Re: How much to plant?

countrynaturals 1/17/2017, 10:36 am

I learned the hard way that I didn't plant enough of anything. This year I will plant twice as much and twice as often. I'd much rather thin and compost than not have enough to do anything with. Mad

BeetlesPerSqFt 1/17/2017, 11:12 am

This past year I learned that whatever numbers I'm looking at in terms of how much to plant need to take the total garden yield at any given harvest time into account (assuming calculations for eating fresh rather than preservation.) In other words, there's a point at which the harvest from X number of different vegetables isn't too much of anything in particular but is too much at once, period. When the tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, okra, beans, cucumbers, and summer squash are all ripe at the same time, for instance.

Somewhat related, I learned I need fewer squares of lettuce in the spring when I also have other greens coming in, and more in the late spring/early summer when the other greens have bolted (like mustard, komatsuna, and spinach) or I've harvested their vegetable (like radish and beet greens.)

**camprn** 1/17/2017, 12:21 pm

This is a good thread to read from the beginning.

**sanderson** 1/17/2017, 2:39 pm

camprn wrote:This is a good thread to read from the beginning.

+1

Each year, I try something new and have to adjust my plantings.

**trolleydriver** 1/17/2017, 2:48 pm

sanderson wrote:
camprn wrote:This is a good thread to read from the beginning.
+1

Each year, I try something new and have to adjust my plantings.

+2

There are so many new things that I would like to grow this summer. I will need to increase my veggie growing area if management approves.

countrynaturals 2/9/2017, 12:03 pm

How many ground cherry plants do I need for a reasonable harvest? I guess I should ask how many ground cherries do I need to make anything and how many should I get from each plant? bounce

CapeCoddess 2/9/2017, 3:40 pm

Good question. I usually plant 5 plants and can barely get a small handful every day. My girlfriend down the road took one of my starts and got a basket full every day. I guess it all depends on the garden. She would give me a baggie full every once in awhile.
Embarassed

countrynaturals 2/9/2017, 4:07 pm

CapeCoddess wrote:Good question. I usually plant 5 plants and can barely get a small handful every day. My girlfriend down the road took one of my starts and got a basket full every day. I guess it all depends on the garden. She would give me a baggie full every once in awhile.

Sounds like I'm okay, then. I planted 16 and got about 8 so far. If we ever see the sun again, I might plant some more, just to be sure I get enough to work with.

CapeCoddess 2/9/2017, 5:03 pm

countrynaturals wrote:
CapeCoddess wrote:Good question. I usually plant 5 plants and can barely get a small handful every day. My girlfriend down the road took one of my starts and got a basket full every day. I guess it all depends on the garden. She would give me a baggie full every once in awhile.

Sounds like I'm okay, then. I planted 16 and got about 8 so far. If we ever see the sun again, I might plant some more, just to be sure I get enough to work with.

Yes, with 16 plants I'm pretty sure you'll have plenty!

**Scorpio Rising** 2/9/2017, 9:46 pm

countrynaturals wrote:How many ground cherry plants do I need for a reasonable harvest? I guess I should ask how many ground cherries do I need to make anything and how many should I get from each plant?

I put 3 in my SFG, old boxes, deeper, and about 18" vs 12"....had tons! My problem was it was on the ground, and my plants were so robust that they were like trees, very dense trees! I had trouble finding the little nib lets to harvest! I am doing them in containers on my patio this year. And kale.

countrynaturals 2/9/2017, 10:36 pm

scorpio rising wrote:my plants were so robust that they were like trees, very dense trees!

Oooo, I can't wait! bounce

BeetlesPerSqFt 2/10/2017, 12:15 am

I'm growing 10, but I preserve a lot of them. I think 3-5 is enough to do something with. The ripe fruits keep well at 70*F with the husks on (so you can accumulate that daily handful until you have enough), but went bad quickly when I tried to fridge them. There was a notable difference in yield between last year and this year, but I don't know how much was ANSFG (better) vs OSFG, and how much was timing/health/age of the transplants.

countrynaturals 2/10/2017, 12:47 pm

BeetlesPerSqFt wrote:I'm growing 10, but I preserve a lot of them. I think 3-5 is enough to do something with. The ripe fruits keep well at 70*F with the husks on (so you can accumulate that daily handful until you have enough), but went bad quickly when I tried to fridge them. There was a notable difference in yield between last year and this year, but I don't know how much was ANSFG (better) vs OSFG, and how much was timing/health/age of the transplants.

Thanks, Beetles. I have 12 babies right now, but I'm not optimistic that they'll all make it. I keep the lights on them about 12 hours a day, but they're still getting kinda leggy and no true leaves, yet. We're expecting a couple of days of sun, so maybe they can go outside for a few hours, but then we have 5 more days of rain coming. What a dreary spring this is shaping up to be. Sad

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