How much to grow per person......

[JustAnotherNut]

Ever wonder how much you would need to grow to provide food for yourself & family to eat for a year? That is, if you have the garden space of course. Even in smaller gardens, if you learn about other methods including intensive, successive and companion planting, you can still grow a lot of food. Not just to eat fresh, but also preserve for future meals.
This list is only a guideline so no hard & fast rules, and you will need to determine just what & how much & how often you actually eat of any one item. If it's something you and your family don't like & never eat, then don't plant any. If you only eat it say once in a while or only one or two of your family like it, then only plant the smaller number. If it's something you and/or your whole family love it and eat it often, then plant the larger number and maybe even a few more.

For an example---tomatoes that are very versatile and can be made into salsa, ketchup, bbq or taco or pasta sauce, not to mention frequent salads or as is with salt & pepper......you might want to consider planting enough for 1 or 2 more people in your household....if for a family of 4 that eats a lot of tomatoes & tomato products, consider planting the larger number for 5 or 6 people (25-30 total, instead of up to 20). Although another option especially if available garden space is minimal, is to grow a couple of plants thru the winter indoors for a continued harvest.

To determine just how much of any vegetable you eat and how much you would need to plant...….keep track of what you eat now for a week, then times that by 52. This is only a rough estimate, but can give you an idea of what you would need. Also consider ingredients and herbs for those products when calculating your needs.

How much should you plant in your garden to provide a year’s worth of food?

Artichokes
1-4 plants per person


Asparagus
10-12 plants per person


Beans, Bush
10-20 plants per person


Beans, Lima
10-20 plants per person


Beans, Pole
10-20 plants per person


Beets
10-20 plants per person


Broccoli
5-10 plants per person


Brussels Sprouts
2-8 plants per person


Cabbage
3-10 plants per person


Carrots
10-40 plants per person


Cauliflower
3-5 plants per person


Celeriac
1-5 plants per person


Celery
3-8 plants per person


Corn
12-40 plants per person


Cucumbers
3-5 plants per person


Eggplant
1 plant per person, plus 2-3 extra per family


Kale
1 5’ row per person


Lettuce
10-12 plants per person


Melons
2-6 plants per person


Onions
40-80 plants per person


Peas
25-60 plants per person


Peppers
5-6 plants per person


Potatoes
10-30 plants per person


Pumpkins
1 plant per person


Rhubarb
2-3 crowns per person


Spinach
10-20 plants per person


Summer Squash
2-4 plants per person


Winter Squash
2 plants per person


Sweet Potatoes
5 plants per person


Tomatoes
2-5 plants per person

 

[Tijn Von Ingersleben]

Good post...thank you!

 

[JGalt]

I suck at gardening. We bought a $500 tiller 6 years ago and I used it a couple years. But there are too many rocks here, weeds kept taking over everything, tomatoes got all blighty, and finally, the ground started sinking where the garden was.

Evidently my wife's dad had a shed there at one time, so now there's nothing but a big sinkhole.

 

[JustAnotherNut]

I suck at gardening. We bought a $500 tiller 6 years ago and I used it a couple years. But there are too many rocks here, weeds kept taking over everything, tomatoes got all blighty, and finally, the ground started sinking where the garden was.

Evidently my wife's dad had a shed there at one time, so now there's nothing but a big sinkhole.

Well that sucks.....how bad is the sinkhole? Better yet, find a better spot?

I have a lot of rocks too, plus hardpan. When we moved here 22 years ago, we had several yards of topsoil brought in so I had something to work with.

Blighty tomatoes??? Do you mean blossom end rot? Where the blossom end turns black and will eventually take over the whole tomato??? USUALLY it's a sign of lack of calcium in the soil, to which you just add either egg shells at planting or even crunch some up and put in the soil around established plants. That or also a possible sign of not enough water...…….but I say USUALLY because I had grown some in 4 different raised beds. 2 of the beds were having problems, 1 of the good beds was in between the 2 bad ones and the other good bed was elsewhere. Of all the tomatoes, the 2 bad beds were planted with Romas, the other 2 good beds were planted with other varieties. AND I made sure to add extra calcium and water to both bad beds and it still didn't help. I had never had that problem before...where the extra attention didn't help the problem.

As for weeds...….cover it all with 4-6 inches or more, with mulch. It keeps the weeds down to a minimum, helps retain water/moisture and nutrients from evaporation/run off AND improves soil microbes to keep it healthy and it will break down to improve soil for next year. Mulch can be anything that will break down over time...….hay, straw, grass clippings, bark or woodchips, leaves, even newspaper or cardboard.

 

[JustAnotherNut]

Another consideration is to plant some of your own spices......such as cayenne or paprika peppers that can be dried and powdered, then used as seasonings in recipes.

 

[fncceo]

If you want to make money off this latest panic ... don't grow lima beans ...

 

[ozro]

Grow crops that work in your area. For example, where I am, the yellow crookneck squash grows very well, but zuccini or straightneck squash do not do as well. Personally, I avoid hybrid seeds, because hybrids do not grow true the second generation, meaning, its kinda not worth saving your seeds. I use hierloom seeds to start, and then save my own seeds for future planting. That is my best advice. Also, I have been able to barter or sell whatever i can't use.

