By: Marisa Reyes
Use this handy chart to figure out how many vegetables to plant in your garden so your whole family can enjoy the homegrown bounty. ![Calculate How Many Vegetables to Plant (1) Calculate How Many Vegetables to Plant (1)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
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 |
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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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FAQs
How many vegetables needed
Crop (number of plants per ft. of row) | Number of plants per person |
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Spinach (Thin to 6 plants/ft. of row) | 30-60 plants |
Squash (1 plant/6 ft. of row) | 1-2 plants |
Tomato (1 plant/2 ft. of row) | 2-4 plants |
Zucchini (1 plant/3 ft. of row) | 1-2 plants |
15 more rows
How do you calculate planting quantity? ›
Divide the width by the spacing to get the number of columns then divide the length by the spacing to get the number of rows. Finally, multiply the rows by the columns to find the number of plants needed.
How do I calculate how much food I need to grow? ›
Create a list of plants, and note how much you eat per week – so if you eat 5lbs (about 2kg) of potatoes a week, that's 20lbs (9kg) a month and 240lbs (109kg) a year. You'll need to grow this amount at least, plus a little more to make up for any lost to disease, pests and other problems.
How many vegetables for a family of 4? ›
How many vegetable to plant for a family
Vegetable crop | Plants per 1 person | Plants per 4 People |
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Peas | 15 to 20 | 60 to 80 |
Peppers | 1 to 3 | 1 to 12 |
Potatoes | 4 to 6 | 12 to 24 |
Radishes | 10 to 15 | 60 |
18 more rowsMar 12, 2018
What is the best layout for a vegetable garden? ›
As a general rule, put tall veggies toward the back of the bed, mid-sized ones in the middle, and smaller plants in the front or as a border. Consider adding pollinator plants to attract beneficial insects that can not only help you get a better harvest, but will also prey on garden pests.
Is it cheaper to grow your own vegetables? ›
Growing your own food is a healthy way to save money and enjoy fresh produce at home. When done correctly, even the smallest backyard plot can produce copious amounts of fruits and vegetables and possibly even a significant saving to the grocery budget.
What is the formula for planting rate? ›
Using the seeding rate calculation equation {(Seed/ac factor) / (seed/pound) = pound/ac} it is determined that the proper seeding rate is 2.0 PLS pounds/ acre.
How do you figure out how many plants you need? ›
How Many Plants Do I Need?
- For a square bed, multiply the length of the bed by its width to determine how many plants per square foot.
- For a circular planting bed, you can calculate how many plants per square foot is ideal by multiplying 3.14 by the distance from the center to the edge of the bed.
How to calculate the number of plants? ›
A hectare is ten thousand rectangle metres in size in general. Divide ten thousand by the result of multiplying the plant spacing and row spacing among each other. plant populace= ten thousand ÷ among plant life spacing (m) × among rows spacing (m).
What size vegetable garden for family of 4? ›
Generally speaking, 200 square feet of garden space per person will allow for a harvest that feeds everyone year-round. For an average family of four, plan for an 800 square-foot garden—a plot that's 20 feet by 40 feet in size should do the trick. If your family is larger (or smaller), scale up or down as needed.
Multiply the length by the width to determine the square footage—or area—of a square or rectangle. Find the square footage by multiplying the length and width of the area in question. Make sure to keep your units the same (feet or inches).
How big of a garden to be self-sufficient? ›
The general rule of thumb when it comes to growing a garden is to have 100 square feet of gardening space (traditional row gardens) per person for fresh eating only. To preserve food and put it up for the non-growing season, you're looking at 200 square feet of gardening space per person.
How many tomato plants should I plant? ›
In order to stock my pantry with the tomato products we eat regularly, I'll need to grow 252 pounds of tomatoes (Roma tomatoes are meatier). That means I'll need between 17-25 tomato plants in order to accommodate my family's needs.
What vegetables are worth growing? ›
10 Vegetables That Provide the Best Payback
- Tomatoes. These aren't the easiest to grow, but if you can nurse tomato plants through issues such as blight, septoria leaf spot, and groundhog attacks, the payoff is huge. ...
- Peppers. ...
- Cucumbers. ...
- Asparagus. ...
- Onions, Leeks, Shallots, Garlic. ...
- Lettuce. ...
- Squash. ...
- Rhubarb.
How far apart should you plant vegetables? ›
- Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage: 2' - 3' row spacing.
- Tomatoes: 2' - 4' row spacing.
- Summer Squash: 3' - 5' row spacing.
- Winter Squash: 5' - 6' row spacing.
- Cucumbers: 5' - 6' row spacing.
Do vegetables need to be planted in pairs? ›
Companion planting is an effective way to repel pests, attract beneficial pollinators, and stimulate healthy growth. But pairing certain vegetables together can also have adverse effects on the plants growing in your garden.
How many vegetables do we really need? ›
Daily Vegetable Table
Daily Recommendation* |
---|
Women | 19-30 yrs | 2½ to 3 cups |
31-59 yrs | 2 to 3 cups |
60+ yrs | 2 to 3 cups |
Men | 19-30 yrs | 3 to 4 cups |
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What is the best plant food ratio for vegetables? ›
A common recommendation for vegetables is to apply 1 pound of a 10-10-10 fertilizer or 2 pounds of a 5-10-5 (or 5-10-10) fertilizer per 100 feet of row.
What size garden for a family of 4? ›
Generally speaking, 200 square feet of garden space per person will allow for a harvest that feeds everyone year-round. For an average family of four, plan for an 800 square-foot garden—a plot that's 20 feet by 40 feet in size should do the trick.