How many zucchini will one plant produce?
I don't know if it is too early to start thinking about food preservation, but I am. It is only March, and the garden is in its infancy. The lettuce and spinach I transplanted a couple weeks ago are obviously too small to harvest. The pole beans and snap peas I planted are no where near ready to produce. I have 9 zucchini plants started, 3 are in the garden. Last week my father saw all of my seedlings and, with a hearty laugh, said "Do you know how many zucchini one plant will give you??!!" This was another hint that I may have planted too much. I think I should invest in some canning supplies and learn about freezing, dehydrating, and root cellaring. If I plant all of the seedlings I have sprouted and they produce vegetables, I will be knee deep in tomatoes and zucchini!
I found that the folks at Storey Publishing have many, many books on homesteading and self-sustainable living. I have purchased my first book on food preservation called "The Beginner's Guide to Preserving Food at Home" by Janet Chadwick. I spent today studying the information about the equipment I will need to can, and what to do with all of this zucchini.
Some of my options are:
- Eat them fresh.
- Slice and freeze on a baking sheet, then bag.
- Shred and freeze in usable portions for breads.
- Pickle them bread and butter style.
It will be interesting to see how much success I have with this year's garden. I am optimistic. I can't wait to try all of the preserving methods in my book.
