Garden Planning
Right now the family garden is a rather small backyard garden. I have been reading and studying (and trying to impliment) about how to produce good amounts in a small space. It seemed providential to find Path to Freedom and their urban homestead set-up. Good ideas to think about and try.
Now that we have more space I have been trying to plan for next years garden. New gardens do better if the prep begins the fall before. There’s time to soil test & amend, build any beds, and just think before the spring rush.
First thing I decided to tackle is “how much to plant”. Two of my favorite gardening books have charts to help with the planning. Below is a the chart I created to help me see *what is what*.
|
Vegetable |
Seeds or Plants for a 50’ Row (#1) |
Plants or Feet of Row to Plant per Person (#1) |
Amount to plant per person (#2) |
Notes |
|
Beans, Dry |
4 oz |
20-30’ |
|
all beans in dble rows |
|
Beans, shell |
4 oz |
30’ |
|
|
|
Beans, snap |
4 oz |
30’ |
|
|
|
Beans, snap bush |
|
|
1/2 lb |
|
|
Beans, snap pole |
|
|
¼ lb |
|
|
Beans, |
|
|
¼ lb |
|
|
Beets |
½ oz |
10-15’ |
½ packet |
|
|
Broccoli |
25 plants |
5 plants |
5-10 plants |
|
|
Brussels sprouts |
25 plants |
10 plants |
5-10 plants |
|
|
Cabbage |
25 plants |
10 plants |
5-10 plants |
|
|
Cantaloupe |
|
|
½ packet |
|
|
Cauliflower |
25 plants |
5 plants |
3-5 plants |
|
|
Carrots |
1/8 oz |
10’ |
½ packet |
|
|
Collards |
|
|
¼ packet |
|
|
Corn, Sweet |
1 oz |
25’ |
½ lb |
|
|
Cucumbers |
¼ oz |
10-15’ |
2-3 hills |
|
|
Eggplant |
25 plants |
5 plants |
2-3 plants |
|
|
Endive |
1/8 oz |
10’ |
|
|
|
Garlic |
|
2’ |
5 bulbs |
using wide rows |
|
Kale |
1/8 oz |
12’ |
¼ packet |
|
|
Kohlrabi |
1/8 oz |
10’ |
¼ packet |
|
|
Lettuce, head |
1/8 oz |
5-10 |
|
|
|
Lettuce, leaf |
1/8 oz |
5-10’ |
½ packet |
|
|
Muskmelons |
12 plants |
3 plants |
|
|
|
Mustard Greens |
|
|
¼ packet |
|
|
Okra |
|
|
2 plants |
|
|
Onion Sets |
1 lb |
10-20’ |
1 lb |
|
|
Onion plants |
|
|
1 bunch |
using wide rows |
|
Parsnips |
¼ oz |
5-10’ |
|
|
|
Peas |
8 oz |
50-100’ |
¼ lb |
do in a ‘block’ |
|
Peppers |
33 plants |
5 plants |
2-3 plants |
|
|
Potatoes |
33 plants |
50’ |
|
|
|
Pumpkins |
¼ oz |
1 hill |
2-3 hills |
|
|
Radishes |
½ oz |
5’ |
½ packet |
|
|
Rutabaga |
|
|
½ packet |
|
|
Salsify |
½ oz |
5’ |
|
|
|
Shallots |
|
|
5 bulbs |
|
|
Spinach |
½ oz |
20’ |
½ packet |
|
|
Squash, summer |
¼ oz |
1 hill |
2-3 hills |
|
|
Squash, winter |
½ oz |
3-5 hills |
2-3 hills |
|
|
Swiss Chard |
¼ oz |
5’ |
¼ packet |
|
|
Tomatoes |
12-15 plants |
5 plants |
3-5 plants |
|
|
Turnips |
¼ oz |
10’ |
¼ oz |
|
|
Watermelon |
30 plants |
2-3 hills |
3-5 hills |
|
|
Zucchini |
¼ oz |
1 hill |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
#1. Big Book of Gardening Skills by Garden Way Publishing
#2 Down to Earth Gardening by D. Raymond
Now multiply that by 10. Because bugs like gardens too, and because stuff happens several places have recommended planting at least 25% more than you think you should. Wow!!!
And I am listening to Sister C (http://lifeonfive.homeschooljournal.net because I cannot get the code to where I can read it with these charts) and planning on planting what we eat & use (mostly). So some of what is listed isn’t going to be planted - but maybe someone else likes slime cooked greens…
And to know how much is supposed to be produced or needed for canning:
|
Vegetables |
16 in wide row |
Single-row planting |
Amount fresh needed per quart |
Quarts from one bushel |
|
Beets |
4 bu |
2 bu (104 lbs) |
2 ½ lbs |
16-20 quarts |
|
Carrots |
5 bu |
2 bu (100 lbs) |
2 ½ |
16-20 quarts |
|
Corn |
– |
6 dozen ears |
6-10 ears |
6-8 quarts |
|
Greens |
8 bu |
3 bu (54 lbs) |
3 lbs |
4-8 quarts |
|
Okra |
– |
1,000 pods |
2 lbs |
15-18 quarts |
|
Peas |
4 bu |
2 bu in pods (60 lbs) |
4lbs |
8-10 quarts |
|
Shell and Lima Beans |
4 bu |
2 bu in pods (60 lbs) |
4 lbs |
8-10 quarts |
|
Snap Beans |
4 bu |
2 bu in pods (60 lbs) |
4 lbs |
8-10 quarts |
|
Southern peas |
4 bu |
2 bu in pods (60 lbs) |
4 lbs |
8-10 quarts |
|
Squash |
– |
135 squash |
4 lbs |
10-12 quarts |
|
Tomatoes |
– |
3 bu (160 lbs) |
3 lbs |
15-18 quarts |
What is your experience?
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August 22nd, 2008 @ 6:13 am
We always went with what looked right.
If we had more of one thing and less of another - well, we just dealt with it.
And we really like potatoes, so a 50′ row per person just ain’t near enough.
August 24th, 2008 @ 5:42 pm
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