How much should you plant per person in the garden to feed individuals or a family of four throughout the growing season and beyond? The answer to that will depend on a number of factors such as, which vegetables, fruits, and herbs you like to eat and whether you’ll be using your vegetable garden to grow for fresh eating or for preserving.

How much of each vegetable to plant also depends on the garden layout and size. You generally get more yield in a small space if you plant an herb, fruit, or vegetable garden in wide rows. In “How To Grow More Vegetables”, intensive gardening guru, John Jeavons, says you’ll need about 200 sq.ft. per person to grow enough vegetables and soft fruits for the growing season at intermediate yields.

But whether or not you have enough space to grow enough food for one person’s needs for the whole year, you can still sow enough seeds to grow your favorite vegetables to eat fresh all summer and put up some for the winter months. Here are tips and guidelines to help inform your garden plans.

Tips to Plant the Right Amount of Food for Your Family

• Consider garden size: Your garden is, of course, limited by the space you have available. But you can work within the space to optimize planting throughout the season. Try different varieties of your favorite vegetable that mature at different times throughout the season. They won’t be competing for space and you’ll make the most of every square foot.
• Think about your household’s own preferences: Everyone prefers different amounts of vegetables, fruits, and herbs, and your cooking habits will dictate this, too. If you know you go through basil and tomatoes like they’re going out of style during the summer, then plant more of those plants.
• Take into account growing and harvest schedules: You may love both cantaloupes and watermelon, but you can only eat but so much at once. Consider which vegetables, fruits, and herbs will ripen at different times, and make sure you’re only met with an abundance you can use, rather than one that will go to waste.
• Account for disruptions: Whether it’s bad weather, pest infestations, plant disease, or early frost, it’s impossible to predict whether your harvest will be disrupted. But, to be prepared, plant more than you need. Hungry neighbors will always be willing to help you out if everything comes to bear fruit.
• Use containers when applicable: Some plants are prone to taking over, so it may be best to grow vegetables in containers. Those include tomatoes, potatoes, lettuce, eggplants, summer squash, peppers, and herbs.

Knowing how much of each vegetable to plant is a bit trickier when you start a vegetable garden. That depends on how well things grow, which vegetables you prefer and how often you’ll be eating it. In truth, you won’t really know how many vegetables to plant for your family until you’ve got a few years experience under your belt. Even then, tastes change.

Some plants simply take up more space. Artichokes, asparagus, and rhubarb are perennial plants that need to sit in the garden all season. Vining crops, like squash, cucumbers, and melons will need room to spread out or up. On the other hand, many crops can be planted in succession, planting only a few feet of a row every 2 to 3 weeks so that a new crop is continually coming in. Succession planting is very dependent on the length of your growing season. Warm climates can do several plantings of corn, while cooler climates can squeeze in a second planting of peas.

If you have limited space, you can extend your harvest season by planting different types of the same vegetable: early, mid and late maturing varieties.

Use the chart below as general guidelines of how much to plant, for a family of four, for the most commonly grown vegetables. But, remember, this is a base. You can adjust based on preferences or if you plan on storing extra harvest to use in the off season.

This chart is meant to give you some general guidelines for the most commonly grown vegetables. Of course, if you love peppers but hate cabbage, you can always adapt these numbers.

How Much to Plant (For a Family of Four)

FAQ

• Is it cheaper to grow your own vegetables?Yes! Even with a small space, your harvest throughout the seasons will give you access to fresh, affordable veggies, fruits, and herbs.
• How many vegetables can I plant in a 5 gallon bucket?Typically, you can plant one vegetable plant in a 5 gallon bucket. If you’re growing herbs, you may be able to grow two or three companion herbs with similar light and water needs in one 5 gallon bucket.
• What is the average size garden for 2 people?One person will require 150 to 200 square feet of garden space, so two people would require 300 to 400 square feet, and a family of four might need 600 to 800 square feet for a year-round garden.