Grow your own caprese salad: plants for caprese salad all season
Sliced tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil.
For a family of 4 making caprese salad weekly in season (10 times a year), grow:
| Crop | Amount | Plants | Bed sq ft | Yield assumption | Seeds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slicing tomato | 12 lb | 2 (1 to 3) | 8 | About 8 lb per plant (UMaine). Caged or staked at 2 ft spacing. | Shop Seeds Now |
| Basil | 5 oz | 1 (1 to 2) | 1 | About 0.5 lb of leaves (8 packed cups) per plant over a summer of regular cutting. | Shop Seeds Now |
| Total | 9 | ||||
Garden ingredients per recipe (4 side servings)
- 3 medium tomatoes slicing tomato
- 1/2 cup leaves basil
From the pantry
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Layer sliced tomato, mozzarella, and basil. Add oil and salt.
Change household size or combine dishes in the Plate to Plot tool
Sources and assumptions
Amounts include 15 percent extra for culls, pests, and kitchen trim. Plant counts use the typical yield; the range uses the high and low yields. Bed space assumes intensive beds at recommended spacing. Yields vary with variety, weather, and soil.
- Kansas State University Research and Extension, MF315 Vegetable Garden Planting Guide (average crop per 10 feet of row)
- University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Planting Chart for the Home Vegetable Garden
- Clemson HGIC, How Much to Grow: Planning for Year-Round Garden Productivity
- ThriveThyme estimate from typical harvests (no single extension table lists this crop per plant)
- National Center for Home Food Preservation (USDA tested canning and pickling recipes)
Guides and tools
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