When it is time to order seeds and get planting before spring arrives, you may hit one big roadblock. How much to plant??

Ah, the struggle is real, I know!

At the beginning of the season, I always seem to buy and start too many seeds. When browsing catalogs, my eyes and gardening excitement are much bigger than what my garden allows and what we would actually eat.

Or, later in the season, I realize I haven't planted enough of our favorites and most eaten veg and fruit. Faceplant!

(This guide to ordering seeds online helps a lot!)

It took me a while (and often still do) to work out exactly how many vegetables to plant to feed our family.

If you wonder how much to plant for your family, there are a few things to consider and know before you get growing.

What is an average home garden size?

I think the biggest mistake a gardener can make is trying to grow too much at once. You have to consider all the effort, maintenance, and harvesting it will take. 

That's why it's essential to plan ahead and grow a garden that will fit your lifestyle and capabilities.

Start small and learn as you go along. You can always add on later. If you get overwhelmed by weeds and crops at first, it may turn you off from gardening.

There are no set rules to decide the average home garden size, but here are a few guidelines for the home garden area for families with the following sizes from omnicalculator.com.

Individual – 100 sq. ft.;

Couple – 200 sq. ft.; 

Average family (3-4 members) – 300-500 sq. ft.; 

A large family (5+ members) – 600-800 sq. ft.; and 

An extensive family (8+ members) – 1000+ sq. ft. 

You can also use omnicalculator.com to help you decide how much produce you can possibly get, based on your crop of choice and the number of rows of vegetation you're going for.

Read here for my tips on how to plan your spring garden.

Choose your crops wisely

When it comes to gardening, it can be easy to get caught up in all the available varieties and types of vegetables. Everything sounds amazing, but that doesn't mean you should plant them all.

Think about what you want to do with what you plan to grow.

Do you wish to enjoy fresh vegetables all summer and fall? Or do you want to have enough food to eat and preserve for the winter? Canning anyone? ;-) 

What veggies do you like to can to enjoy later? I like to can a ton of tomatoes each year, so I know I need to plant many tomatoes.

(Want to learn more about canning and the steps? Have a look HERE)

If you want to make pickled cucumbers, plant enough. Or perhaps you like to gift people with homemade jams, so grow more of whichever fruits you use.

If you have some extra freezer space available, grow vegetables from the nightshades family like tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers which freeze quickly. 

Or, if you have unused rooms in your home or a basement, it could be used to store winter squash, carrots, potatoes, and garlic and onion bulbs. 

How Much to Plant Per Person in the Vegetable Garden

So how much of each type of vegetable should you plant to provide enough vegetables for your family for one year and beyond? 

That depends on several factors including:

How big is your garden?

What will your size garden allow? Plants like tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, cabbage, and potatoes require between 12-18 inches of space between them on all sides. 

Vining crops like squash, cucumbers, and melons will need room to spread out or up.

Can you make large garden beds for crops to grow deep enough, or are you limited to pots and window gardening?

What does your family like to eat and how big and old is your family?

Think realistically about what your family actually enjoys and eats regularly. There's no purpose in planting Brussel sprouts if your family can't stand it! 

How much you plant will also depend on the size of your family and if you got toddlers or hungry teenage boys!

Do you only want fresh produce or enough for preserving?

As mentioned earlier, if you like to can food, it will affect your quantities. Generally, you would want to plant 3-4 times more then. 

But, if you only eat fresh produce, you may need just the right amount or end up throwing things away. And we don't want that!

What will thrive in your climate?

How are your area's soil and weather conditions? What zone are you in? Do you have long winters or summers affecting your growing season? 

Vegetable Quantity Planting Guide

It's difficult to know exactly how many vegetables to plant at first. You may not know how many vegetables to grow until you've had some experience growing them over the years. 

The chart below is a general guideline on how much to plant per person for the most common veggies.

As I mentioned earlier, it will really depend on many factors when planning your garden and how much to plant for your family. These suggestions are only a general guideline and will take you some time to get it just right!

Happy planting friends!

Love, Annette xx

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