Yield from seed/plant question ...

[PixieHaven]

Okay, I know this is likely to be one of the silliest questions asked ....

I'm a total beginner for GYO, and I'm confusing myself trying to work out planting quantities against yield / produce.

How do I know what veg seed types produce what ratio ?

ie : 1 runner bean seed / plant will yield many beans to pick

but are they all like that ? or are there any that only equate to one seed / plant to one item ? ie pumpkins - I assume I'd only get one pumpkin per seed ?

Can anyone advise me or even point me in the right direction for the info ...

Yours embarressed Pixie

[Jelliebabe]

Ooooh was halfway through an answer and got thrown off!

Different seeds and veggies do different things. It might be good to try a few different things and then next year you can scale up or down. As a rule root veg like carrots, parsnips and turnips make one per seed so do things like cabbage and caulis. Beans plants make lots of beans so about six plants would do for one or two. Squash like pumpkins can do one two or three (butternuts are similar) other squash like courgettes are quite prolific and make lots!

So, make a list of what you would like to grow and then read a little about each, then also look at the seed packets and ENJOY!

[chris]

Don't be embarrassed - everyone has to start somewhere!

Yield is a tough one to put a number on it really, as it can depend on your growing conditions (if your conditions suit the crop you're growing, such as local climate, soil structure and type, pest damage etc etc) then you'll obviously get more than say someone as unlucky as me with the slugs

As you're on the coast, I guess you get reasonably high winds?

Pumpkins, you tend to stop them growing once they've set between 1 and 4 pumpkins (if you want reasonable sized ones - 1/2 for growing huge ones), they need to be well fed too. The smaller pumpkins you can leave to grow more on. Quite a lot of people grow them up over arches/trellis, for example

Seed packets sometimes will give you an expectant yield. Sweetcorn you can count on 1 large cob, and 1 smaller from each plant, for example.. Sometimes you'll get 3 or even 4 from a plant.

What are you looking to grow?

I don't grow runner beans, but my french beans are up 10' canes, and are producing probably 4/5 beans every leaf/flower axel - which are spaced around 6-8" up the plant. I'd hazard a guess, that from one of those (variety: blue lake, by the way) I'd get 20-30 beans easily off it. I always loose some to slug damage, when they're small, or forget to pick some and only notice when I'm getting rid of the plants

As mentioned, if you have an idea of what you want to grow, people can advise you on what varieties will work well for you, and your local climate.

Do you know what soil type you're growing in?

[scarletrunner]

A 10 foot double row should produce 60 pounds or more of runner beans, yield does vary with different varieties.Cabbage and carrot for example would produce one per seed.You would get several pumpkins and many cucumbers and tomatoes from one seed as another example.

[PixieHaven]

Jelliebabe - I kinda knew that it wasn't likely to be nicely pigeon holed, but I was hoping someone would perhaps mention that certain types (ie root veg) would usually do xyz .... thank you!

Scarlett Runner - Thank you for those examples, and I note your comment re variety yields.

CM - Gosh, lots of questions to answer ... and thank you!

Don't be embarrassed - everyone has to start somewhere!
As you're on the coast, I guess you get reasonably high winds?

I'm slap halfway between forest & coast, we do get high winds but not regularly like they do right on the coast. It can be like a kind of microclimate here at times (except yesterday's flash flooding )

One of the main problems for the moment is the tall trees that overshadow the back garden (eventually looking to either chop them completely or at least crop them) and some area's I'd like to utilise, are really part shade at best. However both gardens (front & back) get reasonable sun, though different parts at differing times of the day.

What are you looking to grow?

As mentioned, if you have an idea of what you want to grow, people can advise you on what varieties will work well for you, and your local climate.

I'd like to grow a really diverse range eventually, but the ground needs much work before this can happen.
I'm keen on planting some perennial veg & fruit crops, so soft fruits, and also plums & apples if I can find slots for them where they wont interfere with the veggies! Rhubarb & maybe asparagus will be on the list. Climbers also appeal, due to yield to space ratio.

