A comparison of space, supplies and timing
Two ways to use the same 4×8 bed
Compare separate lettuce and bean zones with a full-bed succession: the same measured bed, different crop positions and timing.
1. Hold the bed and its conditions constant
Both examples use one 4×8 ft bed, 12 inches of usable fill, six hours of direct sun and access from both long sides. They use a May 1, 2027 spring frost example. Add your first fall frost to check whether the later bean crop has enough time.
One layout keeps lettuce and beans in separate zones that can be occupied at the same time. The other gives the whole bed to lettuce, then reuses it for beans after clearing. An arrow below means a later phase, not extra plants squeezed into the same space.
2. Compare space and time together
| Measure | Separate zones | Full-bed succession |
|---|---|---|
| Growing space | 4 × 8 ft, 12 in fill | 4 × 8 ft, 12 in fill |
| Direct sun used | 6 hours/day | 6 hours/day |
| Usable fill | 906.1 L | 906.1 L |
| Target positions | 80 | 32 → 128 |
| Crop allocation | 16 Leaf lettuce + 64 Bush snap beans | 32 Leaf lettuce → 128 Bush snap beans |
| Seeds before owned stock | 107 | 212 |
| Care horizon | 20 weeks | 28 weeks |
| First fall frost check | Not supplied in example | Not supplied in example |
Seed totals include the tool’s spare-seed settings. Both examples start with no owned stock. Counts use the selected compact spacing; follow the cultivar packet where it differs.
The changeover to check
The succession example schedules the final lettuce clearing for 2027-07-10 to 2027-07-10, then bean sowing for 2027-07-11 to 2027-07-11. A late lettuce harvest shifts that decision: clear sooner, shorten the next planting if suitable, or skip the successor.
Do not count the two phases as a guaranteed increase in harvest. The comparison needs your season length, crop preferences, time for watering and actual clearing date.
3. Compare your own conditions
Open both layouts below. Enter the same dimensions, depth, sun, frost dates and owned mix on both sides, then apply each plan. Compare the updated diagrams, seed purchases and season-fit messages before continuing with one.
If the site has only four hours of direct sun, start with a leafy bed and reassess the bean option. Keep tall foliage from shading shorter crops and make sure you can reach every zone.
Why these checks matter
Evidence for companion planting depends on the plants and the claimed effect. A general pairing chart cannot promise pest control. These layouts compare root positions, light, access and planting time; they do not score pest-repellent pairs.
University of Minnesota Extension: companion planting in home gardens