How Much Seed Should You Buy?

Setting Your Garden Goal(s)

Deciding how much seed to purchase can be tricky when planning your vegetable garden.   First you must know what your intentions are with your garden. 

Will your garden provide a little extra fresh produce during the spring and summer season?  Or do you hope to preserve enough food to feed your family until the next year's garden is producing?  Or perhaps you hope to do something in between the two extremes. 


What Will You Eat?

I find that I can easily get carried away when planning my garden.  The garden catalog(s) are so beautiful and the varieties are intoxicating!  It is fun to try new veggies but it's not cool to discover that you must go to the grocery store to purchase the good ol' favorites because you didn't plant enough to get you through the season.

Some of my favorite places to shop for seeds are ~

Survival Seed Vault - Heirloom Emergency Survival Seeds - Plant a Full Acre Crisis Victory Garden - 20 Easy-to-grow Varieties

The Heirloom Life Gardener: The Baker Creek Way of Growing Your Own Food Easily and Naturally

All in One Heirloom Seed Kit (Blow Out Sale) - Authorized Dealer


It has worked well for us to follow an 80/20 ratio when purchasing seeds and planting our garden.   Approximately 80% of what we grow are our favorite, time-tested standbyes.  20% are new to our garden, either vegetables or herbs we've not grown before, or a new variety of a vegetable we've grown in the past.

How Much Seed to Purchase?

There are multiple on-line sources to help you decide how much seed to plant.  But I've yet to find a site that will tell you exactly how much to plant per person.  I thought I would take some time to give you guidelines but after putting much thought to it, I've realized I can't tell you either!   


Some of our seed stash


I can tell you what we plant approximately.  Hopefully this will give you an idea of how much you should plant.

Our Family Numbers

We have eight members in our family.  Our family consists of - two adults, two teenage boys that eat as much or more than an adult, two preteen daughters that eat as much as I do at times, a seven year old little boy that exists on air and water alone, and a two year little girl who loves veggies.   Plus we feed lunch to 7 or 9 daycare children 5 days a week. 

Our garden goal is to produce all of our family's produce for each year.  Of course the zone we live in causes us to purchase some things like bananas, oranges and avocado.  And we've not gotten our greenhouse finished so if we want a fresh salad in the off season, we must purchase that produce.

Here is an list of what we generally plant -

• Tomatoes - 50 to 60 plants (a mixture of paste tomatoes and large beefy style) - We eat fresh, can, dehydrate and sometimes freeze.
• Hot Peppers - 10 to 12 plants - Eat Fresh, pickle and dehydrate
• Bell Peppers - 15 plants - Eat fresh and freeze
• Summer Squash - 25 plants - Eat fresh, pickle and freeze
• Winter Squash - 30 to 35 plants - Eat fresh, cellar storage and freeze
• Swiss Chard - 100 plants - Eat fresh and freeze
• Spinach - 100 plants - Eat fresh and freeze
• Green Beans - 4 lbs worth of different varieties - Eat fresh, freeze, can and pickle
• Dried Beans - 4 lbs worth of different varieties - Dry for soups, etc.
• Cucumbers - 30 plants -  Eat fresh and pickle
• Okra - 25 to 30 plants - Eat fresh, freeze and pickle
• Snap Peas - 30 to 40 plants (not a big staple in our home) - Eat fresh
• Potatoes - For some reason we've not had much luck with potatoes, so this will be an area of improvement this year.  I'm planning on planting at least 5 lbs per person plus a little extra.  I figure I'll plant at least 50 lbs. - Cellar Storage for use throughout year
• Corn - We have approximately 10 lbs of corn from saved seed.  Last year, we ate very little of our corn harvest but instead let it go to the point of seed.  I really don't know how much we'll plant or end up with as corn is fairly new to our garden.  I will keep you posted.  You should keep in mind that corn tends to produce one or two ears per plant when considering how much to plant for your family.  Our family loves corn so much that we could probably plant an acre and still consume it all in a year's time! Eat fresh, freeze and can
• Watermelons - 10 plants - Eat Fresh
• Canteloupe - 10 plants - Eat Fresh
• Carrots - Seeds are so small, and we've been saving our carrot seeds for many years now.  So I'm afraid I can't tell you anything other than we put approximately 3 to 5 seeds every square inch and plant an entire 4 ft by 8 ft plot.   We also plant some carrots arround the tomatoes as they make good companion plants.  We usually plant about 2 cups of saved seeds.  I'm really not sure how many seed packets that would be.  We eat carrots through the summer and put the rest up by freezing, dehydrating and pickling.  
• Onions - We go through about 4 large onions a week in our house.  52 weeks x 4 = 208 onions.  In the past, we've grown half that and always wished we'd planted more.  This year, we'll plant approximately 250 to allow for some loss to weather, bugs, etc.   Cold storage, freezing and dehydration
• Garlic - We've grown garlic just for fun in the past.  We'll plant about 50 cloves this year and see how far that takes us.

