What is the exposure (ie amount of sunlight at both ends of the year?) I'd recommend you first figure out your demand for the vegetables you plan to eat. For example, say you plan to eat each week in season 1 pound of broccoli, 3 lettuce, 3 cucumbers, 4 pounds of tomatoes, half pound of green peppers, etc.

Then you figure approximate yield and how long to harvest and how long to the end of the harvest. E.g. broccoli takes about 60 days from transplant to harvest of central head. Some varieties are good producers of side shoots, extending harvest period by three or four weeks.

Leaf lettuce mature in about 45 days, bibb/butter types take five or more days longer, and romaines and head lettuces take 60-70 days. So you would plan to include a mix of these kinds so that you can stagger harvest over 30 or more days.

That ought to get you started. Most garden catalogs list days to harvest from seeding or from transplanting. You will need to adjust for you location, of course.

I'm planting 130 SF of veggies (over a dozen types, including corn) to feed a family of 4 plus extra harvest for friends and family.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sinfonian's Garden

You should check with your local cooperative extension service for that information. Here in MD our cooperative extension service offers a lot of online publications including one that would help answer your questions. If you follow this link and scroll down towards the bottom you want the publication called "Planting Dates for Vegetable Crops in Maryland". In this document it gives the feet of row per person for each crop. It also gives spacing between plants and other information so you can calculate how many plats per person.

In short you want about this many plants per person:

Tomatoes: 7 plants
Summer Squash: 4 plants
Winter Squash: 6 plants
Lettuce: 16 plants
Broccoli: 14 plants
Cucumbers: 11 plants

And obviously these are approximate, no one knows better than you what you will require in a year. Another thing I would like to point out is that some of these crops will give you a lot of their yield all at once unless you use successive plantings (tomatoes are what I am thinking about). Hope that helps.

Take it easy on the broccoli! 14 plants per person will have you never growing broccoli again! I feed 3 people plus what I give away with 4 plants and have loads of broccoli from mid July until cold weather finally freezes the plants down in Oct. We eat it fresh, freeze enough to last until the next summer, give some away, and throw some away after it sets too long in the fridge. The central head looks nice, but isn't nearly as good as the side shoots which are much more tender without the waste of a woody core, and the side shoots just keep coming. Plus, we like broccoli, eating it several times a week when it is producing and at least once a week the rest of the year.

I raise enough for 13 adults. I freeze enough corn for a year, also peppers, squash and canning tomatoes. I plant a lot of potaoes but not enough to last all year. My broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower are just for eating fresh. I cann some greenbeans just for 2 of us. Cann sweet potatoes just for 2. Corn is my bigest crop and usually last from 4 july to Oct.

We are fortunate to be able to grow year-round in zone 10 here. There are only 2 of us - grand-daughter and myself, and 3 "great laying" hens.

A lot of the excesses are gifts to GD's church and other friends, who enjoy surplus eggs, jams, etc.

Most of the vegetables are grown on the east side of the house - where there is optimum sun exposure - at least half day for most of them. At the present time, there are 9 cedar boxes approximately 3-4 ft. x 5-6 ft, and 12 inches deep. Three of the boxes get considerable shade - but it is the high type - under some tall oleander bushes -and these are used for lettuces, celery, green onions - those need less sun exposure and actually prefer in summer.

Dwarf apple, lemon and mandarin orange trees are on the far side - not sun-restricting.
I try to maneuver the plants that like more heat - such as tomatoes and peppers into the boxes that will get optimum exposure during summer months - as we have cool summers here.

On the north side of the house, I have trees planted on the far side of the house - dwarf types - almond, peach, orange, macadamia, apricot, plum, persimmon, strawberry guava, jujube and newly planted banana (next to south facing wall).

Under the trees, I have planted mints, oregano, rosemary - as ground cover mostly - also horseradish and ornamentals. On the far outskirts - boysenberries.

The garden is an on-going project - now in the 40th year or so in the making. Some things don't work - others do - sometimes too well. And, yes, it gets easier as time goes on - because many things re-seed. Others in warm climates that become perennial.

Sooo - sorry to be so long. But the garden produce has finally become sufficient enough to produce most of our needs - with excess. I feed the chickens a lot of that - cutting down on feed costs, and recycle all left-overs that I can into worm bins or outdoor composters.

