Small 4-Bed Backyard Garden Plan: Up to 280 lbs of Produce!
A productive garden doesn’t have to be complicated. This 4-bed backyard garden plan uses square-foot gardening principles to maximize space while grouping plants with similar water and fertilizer needs. This plan came together for beginner gardeners, and although there is a lot of information, it does provide any potential new gardener with a small backyard garden plan that works as a starting point.
With step-by-step care instructions and tips for maintenance and yield optimization, this guide will help you plan a garden that’s beautiful, abundant, and easy to manage. Not only will you enjoy a bountiful harvest, but this garden will also become a vibrant space for relaxation and enjoyment throughout the growing season.
At the bottom of this post, you will find a downloadable PDF filled with all the information in this post, PLUS, plant variety recommendations, substitutions that will work, a seasonal care guide, tool and supply list, and a breakdown of yields for each bed so you can see how we arrived at our estimate of 280 pounds of produce. It’s FREE, and no strings attached!
What You’ll Get From This Article
- A 4-Bed Garden Plan: Grow up to 200 lbs of vegetables, herbs, and flowers in just 64 square feet.
- Companion Planting Secrets: Boost yields and fight pests naturally.
- Yield-Boosting Tips: Use succession planting, trellising, and season extensions to increase yields by 40%—up to 280 pounds.
- 5-Year Crop Rotation Plan: Keep soil healthy and crops thriving year after year.
- A full FREE PDF download of this plan with extras! The PDF has so much more information for you:
- Variety recommendations by plant
- Substitution list, so you can swap out plants as required
- Yield potentials by plant and bed
- Tool and supply list
- Seasonal care guide
Getting Started Building Your Backyard Garden Beds
Bed Size and Depth
- Each bed: 4 feet x 4 feet (16 square feet per bed)
- Depth: 18 inches (deeper beds help root vegetables like carrots and potatoes thrive and make crop rotation possible year to year)
Row Spacing Between Beds
- Pathways: 18–24 inches between beds for easy access
- Hardscape with mulch or gravel in pathways to suppress weeds and improve drainage.
Soil Recommendations
- Soil Mix:
- 1 part compost
- 1 part topsoil
- 1 part peat moss or coconut coir (for moisture retention)
- Fertilizer: Mix in a balanced, organic, slow-release fertilizer (5-5-5) at the start of the season.
Bed 1: Herbs, Pollinators, and Leafy Greens
Row 1 (North – Tall Plants):
- Calendula: 1 plant
- Swiss Chard: 1 plant
- Borage: 1 plant
- Calendula: 1 plant
Row 3 (Medium-Low Plants):
- Greek Basil: 4 plants
- Parsley: 4 plants
- Purple Basil: 4 plants
- Parsley: 4 plants
Row 2 (Medium-Plants):
- Chives: 9 plants
- Lemon Balm: 1 plant
- Thyme: 1 plant
- Chives: 9 plants
Row 4 (South – Low Plants):
- Marigolds: 4 plants
- Lettuce Green: 4 plants
- Lettuce Red: 4 plants
- Marigolds: 4 plants
Why This Bed Works
- Companion Planting: Marigolds repel aphids and nematodes. Borage and calendula attract bees and pollinators and enrich the soil. Basil and parsley thrive together, supporting the growth of nearby leafy greens.
- Optimized Space and Light: Taller plants to the north prevent shading of smaller herbs and greens. Dense planting maximizes space and suppresses weeds.
- Potential Issues: Lettuce may bolt in hot weather—use shade cloth or southern placement to mitigate this. Chard can attract leaf miners, but pruning damaged leaves and planting marigolds nearby will help deter them.
See our complete guide for the many wonderful uses of marigolds!
Bed 2: Fruiting Vegetables and Companion Plants
Row 1 (North – Bush Tomatoes):
- Bush Tomatoes: 4 plants
- Nasturtiums: 3 plants
Row 3 (Medium-Low Plants):
- Marigolds: 4 plants
- Cilantro: 4 plants
Row 2 (Medium-Height Plants):
- Bell Peppers: 4 plants
- Basil: 3 plants
Row 4 (South – Low-Plants):
- Strawberries: 8 plants (2 per square)
Why This Bed Works
- Companion Benefits: Basil improves tomato growth and flavor. Nasturtiums attract aphids away from tomatoes and peppers, reducing pest pressure. Cilantro and marigolds draw beneficial insects like hoverflies for natural pest control.
- Potential Issues: Cilantro may bolt—frequent harvesting can delay flowering. Tomatoes and strawberries may compete for nutrients with nearby plants—use compost side-dressing mid-season to maintain productivity.
Bed 3: Cucumbers, Squash, and Legumes (with Trellis)
Row 1 (North – Trellised Plants):
- Cucumbers: 2 plants
- Pole Beans: 16 plants (8 per square)
Row 3 (Medium-Height Plants):
- Hot Peppers: 4 plants
- Cosmos: 3 plants
Row 2 (Medium-Height Plants):
- Bush Eggplant: 2 plants (‘Patio Baby’ or ‘Little Finger’)
- Patty Pan Squash: 2 plants (‘Sunburst’)
Row 4 (South – Low-Growing Plants):
- Marigolds: 8 plants (4 per square)
- New Zealand Spinach: 4 plants
Why This Bed Works
- Companion Benefits: Pole beans enrich the soil with nitrogen, supporting heavy feeders like squash. Marigolds deter cucumber beetles, and cosmos attract pollinators, improving fruiting.