There will be other odds and ends of things we will plant but these are the mainstays of our garden.

I hope you find this hopeful!

This article was first published in January 2012

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Garden Update ~ June 2012

 

~ Panoramic view of garden ~
(As you can see, the weeds are growing almost as well as the vegetables)
If you are wondering how well "plot" style planting works,
take a look at some of the produce we've harvested so far!



Our deep freezer (so far!)

 

 



Five gallon bucket of Swiss Chard ~ This is
one of many so far this year!

 



Glorious Green Beans!




Cool Cucumbers!




Truck loads of Summer and Winter Squash!




The beginnings of what I hope to be a big
tomato crop this year!





As "Baby Poppy" says, "Yay Garden!!!!"

We feel really fortunate this year! Even with the weeds
and the distractions, we are blessed with so much food!
I'd love to hear how your garden is growing!

 

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How to Preserve Green Beans Without Canning



 


We've been blessed with huge crops of green beans
this year! 

  



The children aren't so sure it's a blessing as
they are my cheap labor!

 




I do like to can (pressure can) green beans but my husband
prefers the fresh taste of frozen.  Freezing is a very easy
process and you don't need any special equipment.  As long as
you have freezer space and a big stock pot, you can freeze
veggies for storage.  You'll only need to purchase freezer
bags or other airtight storage containers. You could even
use butter tubs!


Another method of food preservation that I like to utilize is
dehydration.  The preparation method for freezing and dehydrating
are really the same. 

 


1) Clean your green beans!  If you don't use pesticides, you
will only need water. 
 If you use pesticides or have purchased from the store
wash in a mild soapy solution.
I dump my produce in the left side of my sink
and fill with cold water. 
Then I fill up the right side to use as a final rinse. 
I place a large bowl or dishpan to contain
the beans ready to blanch.

2) With your hands or a paring knife, remove the stem end,
strings and any bug bites or damaged spots. 
Swish around in your rinse 
water and put in your "ready to blanch" container.   






3) Bring a large stockpot of water to a rolling boil.  Add
prepared green beans and let simmer for approximately 2 to 3
minutes.  You'll know when the beans have been in long enough
because their color will change to bright green.  This process is
referred to as "blanching".  It kills the enzymes that cause decay.
The blanching process actually preserves vitamin content.
Don't skip this step or your beans will get a freezer burnt taste and
get tough.   But remember to not leave in too long or you'll just
have cooked green beans and lose valuable nutrition.




4) Quickly remove your blanched beans from the boiling
water.  I like to place a colander inside of a larger
bowl and place the beans in it using a slotted spoon to remove
from the boiling water.  This way, I can reuse the same water
instead of dumping it.




5) Cool your beans in cold water immediately to stop the
cooking process.  If necessary, you can use ice as well.




6) Drain your chilled beans, place in ziplock bags or other
storage containers, remove air if possible and freeze!
You're done!




If you would like to dehydrate your beans, simply place
on your dehydrating trays and follow manufacturer
instructions.  I will post an article soon on dehydrating in
your oven. 

My favorite dehydrator (I have several)
is

My beans are usually dehydrated to a crisp texture in about
12 hours.





Dehydrated beans ~ They are excellent for using in soups and
stews as they absorb the flavors of the broth. 




Another perk of dehydrating is the small storage
space required.  You only need an airtight container
to keep your dehydrated beans.



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Garden Update

 

My two year old standing in the green bean patch.  We got
5 quarts with our first picking!



















I have been busy lately and haven't blogged for awhile.  I wanted to take a moment to let my gardening friends see the gardening progress.  Isn't this year incredible so far? 
I started the garden about a month earlier than normal due to the warm weather and prayed we wouldn't get a late frost.  So far my early start has paid off.  The garden looks more like a late June garden! 

We have been harvesting and freezing Swiss chard and spinach. 

We've had fresh lettuce and cilantro for some time now.  The tomatoes have set fruit and are growing bigger each day.  The winter squash is spreading all over "visiting" and sometimes trying to strangle it's neighbors.  We've picked 8 zucchini so far and many more are formed on the plants.  The most exciting harvest so far is the huge amount of green beans we had for our first picking!

You can probably how closely I've planted in the photos.  I've talked about plot planting and this is what it looks like! 

I've been really lucky so far with the bugs.  I won't jinx it by going into detail but suffice it to say that there are more ladybugs than others at this point.  

I'd love to hear how your garden is growing!




My two year old standing in the green bean patch.  We got
5 quarts with our first picking!

  


Squash patch ~ Notice my weed bed!  I can't seem to keep
up with the weeding. 




