Composting more than eating.

[maytreefrannie]

Years ago, I heard a gardener say, "No matter how little you put down, you always end up with too much lettuce."

I think the little-and-often sowing as some people here have said, is the answer, though mine are usually not so well organised - I either have too much or I'm waiting for them to grow on.

[binley100]

I've got about 8 cos lettuce, and 10 lollo rosso lettuce which I just use as cut and come again. I just alternate which one I cut off. Seems to be working okay so far.

[Bigmallly]

I didn't think of the soup idea. Thanks Bren, I may give that a go when I see anything starting to bolt.

[Snadger]

Its all 'grist to the mill' for chooks!

[SarzWix]

I'm not growing chard again - nobody liked it and most ended up in the compost bin, I couldn't hide enough of it in stews etc.

Lettuce, we get through tons of it, and I can't keep up with demand! It seems to take forever to grow, and I never remember sow it early enough...

[Glutton4...]

We don't seem to eat a great deal of Lettuce, so I've not grown any until this year. It took ages to come up, then did so with a vengeance. I told my Mum to help herself, as there was loads, and, you guessed it, she didn't. We had a little, and the Chooks are getting the rest.

The way I look at it (so that it doesn't wind me up) is that it either gets composted, or put through the Chooks, them composted. Either way, it's useful!

[coreopsis]

Nope.Nothing is wasted.I'm growing only stuff that I'm going to eat,no more nonsense"I'd like to get this and that and everything"
As for lettuce-I sowed 2 kinds-one of them has germinated nicely,the other one hardly any plants visible.

[Patchninja]

Freeze the spinach for the winter.

[Bigmallly]

Nope.Nothing is wasted.I'm growing only stuff that I'm going to eat

I tried that but I obviously sowed too much as I thought a percentage would not germinate. If I had only sowed half a dozen, knowing my luck none would have germinated. I think I'll go through my seeds while I remember & see what I don't need.

[ginger ninger]

I gave up on lettuce...well fully grown one's that is a long time ago, all I sow now is cut and come again spicy salad leaves. I make my own mix up there's only me eat's it.

[Nicos]

I have to say I felt quite sad when I first read your post - about throwing food away.
My first reaction was 'give it to friends and neighbours and work colleagues' nothing should ever be allowed to go to waste

.....but then again- it can be difficult to find 20 peeps on the same day who want a whole lettuce.....so I do understand about that- esp when other peeps are GYO and they too have a glut

Last year for us seemed to be 'The year of the courgette'...and everyone was passing round courgettes....every time you nipped out to the shops you'd come back to find that some kind sole had donated one of their courgettes to you as a surprise gift( again!!!)
fortunately I'd grown an awful lot of yellow courgette( marrows),and peeps were pleased to have a bit of a variety.
We all swapped recipes and an awful lot did go in the freezer in the form of soup, ratatouille, quiches,curries, or as with spinach , in little portions to use with pasta etc
It does mean though many a long sesh in the kitchen preparing nosh to feed, esp when you'd rather be outside pottering aound in the veg patch

Yup- our hens do eat some. but as they freerange mostly on clover, they actually seem to prefer their field!

my gluts tend to be lettuce, courgette, radish and french beans- and every year it's the same....and nope -I don't ever learn!!!!! (but my cooking skills seem to be improving!!!)


ps lettuce soup makes you wee- so just be aware!!!!

[Bigmallly]

I would not mind if I had a lottie then I could give it away but I only have a garden & neighbours keep themselves to themselves. I have no pets apart from step-daughter...only joking.The conselation is that it rots down & goes back into the soil.

[susieq100]

I would not mind if I had a lottie then I could give it away but I only have a garden & neighbours keep themselves to themselves.

BM - my nieighbours were quite 'shy' until I started leaving produce on their doorstep or ringing the bell and saying things like "it grieves me to put this in the compost bin, but I've grown too much ....." Now they chat and ask what I'm growing this year. Yes I know they are looking for freebies, but I don't mind - it's nice to get a smile and a thankyou. You could always try it. I've also given stuff away at work.

[womble]

Before my chickens were knocked off, they always had the left over stuff, so I didn't feel bad at having anything extra. I felt guilty whenever I put something on the compost pile.
And when I fed it to the chickens I'd feel guilty that I was neglecting the compost pile....

You've got to allow yourself extra, in case something goes wrong.

However, I wonder if you are falling into the GYO trap, growing what you want to eat, rather than eating what you are growing.

[Nicos]

I'd impose myself on me neighbours BM- don' give em a chance...just go for it..you never know , they may actually be more friendly if you break the ice!!!

...just ask them if they can help you out with glut