As well - I preserve as much as I can, with full pantry shelves and freezer - it takes a bit of initial outlay, but I wouldn't go back to store-bought - except for potato, onions or carrots. Otherwise our garden bounty has been more than sufficient.

Just my 2 c's.

Bejay

Bejay, you lead an idyllic life! Wish I had the time to preserve, but then, I mostly live alone and just feed my son once or twice a week. I do raise vegetables and fruit year round. We might even be neighbors.

I grow an acre of vegetables and small fruit and 2 acres of mixed subtropical and temperate fruit, am at the beck and call of 30+ chickens. Been doing this organic market garden for more than 15 years at this site as a part-time operation while I make a living as a horticulturist, gardener and landscaper. I market mostly retail to a core of about 20 families plus more occasional orders from 30 more.

This sort of food marketing is tricky because I have to plan months ahead of time what and when specific crops should be ready. This is really a guessing game because one year's hot food item may not sell at all next year. Customers' food preferences tend not to change much but, unfortunately, are conditioned by the year-round availability of a few standbys: tomatoes, cucumbers. apples, bananas, etc. So, when these are in season at my farm, I sell lots of product to a larger number of customers. During the "off" season, there is lesser demands for what we grow very successfully because American's are not conditioned to eating "minor" crops.

So, when a gardener asks me what kinds and quantities of vegetables they ought to grow for their families, I am cautious about throwing numbers and kinds around. I could eat Swiss chard every day, beets and kohlrabi once a week, green snap and wax beans every other day. That doesn't mean that another family would choose the same combination and volumes.

I found that in our location 6500 sf or so worked for two people. That leaves some room for growing green manures and some seeds. But there's a difference growing what you want to eat and eating what you grow. We eat lots of cabbage and collards during the winter. Same goes for Swedes, turnips carrots, beets and parsnips. We can and freeze other fruit and produce. But even so our winter eating isn't a vegetable cornucopia. I still found the grocery store neccessary for spices, some herbs and other things to make good meals. You'll have fun finding out what it takes for you. Tom

My husband and I are on a typical suburban lot. We have a small garden plot of 100 sq. ft. or so. Would have to go measure to be exact. We also have one raised bed, 3 x 6 ft. We grow some things in containers as well.

In our small space, we grow in summer - tomatoes, peppers (bell, hot and pablano), squash, eggplant, bush beans, cucumbers. Spring - kale, spinach, mustard greens, swiss chard, broccoli, lettuces, spring onions, sugar snap peas (for first time this year). Fall garden is same as spring except peas and lettuces. I also have an herb garden, rosemary, thyme, oregano, basils, mints, chives. Wish I could grow parsley but so far no luck.

I find the challenge growing vegetables for two people is not planting too much of one particular vegetable, and trying to plant them on a staggered schedule to have them mature at different times. I'm getting better at this, but still working on it.

We're in zone 7B, which has a fairly long growing season also. The heat, humidity and hot sun limits the supply of fresh lettuces to spring only for us. We have found that swiss chard will last through summer with special attention to watering. It's very good as a sub. for lettuce on sandwiches.

I have a family of 3, although we share with my parents, too.

I don't try to feed us exclusively from the garden (yet), but in the summer I grow all the peas, beans, and tomatoes we can eat. I also grow a fall/winter garden every year, and provide more and more of the lettuce, spinach (fall) carrots and kale (fall and winter) that we eat during those seasons, even in zone 5.

Let's see, I have about 50 sq ft in the front yard, about half of which is strawberry bed. And 200 sq ft in the back yard, about a forth is strawberries. Oh, and about 50 sq ft right next to the patio that has been potatoes for a couple of years and needs something new this year. So I guess I have 300 sq ft, heavy on the strawberries, and I'll be digging a new potato bed this spring.

Catherine

We had 13,000+ square feet in veggies the last few years. The garden has steadily grown in size for many years. I suppose even a little more ground could be utilized but I have no intention of doing that.

Our little household of 2 (plus a college student, at times) couldn't possibly use all the produce thru the growing season. Once the table, fridge, and freezer are all full, the remainder is sold at a farmers' market. (Can I count feeding our customers? ;o) With the sales, we have enuf $$ to buy oranges and bananas during the Winter . . .