 

[JustAnotherNut]

Grow crops that work in your area. For example, where I am, the yellow crookneck squash grows very well, but zuccini or straightneck squash do not do as well. Personally, I avoid hybrid seeds, because hybrids do not grow true the second generation, meaning, its kinda not worth saving your seeds. I use hierloom seeds to start, and then save my own seeds for future planting. That is my best advice. Also, I have been able to barter or sell whatever i can't use.

Good point about the seeds for saving & future planting. I do the same and stay away from hybrids.

 

[Damaged Eagle]

A lot of people around here don't pick their apples and they go to waste. I generally find someone with an apple tree who will let me pick a few five gallon buckets full. I usually have twelve gallons, in half gallon jars, of apple cider (non-alcoholic) in storage at the end of the year. That way I can open one every two weeks. Mine's a lot stronger, more apple, than what you can buy in the store. In return I give the people who own the trees a couple gallons in payment.

I also can several quarts of slices for pies, crisp, turnovers, and the like.

*****SMILE*****

 

[JustAnotherNut]

View attachment 315431

A lot of people around here don't pick their apples and they go to waste. I generally find someone with an apple tree who will let me pick a few five gallon buckets full. I usually have twelve gallons, in half gallon jars, of apple cider (non-alcoholic) in storage at the end of the year. That way I can open one every two weeks. Mine's a lot stronger, more apple, than what you can buy in the store. In return I give the people who own the trees a couple gallons in payment.

I also can several quarts of slices for pies, crisp, turnovers, and the like.

*****SMILE*****

And just what do you do with all the peels & cores?????

Did you know you can make Apple Cider Vinegar or Apple Scrap Vinegar from them??? Just pack as many as you can into a jar & cover with water & let it sit..of course with some cheesecloth or paper towel over the top of the jar to allow for natural yeasts & such. As the peels start to break down & shrink in the jar after a week or two, add more to it. It will at first smell like apples, then will eventually smell like vinegar. And may even bubble up (& over?) as it's working. There are PH test strips you can get to find out the acidity level if you choose. I haven't, but went by my nose. Even after it smelled like vinegar, I left it for another week or two, to be sure. then strained it.

 

[Damaged Eagle]

View attachment 315431

A lot of people around here don't pick their apples and they go to waste. I generally find someone with an apple tree who will let me pick a few five gallon buckets full. I usually have twelve gallons, in half gallon jars, of apple cider (non-alcoholic) in storage at the end of the year. That way I can open one every two weeks. Mine's a lot stronger, more apple, than what you can buy in the store. In return I give the people who own the trees a couple gallons in payment.

I also can several quarts of slices for pies, crisp, turnovers, and the like.

*****SMILE*****

And just what do you do with all the peels & cores?????

Did you know you can make Apple Cider Vinegar or Apple Scrap Vinegar from them??? Just pack as many as you can into a jar & cover with water & let it sit..of course with some cheesecloth or paper towel over the top of the jar to allow for natural yeasts & such. As the peels start to break down & shrink in the jar after a week or two, add more to it. It will at first smell like apples, then will eventually smell like vinegar. And may even bubble up (& over?) as it's working. There are PH test strips you can get to find out the acidity level if you choose. I haven't, but went by my nose. Even after it smelled like vinegar, I left it for another week or two, to be sure. then strained it.

I've been drying them out and giving them to my son-in-law for the pigs and deer.

Never thought of making apple vinegar though.

*****CHUCKLE*****

 

[Damaged Eagle]

You forgot to mention raising spices. They're easy to grow and don't require a lot of sun so they can be grown on the east side of the house. I've been raising:

Basil
Oregano
Sage
Parsley
Rosemary
Chives

Also grow lots of spinach and what doesn't get eaten fresh gets dried in the racks just like the others and chopped then put in used parmesan containers. Smells like alfalfa but if added to things like spaghetti sauce with other spices you can't tell and all are great for the vitamins.

*****SMILE*****

 

[JustAnotherNut]

View attachment 315438

You forgot to mention raising spices. They're easy to grow and don't require a lot of sun so they can be grown on the east side of the house. I've been raising:

Basil
Oregano
Sage
Parsley
Rosemary
Chives

Also grow lots of spinach and what doesn't get eaten fresh gets dried in the racks just like the others and chopped then put in used parmesan containers. Smells like alfalfa but if added to things like spaghetti sauce with other spices you can't tell and all are great for the vitamins.

*****SMILE*****

can I kiss you??????

YES about spinach, kale, carrot tops (yes they're edible and loaded with vitamins), greens...….can all be done the same way. I usually dehydrate mine, then sprinkle in recipes.


Don't pull up your spinach when you harvest it. Just cut or pinch off what you need & it will grow back......same with stuff like celery, lettuces, etc (I just posted another thread about that)

 

[Dekster]

I suck at gardening. We bought a $500 tiller 6 years ago and I used it a couple years. But there are too many rocks here, weeds kept taking over everything, tomatoes got all blighty, and finally, the ground started sinking where the garden was.