- Optimized Space and Light: The trellis keeps cucumbers and beans off the ground, reducing disease risk and freeing space for squash and eggplants. Compact marigolds and New Zealand spinach fill gaps along the southern edge without blocking sunlight.
- Efficient Harvesting: Trellised crops like cucumbers and beans are easy to harvest while standing. Mid-row plants, such as eggplants and peppers, remain accessible without disturbing other crops.
- Potential Issues: Prune leaves to improve airflow and reduce the risk of powdery mildew on squash. Keep New Zealand spinach trimmed to prevent it from spreading too aggressively.
Bed 4: Root Vegetables
Row 1 (North – Tall Plants):
- Onions: 16 plants
- Leeks: 16 plants
Row 3 (Medium-Height Plants):
- Parsnips: 18 plants (9 per square)
- Carrots: 16 plants (8 per square)
Row 2 (Medium- Plants):
- Potatoes: 8 plants
- Marigolds: 3 plants
Row 4 (South – Low-Growing Plants):
- Turnips: 18 plants
- Nasturtiums: 2 plants
- Beets: 9 plants
Why This Bed Works
- Improved Soil: Turnips and parsnips aerate the soil, improving conditions for future crops.
- Optimized Space and Light: Placing taller plants like onions, leeks, and potatoes at the back of the bed allows even sunlight distribution to carrots, beets, and turnips in lower rows.
- Efficient Watering: Potatoes require deep watering early and less water after flowering, aligning with the needs of other crops. Different root depths optimize moisture use.
- Potential Issues: Loosen soil to prevent forked carrots and ensure good drainage to avoid potato rot.
How to Maximize Your Garden’s Yield by Over 40%
This 4-bed garden plan is designed to produce up to 200 pounds of vegetables, herbs, and flowers throughout the growing season. By using the following strategies, you can boost your yield up to 280 pounds:
- Succession Planting: Replant fast-growing crops like radishes, chard, carrots, beets, and lettuce multiple times throughout the season.
Impact: Adds an extra 5-8% to total yields. - Season Extension: Use row covers to start planting 2-4 weeks early and frost blankets to extend the harvest into late fall.
Impact: Adds an extra 15-20 pounds of produce. - High-Density Planting: Maximize every inch by planting quick crops between slower growers.
Impact: Increases output by 10-12%. - Maintain Soil Fertility: Regularly add compost and side-dress heavy feeders with potassium-rich fertilizers mid-season.
Impact: Boosts yields by 10-15%.
Specific yield breakdowns are included in our downloadable PDF. (no list to sign up for either, just grab the download and get started)
Easy 5-year Crop Rotation
We’ve thought this garden through to the end, and even considered how easy or difficult it would be to do crop rotations to keep pests and soil-born diseases low. Because the beds are focused on “groups” of plants it makes it easier to move around year after year.
How This Crop Rotation Works
- Fruiting Vegetables (Tomatoes, Peppers, Squash, Cucumbers):
These are heavy feeders that need nutrient-rich soil. After growing them, follow with legumes to replenish nitrogen in the soil. - Legumes (Pole Beans, Bush Beans, Peas):
These crops fix nitrogen into the soil, enriching it for future heavy feeders like tomatoes or squash. - Root Vegetables (Carrots, Potatoes, Onions, Beets):
Root crops loosen and aerate the soil. Following them with leafy greens or legumes helps maintain soil structure. - Herbs and Flowers (Basil, Marigolds, Nasturtiums):
These improve biodiversity, attract pollinators, and repel pests. They are also light feeders, making them ideal to grow after heavy feeders or root crops.
Benefits of This Rotation Plan
- Reduces Pests and Diseases: Keeps pest cycles in check by avoiding planting the same family of crops in the same bed year after year.
- Prevents Soil Depletion: Alternating heavy feeders with nitrogen-fixing crops (like beans) maintains soil fertility.
- Maximizes Yields: Each crop type receives the best possible conditions throughout the rotation.
Don’t forget to Grab the Free PDF
And, as promised, you can download the FREE Back Yard Garden Plan PDF that includes everything in this article plus:
- Substitution list by plant
- Seasonal care guide – to help you stay organized.
- Yield breakdown – to show how our garden beds can produce and estimated 200+ pounds of produce.
- Fertilizer schedule – Keep your plants happy, healthy, and producing!
- Succession planning – Get more out of your garden by keeping your beds full.
- Suggested varieties for each plant to ensure your plants are sized correctly.
More Resources To Help Plan Your New Backyard Garden
Grab Our Ultimate PRINTABLE Garden Planner
With 39 pages of planning and organizing and the ability to customize your planner with the pages you need, you won’t need another planner for the rest of your gardening life!
$4.99 US
Conclusion: Your Ready-to-Go Backyard Garden Plan
This beginner-friendly 4-bed garden plan ensures you’ll enjoy a bountiful harvest throughout the season. With over 200 plants carefully organized across four beds, you’ll get fresh produce, herbs, and flowers from early spring to late fall.
By using succession planting, crop rotation, and frost protection, you can maximize your yields and grow more food for your effort. Stick to the plan, use the right tools, and follow the fertilizer guide for healthy, thriving crops all season long.
Author: Laura Kennedy
Writer & Owner of Little Yellow Wheelbarrow