Hedge Plant Spacing Calculator

Work out hedge plant spacing instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Hedge Plant Spacing Calculator

Plants per row is length divided by spacing plus one for the end plant. A double staggered row, offset by half the spacing, produces a dense hedge far faster than a single row and is standard for screening and stock-proof hedges.

Formula

Hedge planting

plants per row = ceil(length / spacing) + 1; staggered second row is offset by half the spacing

Worked example

With the default values below, Hedge Plant Spacing Calculator returns Plants required of 82. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Hedge length: 18 m
Plant spacing: 45 cm
Rows: 2 rows
Cost per plant: 4.2

Results

Plants required: 82 plants
Total cost: $344.40
Plants per metre: 2.22 plants/m
Offset for a staggered second row: 22.50 cm

Step by step

1Values used
2Hedge planting
3Plants required= 82 plants
4Total cost= 344.40
5Plants per metre= 2.22 plants/m
6Offset for a staggered second row= 22.50 cm

Assumptions and limits

The result is derived only from the 4 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax or compounding frequency into account.
Figures are rounded for display to 2 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What spacing should I use?

30-45 cm for fast privet and beech, 45-60 cm for yew and hornbeam, and up to 1 m for large conifers that will fill out.

Why plant a double row?

It closes gaps at the base much sooner and gives a thicker, more stock-proof hedge. Offsetting the rows avoids plants shading each other directly.