See the corn coming up in the distance?





Big beautiful tomatoes!  I started these from seeds!




Winter squash "visiting" tomatoes and peppers






Another view of the garden

 

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Inexpensive Mulch For Your Garden

I've been looking for inexpensive or free ways to mulch my garden.  My husband has a business that generates a lot of cardboard boxes from items shipped to him. 

The children generally play with the boxes until they are destroyed, then they go out with the trash.  I wondered if the boxes could be used for mulch so I did a little research.  I found that so long as the cardboard isn't covered with a "shiny" coating, it can be used as mulch for the garden. 

Cardboard mulch after high winds

You will want to tear the cardboard into pieces no bigger than 4 inches by 4 inches.  If your pieces are bigger, you will run the risk of the wind catching the pieces and propelling them into your plants.  Then wet the cardboard before placing around your plants.  This will help ensure that it stays in place.    Cardboard makes a good mulch because it helps prevent weed growth and moisture loss.  It also breaks down over time.  Unfortunately, cardboard doesn't hold up so well to high winds.  As you can see in my photographs, near tornado strength winds blew the cardboard all over my garden.   I will still use cardboard mulch because it did work well for the week prior to the big storm, withstanding normal Kansas winds.

Interestingly, the leaf mulch that I had placed around my tomato plants stayed in place for the most part after the severe storm.  To make leaf mulch, simply rake leaves from your yard and place them around your plants, then water!

Other sources of free mulch can be found in your yard or home.  Consider the following ideas ~

• Sawdust - Let rot until it is dark in color before using.  Apply 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick around your plant.
• Pine needles - They are plentiful in many areas and look cool!  Apply 3 to 4 inches thick.
• Hay and Straw -  Spoiled hay makes an excellent mulch.  I've even used straw from my chicken coop, although some would caution that salmonella can be introduced into your garden in this manner.
• Old newspapers - Avoid colored newsprint, I've heard it may contain lead.  Apply in layers 4 to 6 sheets thick and weight down to keep it from blowing away. 
• Grass clippings - Just be certain to let dry out a bit before applying to avoid clumping and don't use grass from chemically treated lawns. 
• Partially broken down Compost - Makes a wonderful mulch!  Feeds your garden while sheltering the soil. 
• Coffee Grounds -  I'm particularly excited about this one as we drink a ton of coffee!   Coffee can be used as an additive to your compost but also makes an excellent mulch.  It repels slugs and other pests but earthworms really love it!  Coffee grounds also offer a slow release of nitrogen. Of course, as with anything you put in your garden, you will want to make certain you are using pesticide free products (if you are organically gardening) 

Why mulching is important -
Mulching may seem like a lot of extra work but it can save you a great deal of work later on. 

• When applied properly, mulching can conserve moisture in the soil, thereby reducing the frequency that you will need to water. 
• Mulching also can smother weeds, which will save you a lot of back breaking work.
• Mulching insulates the soil, providing a nice even temperature for your plants' roots.
• Mulching provides a cozy habitat for earthworms which are just all around "good guys" in the garden.  
• Mulching helps prevent rotting of vegetables such as squash, watermelons, cucumbers or any other vegetable that normally would touch the soil by creating a barrier.
• Mulching also guards against soil erosion from heavy rains or watering.  

When applying mulch -

• Apply in spring after the soil has warmed up slightly.  If you apply while the soil is still cold, you may slow down plant growth.
• Apply after weeding if possible. A thick layer will smother existing weeds but you can get by with less mulch if you weed first. 
• It may seem obvious, but wait until your vegetables or plants are up before mulching.  If you mulch over the newly planted soil, you may not ever see your seedlings!

For a wealth of information you might enjoy reading ~

Starter Vegetable Gardens: 24 No-Fail Plans for Small Organic Gardens

I'd love to hear about your ideas for free or cheap garden mulch!

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The Humble Beginnings of a Year's Supply of Food





I couldn't be more excited! Yesterday marked the real beginning of spring for me.  We began the joyful process of planting our vegetable garden for the year.   There will be many more beds put in before the end of May but somehow the first planting always seems the most important to me.



For our first planting, I am careful to not plant anything that might be damaged by a light frost.   And because I'm planting a little earlier than I probably should for our zone, I never plant all of my seed supply at once.

Beware the Frost!~
 I view this first planting as my "gamble" crop!  We've had such warm weather, it seems unlikely that we'll have a freeze.  But, the possibility exists of a late season hard freeze


What to Plant Now?

So far, we've planted Spinach, Swiss Chard, Lettuce, Snap Peas, Carrots and Cilantro.  My Tomatoes and Peppers are started inside along with some Winter Squash.  

