I want Calories!!

[topeka]

I have been working on an experiment the past few years trying to see how much food I can grow on my 2500 sq. foot garden.

It hasn't been too encouraging. Last year I put in 250 sweet potato plants and ended up with about 50 lbs of potatos

I am looking for bang for the buck at this point.

What should I try this spring??

I don't really care what it is as long as it is edible and prolific.

How can I get the most calories per square foot out of my garden (with the least effort possible)

 

[debilorrah]

Potatoes, corn. Calories? hmmm. I am stuck with those two.

 

[Camelot Farms]

Corn!

If you dont mind canning, tomatoes are awesome for producing lots in a little space
Okra is another one and that freezes well.

We also did sweet taters and did very well with them. I would plant a few again this year and see how it goes.

 

[Southernbelle]

Squash plants are prolific.

One zuchinni plant makes A LOT of zucchini. Butternut squash stores really well in a cool, dry place and I love Butternut Squash Soup. My pumpkin plants went far and wide, this year.

 

[debilorrah]

http://www.theeasygarden.com/

 

[saddina]

For most yield per sqft of garden, square foot gardening by mel barthalomew. I've swapped to his methods about 7 seasons ago, and it works. In cities space is tight and the ability to grow intensively in a small area is priceless.

 

[BarkerChickens]

Our zucchini and crookneck squash plants go nuts in the summer. Corn is fine, but you may need to hand fertilize (time consuming, but worth it!). Tomatoes go nuts too! I haven't tried sweet potatoes, but red potatoes, Yukon Golds and White Rose have all done really well for us. The nice thing about corn is that you can plant squash and pole beans in between, allowing a much larger crop in the same amount of space (this is for beds...plan carefully if you are using rows).

 

[Hoosiermomma]

Quote:
I love that book! It has alot of good information in it. I also use one called Lasagna Gardening.

 

[kbarrett]

I ordered seeds from Henry Fields last year because of the buy $25 worth of stuff & get $25 of free stuff. I am SOOO glad they have the same deal this year. I have never, ever had green beans that were so prolific. Though honestly mother nature gets credit also for all the rain

but I seriously ran out of room in my huge chest freezer due to the beans.

 

[gudrin]

You know, Mother Earth News just had a story within the last couple of months about how much food a person could produce in a 100 sq. foot garden. It was a phenomenal amount. I'll see if I can find the article online. It may give you some ideas.

Okay, I don't believe the article itself is online, but the person planted tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, basil and lettuce. Also recommended were peas, cucumbers, and beans.

Keep in mind this person was planting in a 5X20 foot garden, and you have a lot more space. And she used it as a landscaping area as well, so she limited herself a bit.

Stuff we've planted that tends to do well every year (in Minnesota) are tomatoes, peppers, zucchini (never leave your car unlocked, people try to give this stuff away and will put it in your vehicle when you're not looking!), cabbage if you can keep the bugs out, and okra. Carrots are a must, and if you like it Swiss Chard is a prolific producer as well. I have not had much luck with winter squash, unfortunately. Beets are also quick and easy. You could do more than one planting of those. Bush beans did almost too well for us. Luckily they're really good pickled too.