Does anyone have some sort of a guide to tell you how many plants you should plant in order to have enough of each vegetable? For example, someone told me that I should plant 3 bell pepper plants per person in a household.
I am trying to plant what I need, without going too far overboard (like I haven't already). Any sort of guideline would be helpful. While I have never tried freezing fresh vegetables, I do like to make pickles with my cucumbers, and can my own tomato sauce and hot sauces. But, how many bush beans should I plant realistically, etc.
Thanks in advance.
kanita
How Many Plants Per Person
Kanita,
Oh this is a GREAT question that I've never heard anyone ask or answer. I look forward with anticipation to the master who can answer this one. We are always overplanting and then just giving stuff away which is okay but it'd be nice to have a little less of each and way more variety so we can use up what we are growing.
Jeavons has something like this in his "How to Grow More Vegetables etc etc" book.
Alamoaimee - I'm glad to see that I am not the only one who has this question, because I thought that it might seem rather silly to some people. Since I have limited space, I just want to make the most of it.
Zeppy - I will look up this book.
kanita
I think it is completely governed by the gardener and their family. I for one don't eat radishes nor does anyone i know, therefor the right amount for me is NONE. And most people think i'm a whack job for planting 21 types of winter squash, and more than one plant of each mind you. But we eat lots of it. And can anyone have enough tomatoes?
I think there are probably guidelines you could find, which are a great place to start, but from there take into account what you love the most, what tastes the best from the garden, what you can grow in your area. For instance, I don't waste my time with lettuce or many cool season veggies, our region pretty much goes from freezing cold to really hot.
And don't forget to add a few extras, because when your friends taste you tomatoes they'll be begging for them!
Come to think of it, i go overboard with most planting so i may not be the person to answer.
:)
when i polanted into a regular garden i would sit there and say "what are you doing with all these plants?) after the season ended i would sit there again and say "i have to plant more next season) LOL
now that i am growing in containers on my deck i am truly limited to what i can put there but when i'm done i just hope there is room to sit down.
That's a great question. I don't know the answer. In my opinion, you can never have too much green beans, peas, or asparagus. And wow, three pepper plants per person sounds like a lot to me. And we never grow any squash, unless you count pumpkins. Another crop I can never have too many. I never think I have enough of anything planted when I start out. Last year, I had 5 or 6 cucumber plants and a TON of cukes. They just kept producing and I kept picking about a dozen every other day. That was more than we could eat. But I gave away a lot. I enjoyed having the big harvest, so that was okay with me. This time around, I wanted to have less cucumber plants and my niece got all upset that there wouldn't be enough cukes for her. So we'll plant lots again this year. As my DH says, "Packet of seeds, best deal around." :)
The problem is, since this is my first year growing in this garden, and growing a lot of the things I am growing, I don't know how much to expect to get per plant in order to determine how many plants I need.
My initial idea was to just grow a lot of everything, and then for next year I will know. Does this seem to be the best thing?
I have an old canning and freezing book that tells you how much to grow to yield bushels, etc. I'll check when I get home from work...I think its something like how many feet in rows=bushels if you cn relate to the size of a bushel.
Debbie
Kanita, your theory sounds good to me. You can always give away or preserve what you don't use. 3 years ago, I was swimming in green beans, I canned over 200 quarts. My husband thought it was "excessive" but guess what? The past two years I've been lucky to get enough green beans out of my garden to use for a single meal, so those canned green beans sure did come in handy. That and the fact that my kids will barely eat store bought green beans, and refuse to eat store bought applesauce or jams anymore. They will eat store spaghetti sauce, but prefer my own.
I think it really depends on what you use a lot of in your family. For me, 3 pepper plants per person would provide way more peppers than I can use, but I could easily use 3 rows of green beans per person. I'll have at least 250 tomato plants in the ground... and that will be a lot to many people, but, we give away, we preserve, and we eat a LOT of tomatoes in the summer.
Just do what you think will be right for you this year, keep notes, and you'll have a better idea next year of how many to plant.
