What sets your total harvest
Total yield is just plant count times how much each plant gives. Row crops like carrots and beans are rated per foot of row instead, because you don't count individual plants.
Typical yield by crop
Figures are for one full season in good conditions. Vining tomatoes and cucumbers are per plant; carrots and beans are easier to plan per row-foot.
| Crop | Yield | Basis | Days to harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato (indeterminate) | 20–30 lb | per plant | 60–85 |
| Tomato (determinate) | 10–15 lb | per plant | 60–80 |
| Cucumber | 8–13 lb | per plant | 50–70 |
| Bell pepper | 2–4 lb | per plant | 60–90 |
| Cabbage | 4–9 lb | per plant (head) | 70–120 |
| Lettuce | 1–2 lb | per plant (head) | 45–60 |
| Carrots | 1–1.5 lb | per row-foot | 60–80 |
| Bush beans | 0.5–0.7 lb | per row-foot | 50–60 |
A "row-foot" is one foot of a single planted row. For carrots that's roughly 30 to 45 roots at typical spacing.
Plan to about three-quarters of the ideal number
The table is a ceiling, not an average. Home gardens lose yield to inconsistent watering, thin soil, pests and cool spells, so most seasons land at 70 to 80 percent of the listed figure.
- Water is the biggest lever. A dry spell can cut yield 20 to 50 percent, and the loss shows up as smaller fruit and dropped blossoms, not fewer plants.
- Season length scales yield almost linearly. A season cut 20 percent short drops the harvest by roughly 20 percent, because fruiting crops keep setting until frost.
- Sun sets the ceiling. Fruiting vegetables want 6 to 8 hours of direct sun; below that they grow leaves but little fruit, and no fertilizer fixes it.
Common questions
How much does one tomato plant yield?
A healthy indeterminate tomato yields about 20 to 30 lb over a season; a compact determinate variety yields roughly 15 lb in one flush. Both figures assume good soil, full sun and steady water.
Why is my harvest lower than the table says?
The numbers assume near-ideal conditions. Real gardens usually hit 70 to 80 percent of that once you account for uneven watering, poor soil, pests and short seasons. Multiply the table figure by about 0.75 for a realistic plan.
Which crops give the most food per square foot?
Vining tomatoes lead by weight (roughly 6 to 9 lb per square foot on a trellis), followed by cucumbers and pole beans. Leafy greens give less weight but the fastest turnover, so you can replant several times a season.
