Sowing question

[Southern Gardener]

Please forgive my newbieness, but I'm reading on my package of Queen Filet beans and it says to sow seeds about 3" apart - when they emerge thin to stand about 6" apart. Why not just sow them 6" apart to begin with? :/

 

[Reinbeau]

Mainly because usually you don't get 100% germination out of a package. I tend to think more like you, however, and space them a bit further than advised - but I don't thin beans usually at all.

 

[Southern Gardener]

Thanks Reinbeau - after I posted it my senior moment passed.

 

[patandchickens]

I'm with Ann, I am not usually big on thinning large-seeded things. I'd rather use fewer seeds (make a longer row, or save for next year) and accept that a few will not grow. Unless it is an ooold packet of seeds, then I will plant more densely and thin as needed.

You know, not so much with beans, but a lot of things you can actually transplant tiny seedlings as long as they're not too close together and you take a lot of soil with them, so that if you have 'holes' to fill in the middle of an area, you can lift seedlings from the ends/edges and move 'em. You won't get 100% success but I think it's worth it for seedlings that transplant reasonably well, and it's another defense against wasting a lot of seeds.


Pat, peculiarly unable to sow 'doomed' seeds or to throw away divisions or rooted cuttings, tho I wish I could get past it

 

[Settin'_Pretty]

To thin them, you don't pluck the extras from the ground, you just walk down the row with a ho and clip the extras off with the sharp corner, takes just a few minutes.

 

[Southern Gardener]

Ok - maybe not such a dumb question after all - Here is another one. If you planted according to the directions on the packets even though you don't get 100% germination what yield should you expect? I'm trying to figure out how many packages of each veggie I should plant for say four people.

 

[Settin'_Pretty]

Too many variables to answer that question.

Canning and freezing or fresh eating only?
What vegetables?
Soil conditions?
Watering?

For the most part you'll just have to wing it.
Decide what you like and observe how much you go through from one season to the next and then plant accordingly.

Things like summer squash are easy to over plant, those puppies produce like gang busters, corn on the other hand never seems to be enough no matter how much I plant.
Something like green beans, a 50 foot row produces enough to can and get you through to the next year, which depends though on how often you eat it.......

It all comes down to soil and growing conditions and how you preserve and use it.

 

[digitS']

Ok - maybe not such a dumb question after all - Here is another one. If you planted according to the directions on the packets even though you don't get 100% germination what yield should you expect? I'm trying to figure out how many packages of each veggie I should plant for say four people.

Joan, here's a one-page pdf table on expected yield from a 15 foot row. Of course, things can vary but the seed packets usually tell you how many feet of row can be planted with the seeds enclosed.

It never hurts to have surplus . . .

Steve
:tools

 

[Southern Gardener]

Steve, thanks - very helpful!