Check out this link:
http://www.nres.uiuc.edu/outreach/pubs/hfs/VegPlantGuide.pdf
If you scroll down, there are estimated amounts per person based on eating fresh (not canning or preserving). Of course, as we've discovered here, everyone has different ideas about how much is the right amount. But I found this interesting. I kind of went down the line and said to myself...too much, too little, etc. :)
This message was edited May 1, 2006 10:15 AM
Thanks everybody. Debbie - I appreciate you checking your book for me.
Melissa - 250 tomato plants!!! I am planting like 20 - 25. But my aunt was like, thats way too many tomatoes, you just need at a max 3 even to can sauce. But the last couple of years, I have hardly had enough tomatoes to can, even from the ones I grew in EB's as I got off to a really late start both times. This year I am starting early, and hoping for better yields.
Jen - thanks for the link, I will check it out now.
kanita
Three tomato plants to have enough to eat fresh and can sauce? Your aunt must not want you to can too much sauce?
Look at this thread Kanita... when I start making my sauce, the pot looks much like the photos there. I throw all the varieties I've picked that day in the pot. For our taste, having a lot of different kinds of tomatoes in the sauce tastes better. :-)
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/544594/
Melissa - I saw that thread! I cannot wait to try making sauce Bluekat's way! My mouth was watering! I can't imagine gettin enough tomatoes from 3 plants in order to make as much sauce as I use.
I eat a protein pasta almost everyday for either breakfast or dinner or both. I just had to buy 4 jars of Classico yesterday, and that won't last me for very long either. I'm glad I am not the only one that thinks only 3 tomato plants is unrealistic for canning.
I also love growing string bean, because they are my favorites, but I have never tried to freeze or can them. I rarely use canned or frozen veggies as i love them fresh.
kanita
I agree with a lot of the comments posted that go along with "depends what you like to eat." Last year we had 84 tomato plants, 18 different varieties. There are only 2 of us. We did a similar method to BlueKats and we freeze the sauce, and I use it all winter long for pasta sauce, lasagne, soups, stews, etc. Way better than what you get in a bottle/can/jar. We also use our own grown herbs. This year I think I have about 120 tomato plants. We also have about 50 pepper plants, mix of sweet and hot. I grow about 10 zucchini plants and about 5 melon vines. That's all for the 2 of us. I might try some carrots this year. I take extra tomatoes to work, to my massage therapist, to my neighbors, etc. I just love gardening and of course I could grow less than I do to meet our needs, but I have more fun when I grow more. Veggie gardening is a stress relief system for me! I like growing snow peas too, but it is a short season and I don't think I ever get enough.
We will put in around 30-40 tomato plants this year. Yes, this is way too many for 2:) I might get more specific with my sauces - like straight tomato, spaghetti type, spicy etc. I am also planning on selling more this year. We even changed our vacation so we could be home in August for the major harvest!
As for the string beans ( & edamame) we blanch them and freeze in vacuum packs.
You guys are making me hungry for summer veggies!
-Kim
Kim is edamame easy to grow?
VERY Stick the seeds in the ground - one time we started them ahead of time in cell packs. You basically harvest the whole plant, pull off the pods, blanch and eat or freeze. They should all be ready at the same time. Watch out for groundhogs though they will munch them to the ground!
-Kim
Kanita,
We've found with just 8 raised beds (2'x10') that we grow just to much for DH and I and end up giving away more than we grow. We can't afford a deep freezer right now or I'd be preserving it. We are going to try a little less of each thing (growing like 10 things right now) and try growing a tad of a lot so we can consume more than we are giving away for free. The garden cost almost a grand to put in counting all the seeds, not counting the daily watering, we put in a soaker sprinkler system. So we'd like to use as much as we can. I guess it's all just trial and error!
I adjust what I plant every year, depending on what's going on in my life....
This is my third year with a garden and I've really cut back. Just planting our absolute favorites.....the things I know we will eat. I don't do much preserving....summer is too busy with other chores...cutting fire wood, mowing weeds, fixing fences....you get the idea.
