Hi All,
I've had an allotment for a couple of weeks now and I'm slowly managing to clear the weeds. Its hard work but I'm really enjoying it. I'm hoping to grow as much as possible next spring but I'm not sure of how much of everything to plant as there are only three of us to feed. Obviously things like carrots and lettuce I can work out but its things like peppers and courgettes, we love both but don't want too much of a surplus.
Can you help with average yields?
Thanks
Becky
Hi Becky
welcome to A4A, there are loads of very knowledgeable people on here, I have only had my lottie for just over a year and have learnt so much already.
Most important thing is to grow things you eat a lot of and enjoy!
we grew 6 courgette plants this year for 2 of us and at times had a huge glut, gave quite a few away and cut up and froze quite a lot too..... but in hind sight would grow the same amount next year if not a few more, may be some different varieties too as we have got through a lot of the surplus we froze already and will not see it much into the winter.
We grew peppers in the greenhouse and had 3 plants, could have done with double this really as we have not had that many - probably 6 or so from each plant.
Hope this helps.
No question is ever too stupid, and if it is, you can guarantee I have already asked it..... :)
Thanks Daisy
I am planning on growing so many different veg but the logistics of each is taking some working out. This will be my first season so I'm not expecting to get it right just didn't want to end up throwing things away.
Thanks for the advice and the welcome.
Becky
You won't throw it away. Lots of my friends get a bagful of excess veg left on the doorstep. I sometimes get a couple of pensioners passing, so they get a bag of surplus as well. You have to put plenty in to allow for birds, slugs etc. and if they leave a bit for you, it's a bonus. Don't try just growing what you think you need, it is never enough. If you are like our crowd you can swop for a bunch of flowers, a loan of their strimmer or something that you forgot to plant.
ps get a big freezer for the lean months. Oh and welcome to the site.
Thanks, Ace!
You're right, why am I even thinking about it, just grow what I can and give the rest away. The problem with me storing things is I live in a flat and haven't got the room for another freezer, although I have got a garage that doesn't have electric. I could store in there things like carrots.
Hello Becky, great you're here. Nice time of year for clearing the plot and if you lot use onions and garlic, the right time now to bung in some sets - they'll keep OK in the garage and you get to demonstrate your plaiting skills to your admiring family in the spring 8)
There'll be lots of info re: how many of this, how many of that when we all start off again early next year and also lots of seeds on offer in the Swap Shop so that you can try lots of different things. I've got 3 sorts of carrots on the go at the mo, 2 courtesy of nice friends here 8)
Just want to go back to something ACE said:-
You won't throw it away. Lots of my friends get a bagful of excess veg left on the doorstep. I sometimes get a couple of pensioners passing, so they get a bag of surplus as well.
a) yep, on a good year OK to doorstep folk with things like courgettes - even tho you know they're at home & refusing to answer ::) but
b) don't do an ACE and burden poor Penshners with stuff they don't want, are too polite to refuse, and haven't the strength to carry, will you? Poor s**s have enough to cope with, with their osteoporosis ( ;D @ ACE).
Seriously, ACE is right, tho, for once.
Cheers, Lishka
Hi, welcome to the site, only just found it ourselves, already swapped seeds with really nice people and picked up some brill recipes, we all swap excess veggies with other plot holders or give them to people who do things for us on the plot, people who get us wood 'n' stuff, this year I planted 8 chillie plants, expecting 4 to grow, so now we've got all these chillies and not many people here use them so the freezers half full, the rest are getting dried, just have fun and don't worry too much, some years are better for some things than others, we had half our spuds holed by slugs this year, still used them but not many to store, still, loads of toms for sauce, salsa and to eat raw,
I know this feeling of quantities! I have only been allotmenting for 9 months and wasn't sure what and how much to grow but don't worry all your best laid plans will go out of the window anyway! I wanted lots of carrots but they didn't germinate and I only needed a few aubergines but got loads! All good fun and great learning curve and friends and neighbours gratefully (OK maybe not so grateful after the last few courgettes!! :-\) took any excess.
And don't forget to start a compost bin/heap so anything you really can't eat or get rid off can go back into the ground.
I only have a small freezer so anything that needs using up gets made into soup!
Have fun.
welcome Becky25.
I'm limited to the back garden atm and am longing for a lottie.
I've enough cayenne chillis to last me the year already and only one plant (out of 3) is ripening atm, the second plant is not far behind. The surplus is going in the freezer and in oil.
Despite our terrific summer my 4 sweet peppers plants are still struggling on, and I have just ONE fruit nearly usable. I'll definitely sow more and earlier next year.
My courgette glut didn't materialise from 4 plants, but they were in pots, so I'll definitely sow more of them (and try and find a bit of ground for them) next year.
We've already finished the carrots (I really don't remember eating 2000 despite what the pack said) and am thinking of ploughing the front lawn to accommodate them next year. ;D
We're just a family of two btw.
Thanks for the welcome and the advice, I'm not going to spend any time thinking of quantities, I'm just going to go for it.
Becky
Hi becky and welcome, so long as you grow veg you love to eat, you'll never have too many ;) and if you have a rush, check the recipe section, someone is bound to have preserving tips :D
Just in case you want to have a guide for what to expect under 'normal conditions' hahaha
Approximate Yield for Vegetable Crops per 15 ft row:
Asparagus - 4.5 Lbs
Bean, french (bush) - 15 Lbs
Beetroot - 20 Lbs
Broccoli - 11 Lbs
Carrot - 20 Lbs
Cabbage - 22.5 Lbs
Cauliflower - 15 Lbs
Chard - 11 Lbs
Cucumber, slicing - 21 Lbs
Cucumber, pickling - 27 Lbs
Garlic - 6 Lbs
Kohlrabi - 6 Lbs
Lettuce, head - 7 Lbs
Lettuce, leaf - 7 Lbs
Mustard greens - 11 Lbs
Onion, maincrop - 17 Lbs
Pea - 3 Lbs
Potato - 36 Lbs
Spinach - 10 Lbs
Squash, summer - 52 Lbs
Squash, winter - 45 Lbs
Tomato - 42 Lbs
Turnip - 27 Lbs
... like everyone is saying, your own experience (keep notes!) will be the best guide. Happy plotting :)
Hi Becky. Just to say.. welcome to A4A you will have great fun. I only have a small garden and mostly grow flowers (0nly one of me!!) but I have learnt so much from members. Did manage to grow my very first pumpkins and squash this year NOT FORGETTING my one melon which was delicious. I do have a greenhouse and grow tomatoes and cucumbers. Good luck.
Lorna.
Thanks Supersprout and Lorna.
Hi Becky,
Nothing more to add to what everyone else has said, welcome to the site. I've been using it for a year now, and it is really great. I think your plan is one of excellence, just go for it, and good luck! :)
Hi Becky, been away all weekend so sorry for not saying hello earlier. The roots will all store in the garage in damp soil or sand, potatoes in proper sacks. We have two tall freezers in a brick outhouse... but there is a great deal you can grow to eat in this "out of season" season!
8)