Figure out how many vegetables to plant
When I first started vegetable gardening, I would sow every single seed in the envelope and plant every seedling in the pack, take care of hundreds of my growing babies and struggle with letting any of them go. Oversowing and overplanting left me with more produce than I could handle and sometimes weird-looking, stunted crops that were growing too close together. There was no way everything that germinated would fit in my garden, but watching those little seeds sprout and turn into plants was a treat in itself.
Adjust to your vegetable garden needs
Every year of experience with a vegetable garden helps you decide what to do the following year, but if you’re not sure if you’re planting enough or too much of a particular crop, start with the helpful chart below. It’ll help you decide whether to start with seeds or plants, how many to put in, and whether (and how much) to thin. If you’re getting started with vegetable gardening, this will help you mix and match your favorite crops into the space you have. These suggestions are based on fresh eating for a single person or a family of four, for four or five meals. You may decide you want to eat more than that, but it’s a starting point. If you’d like to freeze, can or pickle, decide how many meals you’d like to eat throughout the year and adjust accordingly.
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How many vegetable to plant for a family
In general, multiply the number of plants per person by 3 or 4 for a family-sized planting. We’ve done the work for you in adjusting the numbers of these plants in the chart so at harvest you aren’t overwhelmed with too many delicious veggies. Keeping a garden journal from year to year will help you track which crops you had more or less than needed so you can better plan for future growing seasons.
| Vegetable crop | Plants per 1 person | Plants per 4 People | Plant spacing | Direct Sow Seeds | Transplant Seedlings | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asparagus | 5 to 10 | 25 plants | 12 to 18 in. | X | X | It takes 2 to 3 years before harvest but can last up to a decade |
| Beans | 10 to 15 | 40 to 45 | Thin seedlings to 2 to 3 in. | X | Plant successive crops every two weeks for a continuous harvest; great for canning and pickling | |
| Beets | 10 to 12 | 40 to 48 | Thin seedlings to 3 in. | X | Beets store well; plant in spring and fall for two harvests each year | |
| Broccoli | 1 to 2 | 4 to 6 | 15 in. | X | Every time you cut a head, more smaller ones will form | |
| Cabbage | 2 to 3 | 8 to 10 | Thin seedlings to 9 to 12 in. | X | X | Plant cabbage closer together for smaller heads |
| Carrots | 20 to 30 | 80 to 90 | Thin seedlings to 1 to 2 in. | X | Long shelf life; plant in spring and fall for multiple harvests | |
| Celery | 1 to 2 | 4 to 6 | 8 to 12 in. | X | Stronger taste than store bought; celery stalks will regrow after being cut | |
| Corn | 10 to 12 | 40 to 48 | 12 in. | X | Plant in blocks for best pollination | |
| Cucumbers | 1 to 2 | 3 to 4 | Thin seedlings to 12 to 24 in. | X | X | Plant 12 in. apart if using a trellis system and 24 in. apart if they’re rambling on the ground |
| Eggplant | 2 to 3 | 4 to 6 | 38 in. | X | Each plant will produce about 8 to 20 well developed fruits depending on variety | |
| Kale | 4 to 5 | 16 to 20 | 12 in. | X | Sow seeds 3 in. apart and thin to 12 in. the seedlings can be enjoyed as microgreens! | |
| Lettuce | 4 to 6 | 16 to 24 | Thin seedlings to 9 in. | X | X | Stagger sowing for one head per week per person |
| Melons | 1 to 2 | 2 to 4 | 24 in. | X | Plant two seeds per hole in mounds 24 inches apart | |
| Onions | 6 to 12 | 24 to 48 | 4 to 6 in. | X | Buy sets (individual bulbs) or plants (in bundles) and plant two per person, per week | |
| Peas | 15 to 20 | 60 to 80 | Thin seedlings to 2 in. | X | X | Grow peas on a trellis |
| Peppers | 1 to 3 | 1 to 12 | 12 to 24 in. | X | Most hot peppers are prolific: one plant is enough for one or four people; for larger peppers, grow two to three plants per person | |
| Potatoes | 4 to 6 | 12 to 24 | 12 in. | X | Seed potatoes are tubers you plant in the ground; each plant will yield 1 lb. of potatoes | |
| Radishes | 10 to 15 | 60 | 4 to 6 in. | X | Enjoy radish seedlings as microgreens and are tasty on salads and sandwiches | |
| Spinach | 4 to 8 | 16 to 32 | Thin seedlings to 3 to 6 in. | X | X | Plant in spring and fall for two harvests a year |
| Squash (Summer & Winter) | 1 to 2 | 2 to 4 | Thin seedlings to 18 to 36 in. | X | X | Plant summer squash 18 in. apart and larger plants of winter squash 36 in. apart |
| Tomatoes | 1 to 4 | 1 to 16 | 12 to 24 in. | X | Cherries: Grow one per person; slicing: grow one to two per person; paste: grow three to four per person | |
| Zucchini | 1 to 2 | 4 | 36 in. | X | Flowers from zucchini plants are also edible, fry them up and give them a try for something new |
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