Plain-English guides
Garden Guides
The number first, then enough to trust it. How much you need, how deep, and how far apart, with a calculator for every job.
42 guides
6 guides
Soil & topsoil
How many yards to buy, how deep to go, and what a yard weighs.
How Deep Should Soil Be? (Raised Beds, Lawns + Gardens)
Depth depends on the project. Raised beds want 6-12 inches, a new lawn wants 4-6 inches of topsoil, and containers need 12-24 inches. Full reference table and the sources behind each number.
7 min read
How to Top Dress a Lawn (Depth, Material + How Much)
Spread compost or topsoil over your lawn in a thin layer, 1/4 to 1/2 inch. A 1,000 sq ft lawn at 1/4 inch needs about 0.77 cubic yards.
9 min read
How Much Does a Yard of Topsoil Weigh?
A yard of screened topsoil weighs roughly 2,000 to 2,700 lb, about 1.0 to 1.3 tons (0.9 to 1.2 tonnes). It varies with moisture. Here is the range, a table, and the math.
5 min read
How Much Garden Soil Do I Need? (Formula + Chart)
Multiply square feet by depth in inches, divide by 324 for cubic yards. Plus a coverage chart, bag counts, and a direct answer for square-foot gardens.
7 min read
How Much Soil Do I Need? (And Which Soil to Buy)
Multiply length × width × depth in feet, divide by 27 for cubic yards. Plus a which-soil chooser so you buy the right material, not just the right amount.
7 min read
How Much Topsoil Do I Need? (Tons, Yards + Calculator)
Topsoil is sold by the ton. Multiply your square feet by depth in inches, divide by 324 for cubic yards, then plan for about 1.2 tons per yard.
7 min read
5 guides
Mulch & compost
Depth, bags per yard, and how much to spread, from bark to shredded leaves.
Mulch 101: Types, Depth, and How Much You Need
A plain-English guide to mulch: what it does, depth and lifespan for 13 mulch types, how much to buy for 10 bed sizes, and the mulch problems extension services warn about.
11 min read
Leaves as Mulch: How to Use Fall Leaves and How Many Bags You Need
Yes, fall leaves make good free mulch. Shred them with your mower, spread 2-4 inches on beds, and rake about twice the bags you think you need, because shredded leaves shrink a lot.
8 min read
How Many Bags of Mulch Are in a Yard?
A cubic yard of mulch is 27 cubic feet, so it takes 14 bags of 2 cu ft mulch or 9 bags of 3 cu ft to make a yard. Tables and the ÷ math inside.
4 min read
How Much Compost Do I Need?
Multiply square feet by depth in inches, divide by 324 for cubic yards of compost. Formula, worked examples, and a bagged-vs-bulk guide.
5 min read
How Much Mulch Do I Need?
Measure your bed, multiply by depth, divide by 324, and you have the cubic yards of mulch you need. Formula, worked examples, and a coverage table.
4 min read
3 guides
Raised beds
Fill volume, the best soil mix, and cheaper ways to fill the bottom.
Raised Bed Soil: The Complete Guide (Mix, Depth, Cost)
Everything that goes in a raised bed, in one place: a shopping list for 10 bed sizes, 9 extension-tested mix recipes, what to put in the bottom, and how to fill a deep bed for less.
11 min read
How Much Soil for a Raised Bed?
Length times width times height in feet, divided by 27, gives cubic yards. A 4x8 bed at 10 inches needs about 1 cubic yard. Formula, mix ratios, bag list, and a calculator.
7 min read
What Soil Mix for Raised Beds?
The best raised bed soil mix is 60 percent topsoil, 30 percent compost, and 10 percent aeration. Here is why each part matters, plus the per-bag amounts for a 4x8 bed.
6 min read
4 guides
Seasonal projects
Jobs tied to the calendar: fall bulbs and garlic, cover crops, cold frames.
DIY Cold Frame: How to Build and Use One (Materials + Venting Guide)
A cold frame is a low box with a clear lid that traps heat from the sun. Face it south, vent it once it warms up, and it buys you weeks on both ends of the season. Materials, venting temps, and what to grow, month by month.
8 min read
How to Plant Garlic (Depth, Spacing, and Timing)
Plant garlic cloves about 2 inches deep, pointy end up, 4 to 6 inches apart, in fall about 2 to 4 weeks before the ground freezes. Zone-by-zone timing, a depth chart, and how many cloves fit your bed.
9 min read
How to Plant Tulip Bulbs
Plant tulip bulbs 6-8 inches deep, pointy end up, 4-6 inches apart. Depth and spacing tables, pot planting, and how to actually stop squirrels.
7 min read
Winter Cover Crops for Garden Beds: What to Sow and How Much Seed
Sow crimson clover 6–8 weeks before frost or winter rye as late as mid-fall. Seed amounts for a 4x8 bed, a no-work oat option, and how to kill it by hand.
10 min read
24 guides
Plant spacing
How far apart to plant each crop in rows, raised beds, and square-foot grids.
Plant Spacing Chart: In-Row Inches + Square-Foot Counts
A 23-crop vegetable spacing chart with in-row inches, row spacing, and square-foot counts side by side with K-State Extension ranges, plus real plant counts for 4x4, 4x8, and 4x12 beds.
