How Many Plants In A Pot? (Huge List Of 100 Plants)

I’ve always wanted to know how many plants I could grow in a pot. I could not get a clear answer on the Internet and that’s why I’ve done some research on this that you may find useful as well.

You can grow one or two plants in 10 to 12 inch pots. You can grow two or four plants in a 14 to 16 inch pot. You can grow four or six plants in a 16 to 20 inch pot. If you try to grow more, you risk lack of water, nutrients and space for the plants.

I’ve written details below of how you can make the best use of the space in the pot to grow many plants. I’ve also provided a list of 100 plants with their spacing needs and how many you could grow in a pot.

How many plants can you grow in a pot?

To find out how many plants we can grow in a pot, we need to understand the size of the pot. This will vary depending on the dimensions and shape of the pot.

But I’ve tried to create a rough guide below to give you an idea of the different pot sizes you may find and their dimensions.

Pot size	Diameter (inches)	Height (inches)
1 Gallon	8	6
2 Gallon	8	7
3 Gallon	11.8	8
5 Gallon	14	10
7 Gallon	14	12
10 Gallon	18	13
15 Gallon	20	14
20 Gallon	21	15
30 Gallon	26	16
45 Gallon	27	18

Next, you need to find out the space requirements of the plants you want to grow. This includes the spacing needed between two plants. And the container depth for how deep the plant’s roots will grow.

Once you know these space requirements, you can check them with the pot’s dimensions to understand how many plants you can grow in that pot.

Note that you can grow plants closer in a pot (or raised bed) compared to an in-ground garden. Linda at Garden Betty refers to this method as biointensive planting.

I’ve created a list of 100 common vegetables, fruits, and houseplants that you can use to get a rough idea of how many plants you can grow in the different sizes of pots.

You can download the detailed list for your reference. I’ve added information on how many plants to grow in up to 45-gallon pots. Please feel free to share with your family and friends who may find this information useful when growing plants in pots.