Other than that, I love most veg - but have to say; potatoes, carrots & onions are more easily available at a local farm so not really worth the use of space.

Spinach, Chard, Cauli, Cabbage, Courgette, French / Runner bean, peas, salad items, squash, pumpkin, aubergine, turnips,,,,,
ummmm .... Did I mention I like most veggies ? and I'm open to suggestions (but NOT celery!)

Don't be embarrassed - everyone has to start somewhere!

Do you know what soil type you're growing in?

Errrrrm, no, not yet - I've ordered a testing kit to do the two gardens, but have lots of "pots n baskets" that can be used for differing needs and I was looking at doing raised beds too and working on the square foot method (if I can get my head round it!)

Thanks again guys
(a little less embarrassed) Pixie xx

[chris]

Sounds good - just incase you're not aware asparagus needs a bit of planning. It'll take ~4 years before you can crop it properly, and it really doesn't like to be moved. The bed/ground where it is going to go really needs to be completely weed free, it doesn't cope with competition well when it's starting off.

Globe artichokes look great, and if left to flower are a real good high flower to draw attention higher up. I've 3 planted in my border at home, haven't had anything yet due to the onslaught of slugs grazing new leave shoots off - holding high hopes up for next year. The green (green globe?) cultivar is supposed to taste slightly better and is more hardy than the more attractive purple variety. That said, if you protect the crown I can't see what the big hoohar about the purple ones are, loads of folk on my allotment site grow them fine there. Downside, I guess is that they're a little bit of effort to prepare and the choke can be a bit of a pain to remove if you want to eat the heart.

I agree spuds are cheap, but really once you've tasted your home grown the difference is outstanding - especially if dug up, and cooked straight away - personally I *love* charlotte salad potatoes, though they can fall apart during boiling (steaming is fine though). At home I grow spuds in planters (plastic sacks... although old compost sacks with drainage holes punched in them are fine too!) - they're easy to tip over onto a tarp and rummage through for the tubers

Peas - the same, plant more than you think you'll need as most (if, not all) won't make it back to your freezer!

Square foot worked well for me, I planted pumpkins in two corners, and grew the vines around the bed.. it was my first year growing pumpkins, and I was seriously shocked at how long the vines can grow. Crown Prince taste amazingly nutty, and store very well - I stopped both vines at ~18 metres long, and had 5 from both vines (removed a smaller one to allow the other 3 to grow on, and limited the other to 2 - which produced larger fruit).

Courgettes can grow large, and the more you pick the fruit the more they will produce. I grew two last year, and this year I've grown probably about 15 odd plants. Most are probably marrows now as I've not been down to my allotment in ages due to family commitments.

Leafy veg like partial shade, some things like pak choi, and lettuce will bolt if it's too hot (and are better in pak chois case sown after july/mid august- I've started a 2' row off about two weeks ago, they're growing fine due to the light level and will be slow to bolt because it's not as hot).

Raspberries are a good investment if you like them.. I've bought 2 types, summer and autumn - I prefer the autumn type, but from those 4/5 canes I've been able to propagate and have doubled the number of canes I have.

Some places sell smaller quantities of seed - so you can try them before you buy a packet of 4000 odd seeds That said, we do have a great seed swapping community - once you meet the requirements any you don't like can be swapped, or a type asked for to try before you go out and buy them.

Ground work - ideal time now, you can dig the ground over, let the frost break up the clods of earth, or dig + cover in manure (check with the crops you plan for next year though, some don't like manure in the previous year (though, you've listed the ones that you'll get from the farm shop mainly anyway)). If it's bad grown (heavy clay, etc), many people here swear by laying cardboard down, and then covering with manure - by next year you'll have a lovely friable loam that can be planted in, which will also have suppressed most of the weeds!