Planting Calculator
Quick-reference planting charts for perennials, live stakes, hedges, screens and tree plantings. Use them to estimate how many plants a project needs, or open the matching calculator for your exact measurements.
Perennials Live stakes Hedges & screens Trees per acre Spacing guide
Perennial spacing chart: plants per 100 sq ft
| Spacing | Square grid | Staggered rows | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 inches | 100 | 116 | Small perennials and groundcovers |
| 18 inches | 45 | 52 | Most medium perennials |
| 24 inches | 25 | 29 | Large perennials |
| 36 inches | 12 | 13 | Very large, clumping perennials |
For a whole acre, multiply by 435.6.
Open the Perennial CalculatorLive stake spacing chart: stakes per 1,000 sq ft
| Spacing | Square grid | Staggered rows | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 feet | 250 | 289 | Steep banks, fast water, heavy erosion |
| 3 feet | 112 | 129 | Most stream banks and slopes |
| 4 feet | 63 | 73 | Gentle slopes, lower budgets |
For a whole acre, multiply by 43.56. Staggered rows are the usual choice for erosion control because they leave fewer straight channels for water to cut through.
Open the Live Stake CalculatorHedge and privacy screen chart: plants per 100 feet
| Spacing | 1 row | 2 staggered rows |
|---|---|---|
| 1 foot | 101 | 201 |
| 2 feet | 51 | 101 |
| 3 feet | 34 | 67 |
| 4 feet | 26 | 51 |
| 5 feet | 21 | 41 |
| 6 feet | 17 | 34 |
| 8 feet | 13 | 26 |
| 10 feet | 11 | 21 |
Tree planting chart: trees per acre
| Spacing | Trees per acre |
|---|---|
| 6 × 6 feet | 1,210 |
| 8 × 8 feet | 681 |
| 10 × 10 feet | 436 |
| 12 × 12 feet | 303 |
| 15 × 15 feet | 194 |
| 20 × 20 feet | 109 |
For any other spacing, divide 43,560 (the square feet in an acre) by spacing within rows × spacing between rows.
Open the Tree & Shrub CalculatorSpacing guide at a glance
| Planting | Typical spacing |
|---|---|
| Small perennials and groundcovers | 12 inches |
| Medium perennials | 18 inches |
| Large perennials | 24 to 36 inches |
| Live stakes for erosion control | 2 to 4 feet, staggered |
| Formal, clipped hedges | 1 to 2 feet |
| Informal and flowering shrub hedges | 3 to 5 feet |
| Evergreen privacy screens, like arborvitae | About 5 to 6 feet in a single row |
| Windbreaks and wildlife plantings | 2 or 3 staggered rows |
When in doubt, space plants about as far apart as they'll be wide at maturity. Closer spacing fills in faster but takes more plants.
Link to these planting charts
Landscape designers, garden clubs, conservation districts and extension offices are welcome to link to this page from planting guides and resource pages.
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