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Old February 16, 2014   #1
linzelu100
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Default Pounds per plant

Good Morning,

I have been searching all over the net for estimates/numbers for yields in pounds per individual plants. I have only found very LOW estimates that don't seem reasonable- to yield information for 100' row, which isn't usable for my backyard garden. I am trying to be better prepared this year on what to expect. I always keep track of what I pick, but I never had a scale until now- so seeing that I picked 25 zucchinis of different sizes doesn't help. I want to plant enough for my family and one other family of 4.

Here are the estimates I found- please feel free to correct them or update me if you think they are not correct. It will really help me out this year.

Per plant:

Tomatoes- 10#
Peppers- 2#
Zucchini- 1.5-5#
Winter Squash- 10#
kale and chard- 1#
broccoli- 1#
beans- 2#
peas-2#
sweet potatoes- 2.5#
watermelon- 20#
melons-8#
cukes 2#
dried beans- 6 oz
eggplants?
potatoes?

I am pretty sure My yields on tomatoes, peppers, and zucchini are much higher. I remember picking a 7# zucchini bat. I also think the peas seams really high- 2# on one plant- I wish!

Any of your experience or advice will help. I haven't grown enough of any of these for my family for a year so I don't have those numbers to go by. I have expanded and would like to help some relatives too. I will be keeping track of my pounds grown this year. OH and I know different varieties give different yields, just looking for a bare bone estimate to go off of this trial year. Thanks-

Happy Gardening
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Old February 16, 2014   #2
Durgan
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Pounds per plant is always of interest to me. It is difficult without a lot of effort to keep track when harvest is over a period of time.

Potatoes I have accurate records over several years. I consider four pounds per plant to be excellent and the quantity can vary from 3 to 8 depending upon conditions. Anything less the 3 pounds, I consider a failure.
Here are some of my potatoes.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?NRHSB 5 September 2013 Russian Blue Potato Harvest.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?HSJDL 2 September 2013 Viking Potato Harvest

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?QSIBX 31 August 2013 Yukon Gold Harvest

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?BKWAI 11 September 2010 Yukon Gold Test Box Potatoes

Tomatoes I have averaged the quantity and arrived at approximately 15 pounds as a good estimate. This year I am going to keep accurate records. usually I have around 35 plants.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?XZHCV 16 September 2012 . 214 pounds of tomatoes picked 2,5,9,16 September
A total of 513 pounds of tomatoes was picked from about 32 plants over the season.Average 16 pounds per plant. There are probably another 100 or so pounds remaining if the weather holds with no frost.This is my best year ever for tomatoes.

A lot of produce is sort of measured by volume rather than weight. Examples being cucumbers, beets, and peas. Watermelon by the number of fruit.
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Old February 16, 2014   #3
linzelu100
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Durgan View Post
Pounds per plant is always of interest to me. It is difficult without a lot of effort to keep track when harvest is over a period of time.

Potatoes I have accurate records over several years. I consider four pounds per plant to be excellent and the quantity can vary from 3 to 8 depending upon conditions. Anything less the 3 pounds, I consider a failure.
Here are some of my potatoes.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?NRHSB 5 September 2013 Russian Blue Potato Harvest.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?HSJDL 2 September 2013 Viking Potato Harvest

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?QSIBX 31 August 2013 Yukon Gold Harvest

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?BKWAI 11 September 2010 Yukon Gold Test Box Potatoes

Tomatoes I have averaged the quantity and arrived at approximately 15 pounds as a good estimate. This year I am going to keep accurate records. usually I have around 35 plants.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?XZHCV 16 September 2012 . 214 pounds of tomatoes picked 2,5,9,16 September
A total of 513 pounds of tomatoes was picked from about 32 plants over the season.Average 16 pounds per plant. There are probably another 100 or so pounds remaining if the weather holds with no frost.This is my best year ever for tomatoes.