Plant	Plant Spacing (inches)	Container Depth (inches)	1 Gallon	2 Gallon	3 Gallon	5 Gallon	7 Gallon	10 Gallon	15 Gallon
Arugula	4	12	0	0	0	0	3	4	5
Asparagus	8	12	0	0	0	0	1	2	2
Beans	6	8	0	0	1	2	2	3	3
Beets	6	8	0	0	1	2	2	3	3
Bok Choy	8	8	0	0	1	1	1	2	2
Broccoli	12	8	0	0	0	1	1	1	1
Brussels Sprouts	18	12	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Cabbage	18	12	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Carrots	2	12	0	0	0	0	7	9	10
Cauliflower	15	8	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Celery	6	8	0	0	1	2	2	3	3
Chard	6	6	1	1	1	2	2	3	3
Chicory	6	18	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Collards	6	12	0	0	0	0	2	3	3
Corn	12	12	0	0	0	0	1	1	1
Cucumbers	16	12	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Eggplant	18	12	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Endive	6	6	1	1	1	2	2	3	3
Garlic	6	8	0	0	1	2	2	3	3
Horseradish	18	24	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Jicama	8	12	0	0	0	0	1	2	2
Kale	8	12	0	0	0	0	1	2	2
Kohlrabi	8	16	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Leeks	6	18	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Lettuce	6	6	1	1	1	2	2	3	3
Mustard Greens	8	6	1	1	1	1	1	2	2
Okra	12	10	0	0	0	1	1	1	1
Onions	3	10	0	0	0	4	4	6	6
Orach	6	12	0	0	0	0	2	3	3
Peas	4	8	0	0	2	3	3	4	5
Peppers	12	10	0	0	0	1	1	1	1
Potatoes	12	15	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Pumpkins	18	20	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Radishes	6	12	0	0	0	0	2	3	3
Rhubarb	36	20	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Rutabaga	8	12	0	0	0	0	1	2	2
Scallions	4	6	2	2	2	3	3	4	5
Sorrel	12	8	0	0	0	1	1	1	1
Spinach	6	6	1	1	1	2	2	3	3
Squash	18	12	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Sweet Potatoes	12	18	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Swiss Chard	6	8	0	0	1	2	2	3	3
Tomatoes	18	12	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Turnips	6	8	0	0	1	2	2	3	3
Zucchini	18	12	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Cilantro	8	8	0	0	1	1	1	2	2
Basil	6	8	0	0	1	2	2	3	3
Lavender	12	12	0	0	0	0	1	1	1
Rosemary	7	12	0	0	0	0	2	2	2
Thyme	12	6	0	0	0	1	1	1	1
Sage	12	8	0	0	0	1	1	1	1
Mint	12	12	0	0	0	0	1	1	1
Parsley	12	8	0	0	0	1	1	1	1
Dill	12	12	0	0	0	0	1	1	1
Fennel	12	12	0	0	0	0	1	1	1
Chamomile	8	8	0	0	1	1	1	2	2
Tarragon	18	12	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Chives	6	8	0	0	1	2	2	3	3
Lemongrass	18	8	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Oregano	12	8	0	0	0	1	1	1	1
Marjoram	6	6	1	1	1	2	2	3	3
Anthurium	18	8	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Croton	24	12	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Orchid	12	6	0	0	0	1	1	1	1
Pothos	24	10	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Red Aglaonema	18	6	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Snake Plant	18	10	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Peace Lily	24	10	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Succulents	1	4	8	8	11	14	14	18	20
ZZ Plant	24	10	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Ponytail Palm	60	8	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Chinese Evergreen	24	8	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Grape Ivy	36	8	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Philodendron	36	12	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
English Ivy	18	8	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Spider Plant	18	6	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Hoya	18	8	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Rubber Tree	24	10	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Cast-Iron Plant	12	8	0	0	0	1	1	1	1
Jade Plant	6	12	0	0	0	0	2	3	3
Weeping Fig	12	8	0	0	0	1	1	1	1
Asparagus Fern	18	6	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Chinese Money Plant	12	6	0	0	0	1	1	1	1
Yucca	24	10	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Air Plant	6	6	1	1	1	2	2	3	3
Aloe	12	4	0	0	0	1	1	1	1
Dragon Tree	24	12	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Calathea	18	10	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Bromeliad	24	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Kalanchoe	12	6	0	0	0	1	1	1	1
Crown Of Thorns	12	8	0	0	0	1	1	1	1
Christmas Cactus	24	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Schefflera	48	10	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Melons	18	16	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Strawberries	18	8	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Blueberries	24	24	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Pineapple	36	24	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Cantaloupe	18	16	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Watermelon	72	20	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Currants	48	20	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Gooseberries	48	18	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

How to plant multiple plants in a pot

Now that you have a rough idea of how many plants you can grow in a pot, I’ll show you some ideas to help arrange the plants. This depends on the shape of the pot whether it’s round, square, or rectangular.

If you are growing one plant in the pot you can arrange the plant as shown below. You need to grow it in the center of the pot.

If you’re growing two plants in the pot you can arrange them as shown below. You need to keep them well-spaced from each other in the pot.

If you’re growing three plants in the pot you can arrange them as shown below. You can arrange them in an equilateral triangle in the round and square pots. You can arrange them in a checkers style in the rectangular pot.

If you’re growing four plants in the pot you can arrange them as shown below. You can arrange the plants in a square at four corners as shown for the round and square pots. You can arrange them in a checkers style in the rectangular pot.

If you’re growing five plants in the pot you can arrange them as shown below. You can arrange the plants in a square at four corners and one at the center as shown for the round and square pots. You can arrange them in a checkers style in the rectangular pot.

Further Reading

Once you know how many plants you can grow in a pot, you can figure out the space and size of the container garden you’ll need. I’ve written details about these things in the post about the basics of container gardening. Click the link below to find out more.

• Basics That Will Help You Start A Vegetable Container Garden