Working out how much to plant in a home garden is not always intuitive. Many gardeners know the experience of ending up with way too much of one crop and not nearly enough of another.
Epic Gardening (@epicgardening) has introduced a planting guide meant to make that process more predictable by outlining how much produce a family of four might grow over the course of a season.
What’s happening?
The video features Epic Gardening’s Kevin and Jacques in the garden as they build a practical growing plan for a four-person household.
“We’ve all been there before, like that first year where I basically only grew tomatoes and got nothing else,” Jacques said. The pair then laid out the plan crop by crop.
In raised-bed terms, their baseline comes to about three to four 4-by-8-foot beds for each person. Put another way, they estimated roughly 100 to 200 square feet per person, or about a 20-by-20- to 20-by-40-foot garden for a family of four.
Their estimates for that size of household include eight to 12 tomato plants, eight to 12 pepper plants, 20 to 30 potatoes, 16 to 20 plants split among cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower, four summer squash plants, four winter squash plants, 30 to 40 bean plants, 40 to 60 pea plants, 16 to 24 corn stalks, and 120 to 160 carrots.
For lettuce, they suggested planting in weekly intervals rather than harvesting everything at once.
Why does it matter?
Plans like this can be especially useful as grocery prices remain a major concern for many households, and produce is one category where gardening can make a noticeable difference.
Even a modest backyard setup can help supplement meals with tomatoes, greens, carrots, beans, and potatoes, while also providing fresher, better-tasting food than many store-bought alternatives.
Growing food at home can also support mental and physical health. Gardening gets people outside, encourages movement, and helps them feel more connected to what they eat. It can also reduce stress, promote healthier meals, and make seasonal eating feel more accessible.
One commenter wrote, “As a new gardener, this channel has been such a great source. This is my absolute favorite video so far. I started so I could grow in my small space and cut grocery costs. It’s been a little chaotic. I’m gonna try your plan.”
What can I do?
If you want to follow a similar approach, start with the crops your household actually eats.
The creators repeatedly emphasized that their numbers are meant to serve as a guide, not a rigid formula. If your family loves peppers but rarely eats cauliflower, you can adjust the plan accordingly.
Timing is also central to the strategy. By spacing out crops such as lettuce, beans, peas, carrots, potatoes, and broccoli, gardeners can avoid one big rush of produce and keep harvests coming more steadily through the season. That can also help reduce waste.
As one commenter put it, “I’m hoping to start a family with my wife really soon! Thank you so much for providing something like this, in this context.”
Get TCD’s free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
Comments are closed.