $1,125 to $2,250. Buy 5 percent extra for losses the first month. Prepare the bed with 2 to 3 in of compost (3.9 cubic yards for this area) and finish with 2 in of mulch, about 42 bags of 2 cubic feet; the mulch calculator has the full breakdown.
Layout for a 500 square foot bed
- Set the first row half a spacing in from the edge so mature plants do not spill over the lawn or walk.
- For staggered rows, offset every other row by half the spacing and bring the rows 13 percent closer together.
- Mix spacings: shrubs at 36 in at the back, perennials at 18 in in the middle, and ground cover at 8 to 12 in at the front edge.
- Mark the grid with a tape and flour or spray chalk before you dig; it is much faster than measuring each hole.
- Water deeply the day of planting and every two or three days for the first month.
Common questions
How many plants for 500 square feet at 12 inches apart?
500 plants in a square grid, since each plant occupies one square foot, or 578 in staggered rows. At 10 in spacing it is about 720.
How many plants for 500 square feet at 18 inches apart?
223 plants in a grid or 257 staggered. Each plant at 18 in spacing covers 2.25 square feet.
How much ground cover for 500 square feet?
1,125 plants at 8 in spacing for a fast fill, 500 at 12 in for a more economical planting that closes in about two seasons, or 2,000 at 6 in for tiny plugs of thyme or sedum.