How many do you

[Jared77]

plant when you try something new? Say a new variety of say a tomato, or something you've never tried before? What's your "sample size" to decide if its something you want to have again?

I know we've already committed for the most part of whats going in our 2012 gardens, but I'm curious how many you planted this year?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Usually one, but if it comes in a three or four pack, I may go that route. The only thing I can think of that is new this year is a Giant Ozark pepper and I only have one of those. Everything else I can think of is something I have tried before. After last year's disaster with the heat and drought, I'm going fairly safe this year. I'll admit, triple digits and two months without rain hit me pretty hard.

 

[ninnymary]

Due to my small size garden, I usually try only one of a particular item. For example, this year I'm trying Black Prince, Tigerella, Glacier, and Momotara tomatoes. Of course, one of each.

Mary

 

[Kassaundra]

I'm trying all kinds of new to me things in the garden this year. And caution isn't my strong suit, I usually go overboard.

The new things I can think of off the top of my head are: sorghum, rat tail radish, soapwart, abu .... tomatoes, poona keena cukes, jet star toms, poppies, luffa (vining okra), burgandy okra, tatume squash, calumus, epazote, borage, morning glories, there is more just can't think of it right now.

 

[catjac1975]

plant when you try something new? Say a new variety of say a tomato, or something you've never tried before? What's your "sample size" to decide if its something you want to have again?

I know we've already committed for the most part of whats going in our 2012 gardens, but I'm curious how many you planted this year?

I no longer buy mixed seed packages. I have found them not to be very mixed. I plant 20 varieties of tomato , 10 kinds of squash, 4 types of broccoli, etc. and save the seed year after year. Sometimes you will have a bad year for a certain kind of crop. If you have planted a variety you should still get some of that crop even in a bad year.

 

[chris09]

plant when you try something new? Say a new variety of say a tomato, or something you've never tried before? What's your "sample size" to decide if its something you want to have again?

I know we've already committed for the most part of whats going in our 2012 gardens, but I'm curious how many you planted this year?

When I am planting a new variety of let say a tomato, I will plant no less than 24 seeds and then plant no less than 12 plants of that variety in the garden.


Don't want to wast time or space on someting that isnt going to work.

Chris

 

[April Manier]

I usually try a packets worth. I will off the fruits to buyers and markets. So usually 100 is about my minimum. I know that seems like a lot but its not when farming!

 

[digitS']

I have 2 neighbors to supply with tomatoes and one of them also gets peppers. Since these plants spend at least some of their time in a 4-pack -- I get 2 plants and share 1 with each. I'm reluctant to give them 2 plants that I don't know anything about - but, there are times . . .

Keeping the 4-pack for myself is also an option but I don't like to make that commitment of space for the tomatoes.

Seeds directly sown? Maybe a 4' by 4' space in a bed. Sometimes with something that I am fairly confident will come thru for me - about 50ft. That would be something like spinach or lettuce or onions. They will also be outta the way with the opportunity for something later in that ground.

Steve

 

[Jared77]

Thanks folks I'm trying to expand beyond our "usual suspects" yet I want to make sure that I get a good sample size to decide if its just that individual plant that didn't do so hot, or if its the type, and I hate being saddled with something that takes up a bunch of space yet isn't something we like or isn't producing like we hoped.

 

[vfem]

I do between 2 and 10... for larger plants the smaller amount (like tomatoes or cukes) but for smaller I do more (like lettuce or asian greens).