So this year we have: 10 tomato plants...different varieties, 9 chili pepper plants, 12 basil plants (we dry this for use in the winter), 2 zuchinni plants and 1 cucumber. Plus we have about 50 stawberry plants. About half of my garden area is going to be left unplanted this year. I was thinking about trying a cutting garden in the extra space since I love fresh flowers in the house.
Wow--I've gotten so many terrific ideas from this thread! Thanks Kanita!
I'm doing 11 tomatoes, cucumbers in several place (daughter loves to snack on them sliced with ranch), 6 peppers , a few squash, pole and bush beans, and some melons.
Debbie
So Beck...with 10 tomatos..on adverage is that enough for two people? I have 10 in the EB's and I'm kicking myself for not going ahead and buying 5 more of them when I got the ones for Spring. I've ordered them for Fall and will plant 6 more plants in Aug and still worried it won't be enough. *LOL* I have a Foodsaver so I really want to put up some sauce and enough tomatoes for soups and stews, salsa etc.
Thanks so much everyone. ALL of the info shared here helps me put things in better perspective.
Kim-I found edemame seeds locally today. They only had a few packs left so I grabbed two becaue I really like edemame and also because the nursery said they don't always get them in, so I am excited about them. Also, there weren't that many seeds in the package.
I definitely see some areas that I need to adjust.
kanita
Hey Kanita- here's another tidbit for you. Last year, I grew 6 paste tomato plants. I made some sauce fresh that we ate right away a few times. And I put up (canned) 10 quarts of cooked down sauce...just from six plants. Don't know if that's a normal amount or not. And there sure were lots and lots that I threw into the woods because they fell off the plants and got yucky or what have you. So in theory, if I had been more on top of things, there could have been more that we consumed. This year, I am growing about 6 times more plants. So we'll see how many quarts we get. I also planted an entire packet of green bean seeds and we could have eaten waaay more than that. So will be planting more this year. Personally, I like having "too much" and being able to share with friends, family and neighbors. I'm sure as the years go by, I will be adjusting amounts each time.
I love this thread, and all the ideas and answers you've gotten. This is the first year in quite a while that Lise and I have had a full yard to garden in; as a rental with the owner having been out of the country for 6 years the yard has been pretty neglected, and is quite near the water (think good ol' gooey mud, good for cob, in our under water-table level yard). So we're doing straw-bale gardening, with the idea that the rotted straw that's being delightful raised beds we plant into this year will eventually be good amendment. that limitation given, we've put in 11 tomatoes, 1 little pear tomato, 2 zukes, 2 cukes, one each of 2 kinds of gourds as our Great Experiment, 4 sweet bells and 8 hot peppers, and 6 blue-lake bush beans, 6 dragon's tongue beans, 4 coco beans; we have at least 3 basil plants in the bales now, and more seedlings coming along for planting soon (pesto plants!).
I have no idea what we'll think of as "enough" but we're sure to share some of it around.
I'm looking forward to hearing updates and adjustment ideas from folks later on in the season!
Good Thread Kanita:
I have a tendency to overplant because you never know what will happen over the course of a season. I planted plenty of green beans last year and didn't harvest a single one because of a japanese beetle infestation.
We have about 20 raised beds plus some unraised beds and I've planted quite a bit in it. My wife will sell some. And of course we give some away. I learned how to can last year so eveything gets processed in some form or another. I also try to be concious of what foods process well and what doesn't and I try to make sure that I don't overplant on the foods that don't store welll or can't be processed
If gas prices keep heading the way they are, we'll all be happy that we can grow our own food.
BB
I hear you about the edamame beans Kanita - I ordered more from SSE in case I couldn't find them this year. Let me know how it goes!
-Kim
I like to try to plant more than I think I will need, some for me, some for the bugs and some for the storms and disease that seem to all get their share. Then if there is enough left for my family and enough to share with a couple of others who don't have the luxury of a garden, it's been a blessed gardening year for me.
