Growing big veggies

[Rosyrain]

I have noticed that the veggies I grow in my own little garden do not get as big as the ones that you find in the grocery store and I am wondering why that is? Do the big farms normally add growth hormones or something to the soil or is it a different kind of soil mixture than I would use at home?

 

[GardenStateGardner]

Its my experience taht if you are giving your plants proper nutrients then they will be bigger and tastier than anything you could by in a store.

 

[Chuck]

I have noticed that the veggies I grow in my own little garden do not get as big as the ones that you find in the grocery store and I am wondering why that is? Do the big farms normally add growth hormones or something to the soil or is it a different kind of soil mixture than I would use at home?

Many times it is a varietal issue, plus the commercial growers are able to cheat. They can start their seeds much earlier than most of us because they all have climate controlled grow houses which are similar to a giant greenhouse. On commercial farms the fertilizing schedule is much more intense than we normal home gardeners would even attempt. Different fertilizers for different stages of growth for instance. But how long has it been since you tasted a store bought tomato that was even half a tasty as your homegrown?

 

[nhraziano7]

For me it depends on what and where I'm growing. I've never had anything in a container produce as much or as large veggies as in the ground. My tomatoes ate smaller but better tasting then the stores. I've been told to pick my zuccini when they are 8-10in like in the store for maximum taste but I've picked plenty at 12-18in that tasted great! I purposely grow a smaller variety of watermelon then you buy in the store because I think the smaller ones have better flavor.

 

[Corzhens]

In my experience, it is common to have a lower quality of harvest compared to what we see in the market. My husband said that real farmers use strong fertilizers to get bigger produce since that is their business. But for backyard farmers like us, it is enough that we can grow vegetables and get some harvest whether big or small. But with the use of compost, we sometimes get good harvest. In fact, our red pepper is fruiting abundantly for months now and the fruits are comparable with those in the market.

 

[remnant]

It has to do with intensive application of agrochemicals and carefully controlled and optimised conditions in greenhouses. They also use hybrids some of which are products of genetic engineering. Home grown vegetables in my opinion are healthier since they are likely to be grown organically and under natural conditions which makes for a stronger and better taste and nutrient concentration.

 

[headfullofbees]

A number of my fellow allotmenteers and I all manage to grow good sized fruit and veg with solely organic practices, but size isn't, to be honest, my first, or even fifth, priority.
Nurture your soil, give it the tools to feed your plants better than any other way can work, and you'll have the flavour and nutrition that'll compensate for any size issues.
Remember, in many cases SUPERMARKET VEG CONTAIN HALF THE NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF G-Y-O, so there's STILL more goodness in your veg, even if they are smaller.
Because there's only my wife and I in our household, I tend to grow smaller varieties, but I bet that if you add loads of organic matter to your soil, brew compost tea and encourage a large worm population in your soil, with leaves, paper etc, the size issue will take care of itself.

 

[RamblingChicken]

I think that one reason that you don't see small vegetables in the grocery is because the grocery doesn't want them--they prefer a more standardized size.

If the standard size is larger than any of your vegetables, the reason would probably vary depending on the crop. One possibility is that the growers may be thinning excess fruits. If, for example, a pumpkin vine is "trying" to grow six fruits, they may thin down to two when the excess fruits are still very small.

 

[Pat]

Generally my vegetables are larger than what I get at the grocery store. The taste is also so much better than any I have ever gotten from the store also, which one of the reasons I grow my own vegetables.

 

[Fernsdaddy]

I use lots of good composted cow manure in my vegetable garden before I ever plant any thing it gives it time to work its magic and my plants are bigger and taste better than what you get in the stores

 

[remnant]

Stinging nettle is one plant that can increase the size of your veggies. You can apply the leaves in planting holes or extract the juice out of the leaves by fermenting in water for several days and then apply. Another method is to boil the leaves in water. Cool and apply the liquid. Combining there with well consortfe manure will yield excellent results. Control of soil to keep it around the plant roots is a good practice.