A lot of produce is sort of measured by volume rather than weight. Examples being cucumbers, beets, and peas. Watermelon by the number of fruit.
Your potatoes and Tomato records are of great help to me. I have noticed the other fruit is done by volume too, but it is not helpful for canning and such b/c that is by weight. In order to plan how many jars I can put up for how many people to feed I need weight. Thank you for your help. I am surprised by potato yields. This will be my first year trying potatoes. I never had loose enough soil until now for root veg. In all my books I read about how many potatoes people pull from the ground, but considering we need 10# potatoes a week...that's a lot of plants just for our family. Thanks! Hopefully they keep coming!
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Old February 16, 2014   #4
Labradors2
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Durgan,

What a haul!

Do you use any fertilizer on your plants? If so, what do you use?

We have amended our soil with aged cow manure, and added another load over the bed last fall. (It is covered with a tarp over the winter to try to prevent the nutrients from leaching out.)

Linda


Quote:
Originally Posted by Durgan View Post
Pounds per plant is always of interest to me. It is difficult without a lot of effort to keep track when harvest is over a period of time.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?XZHCV 16 September 2012 . 214 pounds of tomatoes picked 2,5,9,16 September
A total of 513 pounds of tomatoes was picked from about 32 plants over the season.Average 16 pounds per plant. There are probably another 100 or so pounds remaining if the weather holds with no frost.This is my best year ever for tomatoes.
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Old February 16, 2014   #5
Doug9345
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It's hard to give a good number because yields vary so much between areas, gardeners and varieties. I found this that does it per 10' and gives plant spacing. http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-331/426-331_pdf.pdf I didn't see anything that stood out as being outlandishly wrong.

One way to do a reasonable check on some of these numbers is to turn them in to counts.

Cherry tomatoes are around 1/2 oz so that means that to get 10# you'd have to harvest 320 cherry tomatoes per plant. If the tomatoes are 6 oz in size then you'd have to get 27 per plant.

Zucchini seems low. The winter squash seems about right for small butternuts, or acorns, but low for average ones and definitely low for your large squash such as hubbard. Beans seem way high unless it's for pole beans and then maybe 2# pounds per plant is possible.
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Old February 16, 2014   #6
Durgan
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The only fertilizer that I use is city compost and I work in the wood cups used for mulch at the end of the season. I would like manure but don't know where to get any.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?TXKKN 1 May 2013 City Compost.
The City of Brantford, ON supplies two garbage cans per day (about half a yard) of compost during the month of May

