growing enough?

[dope540]

finally got some time to post up what i'm growing now:

5 butternut squash
5 bangalore torpedo chilli peppers
7 genovese courgettes
15 marglobe beef tomatoes
10 hestia runner beans
10 stereo broad beans
10 long yellow sweet peppers

the above are in small pots and trays at the moment. i also have scattered around 20-30 of carrots and parsnips into the former pond area. as soon as i scattered them, i realised it was a stupid idea as i'm gonna have to disturb the soil when i plant the crops. ooops.

i'm planning on planting most of the hestia runner beans in former 5kg protein tubs my supplements came in ( a bit like 10 litre paint tubs). fitting in 3-4 plants per tub. then have a few in the garden.

all of the above seeds except for the butternut squash and bangalore chillis are in compost. the squash and chillis are in plain soil from the the former pond where i grew beans and peas last year which did pretty well.

should i be planting more or will the above be enough to allow a reasonable crop on average to feed a family of four?

i still have the winter kale, spinach and brocolli to plant. might do that sometime in april. get some free food over winter.

[binley100]

Ermm....I have a family of four and at the moment have 48 Broad bean plants , not sowed my runners yet . It sounds like you'll have a glut of courgettes , maybe nice to grow some summer type brassicas to add variety .......

[dope540]

i'm expecting a courgette-feast this summer. they say you are what you eat, then that might make me a courgette. my mate thought i was stupid planting all 7 seeds of the packet as when he grew courgettes, he was averaging 10-15 per plant!

guess i'll have to start planting more beans and peas this weekend. forgot to add in the above post, i've got some purple podded peas and show perfection peas planned. might have to make a trip to the local garden shop for more trays and compost.

i wonder if i can get to the stage of getting told off by my parents for growing too much stuff and taking too much space of the garden. hmmmm.....

[binley100]

They won't tell you off when you hand over some fresh veg for them to use.......

[Kristen]

I don't want to put the dampers on, but I think you will struggle to keep the Courgettes, Squash and Runners going until they can be planted out - which will probably not be until mid May - and they'll be getting a bit huge by then! but if you can manage that you'll get an early crop

(My Courgettes will be sown 21-Apr, and my Squash and Runners on 01-May, indoors to be planted out around 21-May - 01-Jun)

[solway cropper]

I agree with Kris about the early sowings and having to keep them inside until planting time. You'll also get a lot of toms from 15 plants and not many broad beans from 10. I usually have at least 30 each of broadies and french beans and there's only two of us to eat them.

[Two_Sheds]

the squash and chillis are in plain soil

That soil will most likely be full of weed seeds, and possibly things like fungals that could infect your plants.
It's always best to start your plants off in (sterile) compost

As the others have said, it's too early to be sowing your tender crops (runners, squashes). The chillies can be started early, but kept under cover until May

Are you growing any kidney beans? Good protein

[dope540]

I could sow a second batch around April- May of the courgettes, squash and runners.

Would it be a good idea to fish out the squash and chilli seeds from the plain soil and plant them on compost asap?

[Florence Fennel]

That's an awful lot of courgettes, hope you've got a big freezer, or very big appetites!

[Two_Sheds]

Would it be a good idea to fish out the squash and chilli seeds from the plain soil and plant them on compost asap?

If they are still seeds, I would, yes (the chillies). New compost is sterile and will give them the best possible start.

I would ding the squashes, it's way too early for them. You'll be struggling to keep them alive, they'll be weak and spindly even if they do survive.

[Flummery]

April up here for squashes, courgettes, runners. What you want to avoid is straggly plants (from lack of light) and letting the plants get a growth check. This is when they grow at a continuous rate then, because the compost has run out of nutrients or you can't put them outside when they need it because you still might get a frost, they stop growing. Not good for them. It's common to jump the gun but you usually need to start again later. Sit on your hands for a bit - and good luck!

[Alison]

As others have said you're a bit early with some of the stuff but as far as is it enough, this depends on a lot of things, ie how many you are feeding and what you like. I grow a larger variety of types of tomato / peppers etc but there is nothing wrong with a single type although they will all tend to fruit at the same time where as by growing different types of toms I can extend my harvest. As already said, that'll be a lot of courgettes, I grew 3 last year and was harvesting between 15 and 20 every week but if you want that many then that's fine. Broad beans seem to be a little light, I've got 36 in between two of us and that's a reduction on last year. It's very difficult to say, are you going to grow any root veg at all, carrots etc or maybe some salad stuffs?

[bearded bloke]

Wow thanks everybody this thread has just saved me a lot of seed & time,as I had intended to put seeds into modules today including cucumbers,courgettes,pumpkin & squash,glad I read this before getting carried away in the sunshine

[dope540]

thansk guys.

gonna fish out the squash seeds and plant them in compost over the weekend, same with the chillis. would it be ok to reuse those same seeds or should i pitch them and just start afresh with new seeds in may due to possibility of fungla infection from the plain soil?

might keep the stuff ive planted so far and let them grow and sow another batch in april/ may when its warmer. might get an extended harvest IF they grow.

guess i've got a lot swot up on.

[Two_Sheds]

Any fungals won't have affected the seed already, just replant them in fresh new compost

There is a lot to learn, but every mistake you make is teaching you more. Plants are complicated, they have all different kinds of needs, what suits one will be the death of another