Misc. Planting Tips ~
~For those of us who haven't started veggies from seed inside before, you will want to "sun" your starter plants outside as often as possible (weather permitting).  Taking them outside not only gives better sunlight, the breeze helps strengthen the stalks.  Just remember to bring them back in for the cold nights!



My strong young man, working very hard to help put the
garden in!

~When direct seeding into your garden, remember to plant your seed at a depth in proportion to it's size.  You wouldn't want to plant a tiny lettuce seed an inch deep.  It wouldn't likely germinate. 
On the other hand, you wouldn't want to plant a green bean seed too shallow or birds might help themselves to your seeds. 

You might also find that a heavy rain has washed away your garden to a different location! 


Don't forget to take your baby plants out each sunny day
to give them a little extra sun and to "harden" them
in preparation for transplanting.  I think the breeze is
good for strengthening them!

 ~When planting, first loosen the soil with a hoe or rake, removing any weeds or grass roots from the area that you intend on planting.  Gently level the soil with your hand or a rake. 

~Place your seeds appropriately spaced and at the proper depth.  I like to leave the holes open until I'm completely done so that I can see where I've planted. 

~Lightly cover your seeds with soil and gently "firm" the soil with your hand by patting the garden bed.   A gentle watering will begin the germination process.  Deep watering at consistent intervals is more appropriate once your plants are established but until they have germinated, it is better to keep the soil moist with a light watering each day.  As always, adjust the frequency of watering based on factors such as wind, rain, temperature, etc. 


My sweet girl "helping" in the garden



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Do It Yourself "Topsy Turvy" Tomato Planter

I love the space saving concept of the "Topsy Turvy" tomato planter.  I think this planter concept is helpful in cutting down on weeding and a perfect solution for people who want to enjoy homegrown tomatoes but don't have a yard.  I'll wager that if you had a window with enough sun exposure you could even grow tomatoes inside your home.

Don't Take Mother Earth For Granted Coffee Mug by Poppyjuice
Create unique personalized coffee cups at Zazzle

I have looked at them in stores each season but just didn't feel justified in spending the money to purchase one.    I saw on a website a way to make your own using an emptied 2 liter soda bottle and a few simple items usually found around the house.  (I'd love to give credit but it's been over a year since I found the idea and I can't remember the name of the site).

This project was really simple and only took about 15 minutes to complete.  This time includes several interruptions from my 2 year old daughter. 

To make your own "Topsy Turvy" tomato planter, you will need the following items ~

• Empty, clean 2 liter plastic soda bottle
• A chopstick, wooden skewer or small dowel rod, at least 8 inches long. (You could also use a metal clothing hanger as I did on my first planter.  However, it was very difficult for me to untwist the hanger and to twist it back into position). 
• scissors
• potting soil
• coffee filter
• tomato plant
• wire or string to hang your planter with
• something to punch holes with (I used a screw but I think any sharp object would work.

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1) Wash an empty 2 liter soda bottle
Remove label if desired.



2) Carefully cut bottom off approximately 2 inches. 
On the bottle I used, there was a ridge at the right spot
which served as a guide.




3) Place the cut bottom portion inside the bottle in an
inverted position.  It should fit snugly




4) With the bottom still inside the bottle, poke 2 holes
through the sides to fit the chopstick or dowel
rod.  You will want to make sure to align these holes
in a centered position so your planter isn't off balance
when hanging.




5) Pull the bottom out and make holes which will
serve as a water dispenser for your plant.




6) This is what my water dispenser looks like.  I made
ten holes and attempted to evenly space them.




7) Choose a tomato seedling that isn't very large yet.
You'll need to be able to thread the plant through the
top off your bottle.





8) Tear a seam in the coffee filter from an edge
to the center.  Wrap gently around the base of your
plant, covering the dirt.

 



9) Gently work the tomato plant
through the neck of the bottle. 
Use your chopstick to help
lift the plant through the opening if need be.

 



10) Turn your planter upside down and fill with potting
soil.  You will want to be sure to leave space to place
the water dispenser/lid.

 


11) Thread the dowel rod/chopstick through
the holes.





12) Secure wire to hang the plant. 

 


13) Pour water into the dispenser until water drips
out of the neck of the bottle.




14) Hang your new "Topsy
Turvy" and enjoy!
You should cover the bottle with something to shield
delicate roots from the light.
I used masking tape on one and
duct tape on another.  I think
you could paint the planter with
spray paint prior to putting your
plant in, as well.

To care for your plant, water as needed.

For additional space saving ideas, check out the following -

Vertical Vegetables & Fruit: Creative Gardening Techniques for Growing Up in Small Spaces

 Vertical Vegetable Gardening: A Living Free Guide (Living Free Guides)

Vertical Gardening and Container Gardening - Ideas for Growing Vegetables and Herbs In Small Vertical Places Outdoors and Indoors



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