9 min read
How Far Apart to Plant Basil
Space basil 8 inches apart in rows 12 inches apart, or 4 plants per square foot in a raised bed. Spacing chart, layouts, and a calculator.
5 min read
How Far Apart to Plant Beets
Thin beets to 3-4 inches apart in rows 12-18 inches apart, or 9 per square foot in a raised bed. Spacing by variety, bed-size counts, and a calculator.
6 min read
How Far Apart to Plant Broccoli (Rows + Raised Bed)
Space broccoli 18 inches apart in rows 24 to 36 inches apart, or 1 plant per square foot in a raised bed. Spacing table, layouts, and a calculator.
5 min read
How Far Apart to Plant Bush Beans (Rows + Raised Bed)
Space bush beans about 4 inches apart in rows 18 inches apart, or 9 plants per square foot in a raised bed. Here is the spacing by method, why airflow matters, and the layout that fits more.
6 min read
How Far Apart to Plant Butternut Squash
Space butternut squash about 24 inches apart in rows 48 inches apart, or give each plant 2 square feet in a raised bed. Spacing chart and a calculator.
5 min read
How Far Apart to Plant Cabbage (Rows + Raised Bed)
Space cabbage 12 to 18 inches apart in rows 24 to 36 inches apart, or 1 plant per square foot in a raised bed. Spacing table, layouts, and a calculator.
5 min read
How Far Apart to Plant Carrots
Thin carrots to 2-3 inches apart in rows 12-18 inches apart, or 16 per square foot in a raised bed. Bucket counts, variety spacing, bed-size tables, and a calculator.
6 min read
How Far Apart to Plant Cauliflower (Rows + Raised Bed)
Space cauliflower 18 inches apart in rows 24 to 36 inches apart, or 1 plant per square foot in a raised bed. Spacing table, layouts, and a calculator.
6 min read
How Far Apart to Plant Cucumbers (Rows + Raised Bed)
Space cucumbers about 12 inches apart in rows 36 inches apart, or grow them up a trellis at 2 per square foot in a raised bed. Spacing by method, the square-versus-triangular trick, and why airflow matters.
6 min read
How Far Apart to Plant Eggplant
Space eggplant 18 inches apart in rows 30 inches apart, or give each plant a full square foot in a raised bed. Spacing by method, by variety, plants per bed size, and a calculator.
6 min read
How Far Apart to Plant Garlic
Space garlic cloves 6 inches apart in rows 12 inches apart, or 9 cloves per square foot in a raised bed. Spacing chart, the offset-grid trick, and a calculator.
6 min read
How Far Apart to Plant Lettuce (Rows + Raised Beds)
Space leaf lettuce about 8 inches apart in rows 12 inches apart, or 4 plants per square foot in a raised bed. Spacing by method, a quick chart, and why it matters.
5 min read
How Far Apart to Plant Onions
Space onions about 5 inches apart in rows 12 inches apart, or 9 per square foot in a raised bed. Spacing chart, the square-vs-triangular trick, and a calculator.
5 min read
How Far Apart to Plant Peas
Space peas 3 inches apart in rows 18 inches apart, or 8 plants per square foot in a raised bed. Spacing by bed type, bush vs vining, and a calculator.
6 min read
How Far Apart to Plant Peppers (Rows + Raised Bed)
Space pepper plants about 18 inches apart in rows 24 inches apart, or give each plant one square foot in a raised bed. Here is the spacing by method, the square-versus-triangular trick, and why crowding costs you peppers.
6 min read
How Far Apart to Plant Potatoes
Plant seed potatoes 12 inches apart in rows 30 to 36 inches apart, or about 4 per square foot in a raised bed. Spacing chart, the triangular trick, and a calculator.
5 min read
How Far Apart to Plant Pumpkins
Space pumpkins about 36 inches apart in rows 60 inches apart, or give each plant about 4 square feet in a raised bed. Spacing chart and a calculator.
6 min read
How Far Apart to Plant Radishes
Thin radishes to 2 inches apart in rows 6-12 inches apart, or 16 per square foot in a raised bed. Spacing chart, square vs triangular layout, and a calculator.
5 min read
How Far Apart to Plant Spinach (Rows + Raised Beds)
Space spinach about 4 inches apart in rows 12 inches apart, or 9 plants per square foot in a raised bed. Spacing by method, a quick chart, and why it matters.
5 min read
How Far Apart to Plant Sweet Potatoes
Space sweet potato slips about 12 inches apart in rows 36 inches apart, or give each plant 1 square foot in a raised bed. Spacing chart and a calculator.
6 min read
How Far Apart to Plant Swiss Chard
Thin Swiss chard to 8 inches apart in rows 18 inches apart, or 4 plants per square foot in a raised bed. Spacing chart, square vs triangular, and a calculator.
5 min read
How Far Apart to Plant Tomatoes
Space tomatoes about 24 inches apart in rows 36 inches apart, or one plant per square foot in a raised bed. Spacing chart, the square-vs-triangular trick, and a calculator.
5 min read
How Far Apart to Plant Zucchini
Space zucchini 24 inches apart in rows 36 inches apart, or give each plant one full square foot in a raised bed. Spacing by method, variety, and bed size.
6 min read