Steve

I feed my family of 3 as well as giving away produce to neighbors, family, and co-workers from my veggie garden that is approx 2400 sq feet. I plant in wide rows and take advantage of vertical gardening for beans, cucumbers, and peas. Figuring out how much to plant per person is a very individual sport as you need to know people's favorites, etc. I like the Square Foot gardening book for many reasons, the main reason is that it is a one-stop-shop for recommendations on amending soil, spacing plants, productivity, seed-to-harvest schedules, planting schedules, etc. Planting huge patches of a veggie is only useful if you A)have a good support team for picking, peeling, shelling, chopping, canning etc and B)have freezer space and/or intend to can. Otherwise do NOT plant long rows of beans, peas, squash, etc or you'll just have a lot of waste. Try planting a small section, and then 7 days later another, etc so that your crop will come in manageable quantities.

I have particularly found that planting lettuce 12 seeds at a time allows me to space the plants correctly, not waste seeds, and allow for a continuous harvest without old/bitter lettuce hanging around.

Thanks everyone. I really enjoyed hearing about your gardens. The range was even wider than I expected! lol I'll just think on it a while before I decide to clear or not to clear the trees.

If you have a few hundred square feet that are in full sun (not shaded by the trees), I would start small. That way you can see what changes you would make and what grows well. My garden's now about 2,000 sq. ft. and I could easily use 4 times that much but I'm glad I started with just a few beds till I got the hang of it and knew what gardening style worked for me.

Since you live in Texas I would think hard before I removed a tree. I image your summers are very warm and if the trees are near the house I am sure the shade they produce helps to greatly reduce your cooling costs during the summer. You might even find that removing the trees ends up costing you more in annual cooling costs than you save by growing your own vegetables. If you do cut down the cedar trees you should look into using the wood to make raised beds or something out of them because cedar wood is very rot-resistant compared to other untreated wood.

The book "Square Foot Gardening" recommends 32 square feet per person. This is for intensive planting, but still a pretty good guideline.

The book also estimates 2+ hours a week upkeep for every 100 square feet.
I'd start with what you have, then tinker with it (more OR less garden space) next year.

Vicky's blog!

That book is perhaps deliberately misleading then, IMO. 32 sq ft to produce all the fresh food for a year for an adult? Think about it, that's less than six feet square. Even with unlimited inputs of labor and fertilizer it's not going to happen, not even in socal. Maybe if one had a fresh 32 sq ft to rotate into for each season, but that would have to legitimately be considered 32x4. Under excellent conditions about 100 sq ft per person is probably a reasonable average.....

Vicky, great blog! Mel's ideas have always inspired me but 32 sf of garden space to feed one person just isn't going to do it. Just imagine an area the size of a sheet of plywood and figure out how to grow on it to feed yourself. He may have overextended himself on that one. Tom

I have 2 acres and in that I have 6 fruit trees 3 blueberry bushes and my veggie garden is 100x50. I feed 3 of us here plus giving away to my sons, and some to the neighbors...thru the summer & fall.The fruit and some veggies I do put up by canning and freezing and enough potatoes to get us thru most of the fall & winter.I have 2 small greenhouses that I raise my lettuces and radishes & green onions in thru out the fall & winter so we have salad makings.I have also raised cukes thru out the winter also with the aid of grow lux lighting.The other greenhouse I raise dwarf citrus trees,lemons,limes oranges,tangerines,mandrins,grapefruit,kumquats.I never have to buy lemons or limes.I also have 10 laying chickens.So I am giving eggs away,plus my citrus. What ever is more than abundant in the garden I take to the nursing home in which there is always zuchinni & crookneck squash and such. LOL! Suzanne

My own garden is very similar in size to Digit's. It is made up of several widely-isolated plots, and varies a little year-to-year, anywhere from 11,000 to 13,000 square feet. My main garden (100 X 100) is on borrowed land, so I grow few perennials. Sweet corn, squash (summer & winter), tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, onions & garlic, and various greens are my main crops. Oh, and lots of beans, of various species... over 50 each year.

Because I am a seed saver, about half of the garden each year is devoted to seed crops. But I usually plant enough of a variety to kill two birds with one stone; half for me, half for seed.