I've had years when I just planted a couple of tomatoe plants, thinking that was enough, only to have disease and bugs ruin them. Same with squash..........the squash bugs always come calling. Last year I planted a couple rows of green beans, and the rain made it so soggy in the garden, they got fungus.
Maybe I just have to plant extra because I'm not a very good gardener ?
Lol, never thought of that. :-0 hehe
I have 2 raised beds this year. Wish I had more. Bed #1 has a small block of sweet corn and 24 chili plants (7 varieties) with one lonely surviving cantalope. Bed #2 has 6 tomato plants (3 varieties), 1 surviving cuke, 2 yellow summer squash, 2 parsley, a basil, and a couple of lavender with a few small marigolds scattered around. I do have more seedling coming along but have no idea where I will put them as I have run out of room and can't stop growing.....I REALLY want fresh peas and beans so will definitely have to have another bed for next year. I have high hopes of having plenty of chilis for our needs and to share with friends and neighbors. I live in a mobile home in the city so all the neighbors watch everything I do.
As important as planting *enough* vegetables is making succession plantings. If I continue to plant dill, cukes, pole beans, squash, and even tomatoes through the season (just an extra plant or two every two weeks or so) my chances of beating pests and disease are much much greater.
Good Point Zeppy:
Hey I have a couple of beds where I am going to try the 3 sisters. I've planted the corn and it is about 3 inches high now. How big should the corn be before I plant the pole beans?
BB
Kim- Thanks to you, I now have edmame!!! I never would have went on a hunt for the seeds if you hadn't told me how easy they are to grow!
I remember reading once that one zucchini was enough for a family....ha.
My lone first one had something wrong with it and was dying. My second one [lone] had a hard time getting a male blossom and a female blossom on the same day. Finally one set and got hit by hail. It might make it. I haven't harvested one yet!!
I usually plant more than one at a time and need to quit listening to advice from others.
Indy, that is terrible! I planted 6 plants because I got them in a cell pack and have only havested 2!
kanita.... which varieties are you trying??? Try something different.
LD
This is my first year gardening, so I reined myself back and didn't plant as much as I was originally thinking. I did, however, get 21 potatoes into the ground, and seven of the plants are coming up. Anyone have a rough idea how many potatoes that might yield? I'll have a couple zucchini hills if they make it. I planted a row of lettuce, and every single sprout got eaten--and not by me. I planted a couple rows of carrots, but I don't know how many I'll get. My broccoli plants got eaten and the seeds I put in either didn't grow or got munched. I do have zucchini, broccoli and lettuce growing in peat pots.
You think 21 potato plants will be enough for one person? (I'm Irish, if that helps. ;-) )
Next year I want to plant paste tomatoes and those little watermelons that aren't much bigger than grapefruit.
Cottonpicker - I planted black beauty, last year they got huge, too huge for the spot they were in at my friends house, but at my new garden, they are not that big at all. Also, I bought these as cell packs instead of starting from seed like usual. I think I will try something else and try some from seed.
White Hydrangea - considering you're Irish, I hardly doubt 21 will be enough for you for more than a week...lol...I spent 3 weeks in Ireland years ago and potatoes were in almost everything. Thats what made me try planting them myself this year. Good luck with yours. I saw somewhere that you get anywhere from 3-7 potatoes per plant.
Yeah Edamame! You picked them yes, they look plump and ready. Enjoy - I know you will.
White I have a few seeds from some paste left that I won't be using next year one is a Viva Italia and a Black Plum. If you'd like I can send you what I have for Spring. You should find plenty of info on both to be able to see if you like the sound of them.
Saint
Yeah, I was figuring approximately 5 potatoes per plant. I love potatoes. Always have. Think it's genetic? I have eight potatoes above the soil now, and I put those clear cloches over them to keep them from being nibbled. They seem to really like the cool, wet weather we're having.
Araness, yes I would like those tomato seeds. Thank you. I've seen the black plum advertised, and that was one that I was considering. Since this is my first year gardening, I don't have anything to trade, though.