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?GLHEN 12 May 2013 Compost Pile.
The city has no more compost for the public this year. My pile is five cubic yards. I drove
220 km or 22 km each day for ten days to collect this pile.It is 40 wheel barrel loads.The compost will be placed on the garden beds in the Fall and worked into the underlying soil. Some will be used to hill the 2013 crop of potatoes.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?XHKLG 30 April 2012 Compost.
The city supplies compost for pick-up during the month of April at no charge. I go every day for a load and store in my yard for applying to the garden in the Fall. It is too late for use, since my garden beds are all now prepared. Compost is transported in a box in the back of the van, and moved by wheelbarrow to a pile at the back of the property. This is all the fertilizer that is used, and it appears to be adequate.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?JXGEZ 30 March 2012 Wood Chip Mulch
Wood chip mulch is available from the city. There is a half cubic yard box in the rear of the van for transportation. A stockpile is obtained for later use in the vegetable garden. My main purpose is to retain moisture. When the vegetable plants get reasonably large the area is mulched. In the Fall the chips are rototilled into the soil and by Spring they are usually completely composted.
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Old February 16, 2014   #7
Doug9345
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Quote:
Originally Posted by linzelu100 View Post
I have noticed the other fruit is done by volume too, but it is not helpful for canning and such b/c that is by weight. In order to plan how many jars I can put up for how many people to feed I need weight.
Canning tables swapping to weight must be relatively new as any I've used in the past were by volume. Anyway, here is a table that shows how much bushels of various produce weigh, what yield to expect in quarts and conversion factors between the various measures used to sell produce at retail.
http://www.caes.uga.edu/Publications..._ID=6379#Fruit
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Old February 16, 2014   #8
Durgan
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Quote:
Originally Posted by linzelu100 View Post
Your potatoes and Tomato records are of great help to me. I have noticed the other fruit is done by volume too, but it is not helpful for canning and such b/c that is by weight. In order to plan how many jars I can put up for how many people to feed I need weight. Thank you for your help. I am surprised by potato yields. This will be my first year trying potatoes. I never had loose enough soil until now for root veg. In all my books I read about how many potatoes people pull from the ground, but considering we need 10# potatoes a week...that's a lot of plants just for our family. Thanks! Hopefully they keep coming!
Preservation is by Pressure canning and cold room storage and some dehydration. I do no freezing. All produce is selected when at the peak of the season. There are about 400 litres prepared now for the off season. To do yet are pumpkins, cranberries, oranges. About half or more has been consumed by 15 February 2014.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?BTQJY 18 September 2013 Horseradish.Processing
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?QKUOF 17 September 2013 Four Vegetable Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?QLLRO 16 September 2013 Concord Grape Juice.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?KLQWU 13 September 2013 Juicing Plums
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?PTKKA 12 September 2013 Juicing Apples
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?NUNKD 8 September 2013 Pears Juicing
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?MOUDE 5 September 2013 Walla Walla Onion
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?NRHSB 5 September 2013 Russian Blue Potato Harvest.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?AGBJP 3 September 2013 Vegetable Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?HSJDL 2 September 2013 Viking Potato Harvest
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?QSIBX 31 August 2013 Yukon Gold Harvest
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?ETXXE 28 August 2013 Blackberry juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?CNJSN 27 August 2013 Niagara Grapes made into Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?YQRRF 27 August 2013 Sovereign Coronation Grape Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?VUEFV 26 August 2013 Tomato Vegetable Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?DGVNO 24 August 2013 Peach Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?XJAVL 22 August 2013 Elderberry Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?LQRAS 21 August 2013 Twenty one litres of Blueberry Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?WCMTC 17 August 2013 Vegetable Juicing
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?FQQRE 29 July 2013 Garlic Dried
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?LCXPT 3 August 2013 Vegetable Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?GKCNW 2 August 2013 Corn Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?MHLZF 31 July 2013 Blueberry
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?ZSTWR 30 July 2013 Garden Vegetable Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?JXDDN 25 July 2013 Vegetable Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?JTADN 19 July 2013 Bush Berries Juicing
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?CTODV 18 July 2013 First Cucumber Picking.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?TOPKE 18 July 2013 Vegetable Juice.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?IUQUU 14 July 2013 Purslane Juice Pictures depicting the juicing process.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?VPOEH
14 July 2013 Purslane Dehydrated Pictures depicting the dehydrating process.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?GWLAF 8 July 2013 Juicing Vegetables
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?EIVPU 29 June 2013 Dehydrating Vegetables.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?UBAMR 21 June 2013 Vegetable Juicing
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?OFQLU 17 June 2013 Green Produce Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?MJNXX 16 June 2013 Dehydrated Strawberries
http:http://www.durgan.org/URL/?GPTFT 3 June 2013 Rhubarb
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Old February 16, 2014   #9
Labradors2
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Ha ha! Very futuristic of them (check out the date on the pictures!)

Seriously, It's nice that it's free, but too bad that you cannot get a truckload at a time. We have a similar process on a large scale where the city collects "compostibles" from those unlucky enough to not have composters of their own. However, they do not GIVE it back to the taxpayers they charge $30 plus for a yard and they also sell it in bags. I hear that it's pretty good as it is cooked at high temps, so no weed seeds.

Luckily we back on to a dairy farm, so we are able to get aged cow manure from them.

I was wondering whether to try some TX tomato food on my 'maters, but then again I wouldn't know what to do with a massive crop. Maybe I should get some and feed the ones I plan to grow in containers.

Linda



[QUOTE=Durgan;391461]The only fertilizer that I use is city compost and I work in the wood cups used for mulch at the end of the season. I would like manure but don't know where to get any.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?TXKKN 1 May 2013 City Compost.
The City of Brantford, ON supplies two garbage cans per day (about half a yard) of compost during the month of May
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Old February 16, 2014   #10
bower
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I understand the yield of tomatoes can vary a lot depending on the growing conditions, but also by variety there's a lot of variation.

