As much as we love our tomatoes and zucchini, it’s easy to get stuck with way too much produce during our fall harvests that—try as we might—we simply can’t get through! While it may seem counterintuitive, food waste is actually a major problem that many gardeners face in the fall, and is typically due to an overproductive garden and a poorly-planned harvest. In this guide, I’m going to help you avoid this pitfall by sharing some of the ways I like to manage my harvest through the summer and into fall, along with some tips for getting rid of excess produce while also supporting your local communities!
If you don’t feel like being buried under 150 pounds of tomatoes this fall, you’re not alone! Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to guide your harvest so that you’re not overwhelmed by produce. The first and easiest way is to harvest regularly, especially your beans, peas, and greens. Staying on top of your harvest will keep things manageable come fall and supply you with a steady supply of fresh produce for your daily recipes!
Another great tip is to harvest your fall squashes while they’re little. Not only are they much more tender and flavourful at this stage, but they’re also much easier to manage, store, and eat!
Starting a produce trading circle with your neighbours this fall is a great way to offload some of that extra produce! If you can’t handle your mountain of tomatoes, see if someone’s got some extra carrots from their fall harvest they’d be willing to trade for, or swap some canned salsa for a couple of jars of homemade dill pickles. Whatever the case, developing a trade agreement amongst your neighbours is a fun way to guide your community towards a culture that supports everyone’s kitchens rather than burdening them.
The other thing I strongly encourage, especially for those crops coming later in the fall, is to fertilize and water regularly. Watering our veggies is especially important, as they lose a lot of their natural sugars when they dry out, resulting in a much blander taste once harvested. I like to use a written water and fertilizer guide or schedule during the summer and fall to help me stay on top of my garden’s unique needs.
While watering and fertilizing, check for insects like potato bugs and squash beetles that can absolutely ruin your fall plans. Because July’s usually such a hot month, lots of little garden pests love to poke their heads out around this time, so staying on top of your pest management now will save you from headaches and heartbreak closer to harvest.
My household has a hard time eating everything we grow in our garden. Some days, I can’t even harvest fast enough in the fall to keep up with its production! However, I know that while such an overproductive garden can be a bit of a headache at times, it also gives me an amazing opportunity to help out my local community.
With food insecurity at an all-time high, it’s more important now than ever to help out our local communities however we can. Food banks, food-sharing organizations, non-profit groups, group homes, and local families in need are all wonderful places to donate your extra produce. Here are some great places you can donate your garden’s excess bounty to support the communities in Guelph and surrounding areas:
I hope you thoroughly enjoy your harvest this fall, and if mother nature is extra generous towards you, I hope you share some of your excess spoils with your community! For all your fall harvest needs, be sure to visit us at Royal City Nursery in Guelph, ON. Our knowledgeable team is here to help you make the most of your harvest by guiding you through your gardening journey.