The produce from the garden feeds my wife & I, my 4 grown children & their families, and fills 2 freezers & a pantry with enough to get us through the winter. I also give veggies away to church, neighbors, co-workers... and anyone who can't outrun me. ;-)

I will have 400 square feet of plantable space this year which doesn't include an area for a few fruit trees or walk ways. There are two of us. The garden has a spring, fall and winter season. There is always something in the garden. I doubt it would support us, we eat out a lot. This is my 3ed year to have a garden and each year I produce more and in a more efficient manner. It could probably support us if I knew what I was doing.

I live in Kerrville TX and I can grow something all year long...My freezer is stuffed full of summer veggies and greens from the fall. I made sauerkraut from my cabbages so yes you can grow enough for two people. I have 4 boxes 4X16 feet and 1 box 6X20 feet and I have a garden box around the perimeter of my fenced yard. I live in the country but have to have a fence to keep the deer out...I share the yard with our Australian Shepherd...I feed the two of us and I give away just about as much...so I would say you can easily grow your own. I don't leave any space unplanted...there is always something growing...better a plant I can eat than a weed...Here is a picture of my boxes...

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden boxes

Thanks ruthie! You've renewed my hope, lol. Some of the gardens were just blowing my mind! And, making me jealous. :)

Here's a picture of mine. One bed still needs to have dirt added and planted but I'm good to go for now. I had to fence mine in to keep out the wild critters. AKA, the dogs. The fence replaces wire and my DH ran water to the garden. He was tired of watching me lug 100 feet of hose across the yard. Made him feel guilty.

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I partially feed 2 adults, 1 child, and several part-time kids. I don't have much room (It's a townhouse, so you probably know how small the yards are in these things) and gardening in the winter is pretty much impossible (Ontario winters).

The selection for me is limited due to the small area, but I can grow enough of the things I do plant to supply all our needs for the summer, such as beans or tomatoes.

I used to wish for the long growing periods of places like Texas or Florida but then I realized they come with their own sets of problems, like increased diseases and insects. I may have winters that kill off all the plants, but they interupt the life cycle of a lot of the pests too.

In short you want about this many plants per person:

Tomatoes: 7 plants
Summer Squash: 4 plants
Winter Squash: 6 plants
Lettuce: 16 plants
Broccoli: 14 plants
Cucumbers: 11 plants

I hope those numbers are for canning and or freezing to support a person for a year, here in MD. I say this because one summer squash plant, grows enough squash for 6 people a weeks; when they're producing. Even one Cucumber plant was more then enough for the 6 of us a week.

All I know is that when these fruiting plants start producing, they produce like MAD!

And likewise, 16 producing lettuce plants is way more than one person will eat before they bolt. Timing seems to be left out of those figures. Yes, 16 plants is probably about right, but planted 4 at a time in four successive plantings. Summer squash can be timed, and probably cukes also. Anything fairly fast-growing and with a short productive run should be succesively planted - peas and beans too. One of the main things I've had to learn is to plant less but much more often.

Last year, 3 cucumber plants gave me enough cucumbers for me, my wife, and my 4 year old. We always slice them and eat them as a snack. 6 tomato plants was enough and we even shared with the neighbors. 6 jalapeño plants kept me well stocked since only I eat them.
I have a 10x20 "fool's square" (someone here called it that and I loved the term) but this year I am increasing the garden by using two additional parts of my yard. Up until last year, I had one peach tree but last year I planted two apple trees, one plum tree, one nectarine and a pear. This year I am planting a cocktail tree and a strawberry tree from a catalog. Also, I already put my blackberry, blueberry, and two raspberry bushes on the ground (all from Sam's). All in all my gardening efforts should feed all four of us fine.

I love the term, "fool's square" also. I can imagine many reasons for the name, but what was the reason that person said that? From now on that's what I'm calling my little veg area. lol

I enjoyed reading the responses to this question, its great to see how people are eating from their gardens. I just want to share something that has inspired me, and given me a lot of ideas of what to do when I have too much of something (last year I got WAY more tomatoes than we could eat). Barbara Kingslover and her family (4) ate only locally produced food for a full year; most from their own garden, but also from neighbors -- including dairy, meat, etc. She tells the story in her book ANIMAL VEGETABLE MIRACLE.

Here is a link that might be useful: Gardening Journal