HOW MUCH TO PLANT IN YOUR GARDEN FOR A YEAR'S WORTH OF FOOD

Finding that balance between having enough food to eat and preserve, while wasting as little as possible to overripeness, frost, and the compost pile, can be tricky.

Factors like the size of your garden, your growing conditions, and even the appetites of your family members all influence how many plants are considered “enough.”

So, use this information as a starting point for planning your new garden, and tailor it accordingly based on your own family’s needs, preferences, and resources.

How big is your garden?

01.

Even if you want to grow enough tomatoes to feed your family for an entire season, those plants take up a lot of space.

02.

If rhubarb is something you only use for the occasional pie or cobbler, you might be better off just buying it.

What does your family like to eat?

03.

If you raise chickens or make your own dog food at home, you might want to add a few more plants for them, too.

How old is each person in your family? What is that person’s lifestyle like?

04.

If you plan to preserve any of your fruits and vegetables, you’ll probably want to grow more than what is suggested.

Do you like to eat in season or preserve excess harvests for later use?

05.

Different soil and weather conditions, even year to year, can affect the yields from your vegetable crops.

What can you grow successfully in your climate?

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