Evidently my wife's dad had a shed there at one time, so now there's nothing but a big sinkhole.

Check to see if your local government offers free compost. If so fill it up and you have a great no dig bed. I have never quite figured out why the ground subsides so much when you till it, but I have had it happen in spots where the soil is real powdery.


I have a fair number of rocks too. I just dig them up and add to the landscaping. It takes a couple years but the rocks usually become less of a problem.

 

[Damaged Eagle]

If I move into the house I'm planning on will be planting a couple of ginko trees out front for tea.

*****CHUCKLE*****

 

[Missourian]

The wife and I use the Square Food Method...

Square Foot Gardening Foundation

Learn about the Square Foot Gardening Method created by Mel Bartholomew. Find tips and resources, locate a Certified Instructor, and read our newsletter.

squarefootgardening.org

 

[JustAnotherNut]

Even if you don't have the garden space to grow all the vegetables you need, you can still plant a few things in pots either on a balcony, step or even inside. Tomatoes, peppers & herbs especially, maybe even cucumbers or squash if you dare. There are some 'bush' varieties, that don't sprawl. It may not be much, but atleast it is something.

 

[JustAnotherNut]

Even if you do have a garden but space is limited...….another option to get more from it, is to plant some crops in succession. Cool weather crops planted in early spring are usually done producing around mid to late summer. Once harvested, clean and amend the area and plant it again for a fall crop. That way you get twice the amount of produce in the same space.

Possibles…..peas, potatoes, carrots, onions, beets, most leafy greens, and radishes only take about a month from planting to harvest, so you can get several crops over the growing season. This may depend much on your own local area & growing seasons, so that must be taken into consideration. Those in the North with cooler climates and short growing seasons, may have more of a challenge, although even in the South & Southwest the heat is a big factor too.

 

[strollingbones]

growing a garden is hard work...and it takes a few years to get the processing equipment...one must have a pressure cooker at least...and be able to use it safely ....we have a food dehydrator ..we dont have the weather to depend on the sun....and since my chest freezer died years ago....we have not used a freezer much...well damn we are saving coin not being able to go out.....and lowes has a sale going on so i got a upright ....tomatoes are a good choice for a beginner and the pressure cooker.....and are as just said a highly versatile veggie...even if you just can it as is and use it later...and dont grow what you can buy cheaply....since we have huge tomato farms around us....it is easier to just buy a 30 lb box at the end of the year..same for cabbage..you have to allot your time and space..asparagus beds are worth the time and investment....and are hard work to put in but will reward you for a decade or more...our bed is beginning to die out and its been there at least 15 yrs...

and if you have never eaten an ear of corn in the garden.....just shuck and eat....you dont have a clue what good food tastes like...you take a toddler to the garden with you and let the have a ear of corn...and put them in the sweet peas...you have natures best babysitter ...fresh air ..good food and they wont grow up to be picky eaters

 

[JustAnotherNut]

growing a garden is hard work...and it takes a few years to get the processing equipment...one must have a pressure cooker at least...and be able to use it safely ....we have a food dehydrator ..we dont have the weather to depend on the sun....and since my chest freezer died years ago....we have not used a freezer much...well damn we are saving coin not being able to go out.....and lowes has a sale going on so i got a upright ....tomatoes are a good choice for a beginner and the pressure cooker.....and are as just said a highly versatile veggie...even if you just can it as is and use it later...and dont grow what you can buy cheaply....since we have huge tomato farms around us....it is easier to just buy a 30 lb box at the end of the year..same for cabbage..you have to allot your time and space..asparagus beds are worth the time and investment....and are hard work to put in but will reward you for a decade or more...our bed is beginning to die out and its been there at least 15 yrs...

and if you have never eaten an ear of corn in the garden.....just shuck and eat....you dont have a clue what good food tastes like...you take a toddler to the garden with you and let the have a ear of corn...and put them in the sweet peas...you have natures best babysitter ...fresh air ..good food and they wont grow up to be picky eaters

Yes, my kids would always go to the garden for their lunch or snacks and I was lucky to find enough for a meal after they'd been thru.

Agreed that it's all hard work and can be an expensive investment upfront...….but if you're able & willing to put in the effort, there are ways to make it easier in the long run. As you mentioned about asparagus, the same holds true for most fruits as trees or berries that keep producing year after year.

For annual veggies, look into permaculture methods with dedicated walk-paths and using lots of mulch in the planting beds. Once you've established those, then in future plantings should be much easier...…..just dig a hole for transplants, or a row for seeds. If you have dedicated walk paths, that will keep the planting beds from getting compacted from traffic and the mulch helps keep down the weeds, retains moisture, nutrients and microbes in the soil. Just add another layer of mulch over the top of the previous layer...….much the same with the Back to Eden method using wood chips, but you can also use other organic materials. Over time, each old layer breaks down and adds to the soil structure and the new layer holds it in place.