Cool-season template

4x8 Salad Garden Plan

This is a succession-style bed: sow small blocks, harvest young, and replant open squares as weather allows.

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Bed size
8 x 4
Plants
42
Space range
13.7-81.1 sq ft

Plan setup

Plan setup

Bed footprint 32 sq ft

1 bed at 8 x 4 ft.

Site Zone 7B

Full sun, loam soil, medium water.

Estimated output 12.6-30.2 lb

Based on sourced yield rows where available; herbs and flowers may not have pound output.

Data coverage 6/6 spacing rows

6/6 plants have output ranges; 2 need extra risk review.

Plant list

Plants in this layout

Leaf lettuce

Buttercrunch lettuce

Annual vegetable / zones 3a-9b

Qty
4
Spacing
0.5-1 ft in-row x 1-3 ft rows
Yield
0.5-1 lb/plant/season
Risk
Frequently damaged / Mixed or uncertain
Romaine block

Parris Island romaine lettuce

Annual vegetable / zones 3a-10a

Qty
4
Spacing
0.5-1 ft in-row x 1-3 ft rows
Yield
0.5-1 lb/plant/season
Risk
Frequently damaged / Mixed or uncertain
Cool-season greens

Bloomsdale spinach

Annual vegetable / zones 3a-9b

Qty
6
Spacing
0.5-1.5 ft in-row x 1-3 ft rows
Yield
0.5-1.5 lb/plant/season
Risk
Occasionally damaged / Mixed or uncertain
Peppery cut-and-come-again greens

Wild arugula

Annual vegetable / zones 3a-10a

Qty
4
Spacing
0.5-1.5 ft in-row x 1-3 ft rows
Yield
0.5-1.5 lb/plant/season
Risk
Not rated / Mixed or uncertain
Root crop strip

Danvers carrot

Annual vegetable / zones 3a-10a

Qty
16
Spacing
0.2-0.3 ft in-row x 1-1.5 ft rows
Yield
0.1-0.2 lb/plant/season
Risk
Not rated / Better near black walnut
Edge crop

Evergreen bunching onion

Annual vegetable / zones 3a-10a

Qty
8
Spacing
0.3-0.5 ft in-row x 1-1.5 ft rows
Yield
0.3-0.5 lb/plant/season
Risk
Rarely damaged / Better near black walnut

Source trail

References behind this template

These are the common source families behind the plants in this layout. Individual plant pages keep their own source links and caveats.

16 template records NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox Reference basis for ornamental plant size, function, and right-plant-right-place screening. 12 template records Penn State Extension - Landscaping and Gardening Around Walnuts and Other Juglone Producing Plants Black walnut and juglone sensitivity/tolerance cue for garden placement screening. 8 template records Rutgers NJAES - Landscape Plants Rated by Deer Resistance Deer browsing categories used as planning cues; no plant is deer proof under heavy pressure. 6 template records Illinois Extension - Growing Vegetables in Containers Container vegetable guidance for matching container size, rooting depth, and plant density. 6 template records UGA Extension - Growing Vegetables Organically Vegetable hardiness, days to maturity, and row-by-plant spacing tables.

Useful supplies

Useful supplies

Timing / Before planting

Soil thermometer

Check whether spring soil is actually warm enough for direct sowing, transplanting, and tender warm-season crops.

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Protection / At planting

Floating row cover

Protect young crops from wind, light frost, and early pest pressure while still letting light and water through.

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Protection / At planting

Low tunnel hoops

Hold frost cloth or insect netting above seedlings so covers protect plants without rubbing leaves.

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Protection / At planting

Garden clips or cover fasteners

Secure row cover, frost cloth, shade cloth, and young plant supports without tying permanent knots.

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Watering / Planting day

Watering wand or can

Water new transplants gently without washing soil away from the crown or roots.

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Next step

Make it fit your yard

4x8 raised bed cropsCompare compact crops that make sense in a 32 sq ft bed. Zone 7 vegetablesBrowse Zone 7 kitchen crops with timing and spacing data. Deer-resistant plantsStart with plants that have better deer browsing cues.