In my growing situation (containers, short season etc) 10 lb per indeterminate plant is what I consider to be a good, acceptable production. If a variety produces much less than that, I consider it poor, and the variety will not be a keeper....
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Old February 16, 2014   #11
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A couple years ago a farmer in California's central valley set a record of 92 tons per acre on a 5-acre parcel. These were determinate canning tomatoes grown under very exacting conditions. That works out to about 38 pounds per plant.
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Old February 16, 2014   #12
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I keep track of the numbers and the guesstimate the total weight from there.

the cukes seem to be on the lower side in your list. For last two years, with 5 pickling cuke plants, I have gotten about 100 cukes. That comes to 20 cukes per plant. I think that averages to about 4-5# per plant.

Tomatoes - I think I got about 10# per plant. 200+ for cherry tomatoes and 70 on my early girl. Two brandywine plants on the other hand yielded 10-12 fruits in all and biggest was 11 oz. So very disappointing 2 lb per plant I think
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Old February 16, 2014   #13
linzelu100
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Wow thanks everyone for sharing...this is really helping me! 5# for cukes is way high for me! I grow the worst cucumbers....Haven't gotten that right yet. Bitter and stingy.

tnkre your brandywine plants are more productive than mine.. I usually get about 8-10, but they are of a good size.

I guess 10-15# average is about right for regular tomatoes. I thought 20# at first, but everyone's observations have me reeling that in.
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Old February 16, 2014   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by linzelu100 View Post
...
I guess 10-15# average is about right for regular tomatoes. I thought 20# at first, but everyone's observations have me reeling that in.
Sounds about right for dwarfs.
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Old February 17, 2014   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Durgan View Post
Preservation is by Pressure canning and cold room storage and some dehydration. I do no freezing. All produce is selected when at the peak of the season. There are about 400 litres prepared now for the off season. To do yet are pumpkins, cranberries, oranges. About half or more has been consumed by 15 February 2014.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?BTQJY 18 September 2013 Horseradish.Processing
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?QKUOF 17 September 2013 Four Vegetable Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?QLLRO 16 September 2013 Concord Grape Juice.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?KLQWU 13 September 2013 Juicing Plums
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?PTKKA 12 September 2013 Juicing Apples
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?NUNKD 8 September 2013 Pears Juicing
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?MOUDE 5 September 2013 Walla Walla Onion
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?NRHSB 5 September 2013 Russian Blue Potato Harvest.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?AGBJP 3 September 2013 Vegetable Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?HSJDL 2 September 2013 Viking Potato Harvest
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?QSIBX 31 August 2013 Yukon Gold Harvest
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?ETXXE 28 August 2013 Blackberry juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?CNJSN 27 August 2013 Niagara Grapes made into Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?YQRRF 27 August 2013 Sovereign Coronation Grape Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?VUEFV 26 August 2013 Tomato Vegetable Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?DGVNO 24 August 2013 Peach Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?XJAVL 22 August 2013 Elderberry Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?LQRAS 21 August 2013 Twenty one litres of Blueberry Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?WCMTC 17 August 2013 Vegetable Juicing
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?FQQRE 29 July 2013 Garlic Dried
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?LCXPT 3 August 2013 Vegetable Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?GKCNW 2 August 2013 Corn Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?MHLZF 31 July 2013 Blueberry
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?ZSTWR 30 July 2013 Garden Vegetable Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?JXDDN 25 July 2013 Vegetable Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?JTADN 19 July 2013 Bush Berries Juicing
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?CTODV 18 July 2013 First Cucumber Picking.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?TOPKE 18 July 2013 Vegetable Juice.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?IUQUU 14 July 2013 Purslane Juice Pictures depicting the juicing process.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?VPOEH
14 July 2013 Purslane Dehydrated Pictures depicting the dehydrating process.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?GWLAF 8 July 2013 Juicing Vegetables
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?EIVPU 29 June 2013 Dehydrating Vegetables.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?UBAMR 21 June 2013 Vegetable Juicing
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?OFQLU 17 June 2013 Green Produce Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?MJNXX 16 June 2013 Dehydrated Strawberries
http:http://www.durgan.org/URL/?GPTFT 3 June 2013 Rhubarb
Very informative. This one is worth the cost of a bookmark!
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