Wasted Vegetables

[treepixie]

Just been down to our allotment and a couple of plots are full of different types of veg, but no one is picking it, whole rows of peas now brown and yellow, beetroot the size of footballs and French beans about a foot long, you get the picture.

I just don't understand why you would grow something and then not eat it, it seems such a waste to me.

If we cant eat it straight away then I freeze or Pickle or make chutney or as a last resort give it away.

[Alison]

People might think I'm wasting food as from the path you can see long rows of beans I'm growing for dried beans and also my seed saving beds where I deliberately leave things so I can harvest the seeds for sowing next year rather than eat the crops now.

[hamamelis]

A guy on my site last year had it completely full of runner beans- and the whole lot just sat there, and gradually rotted. It's all beans again this year too...

[zazen999]

I've just harvested my peas, they were brown and crispy and the pods are currently drying out in trays.

ALL my French beans are grown for drying.

And I leave several beetroot in the ground all winter for next year's seed.

[Nicos]

It used to drive me friggin bananas a few years ago! I can't stand food going to waste!

Best thing is to get to know your neighbours better- and next year suggest you crop them on their behalf ( if they are supposed to be cropped fresh- rather than dried)...and keep 50% for your consumption!

sometimes this becomes the best option for 2 parties!

[tel]

possability that the plot holder could be too ill to get down to do anything? just a thought.

[rustylady]

^ ^ ^ Or on holiday. Doesn't take long for crops to go over.

[Snadger]

I try to harvest stuff as it matures but sometimes get caught out.

20 F1 hybrid sweetheart cabbages ready on the same day and 3 days later bursting with the ammount of water we've had didn't help. Managed to shred four and get them in the freezer and its never stopped raining since.
Funnily enough harvest isn't my favourite time of the year..........its getting stuff to harvestable stage without many major problems that floats my boat!

[treepixie]

No they are there quite often, then they just chuck it on the compost heap, strange

[rustylady]

Very strange, but I suppose if they have paid their rent then it's up to them what they do with their "crops".

Be thankful that at least they do grow crops and the plots aren't full of weeds seeding onto your plot.

[GemskiB]

Be thankful that at least they do grow crops and the plots aren't full of weeds seeding onto your plot.

My next door neighbours have nettles 7-8ft tall that are chucking seeds all over my veggie planters. It makes me so sad, they don't use their garden at all I would have thought their landlord would have been better off just putting chuckies down *sad face*

[Two_Sheds]

whole rows of peas now brown and yellow, beetroot the size of footballs and French beans about a foot long

Saving for seed?
You need quite a few plants, ideally, for good gene diversity whatchamuckallit

[Two_Sheds]

My next door neighbours have nettles 7-8ft tall that are chucking seeds all over my veggie planters.

Lean over and cut them off. Then the seed will grow where it falls, rather than coming to you on the wind

[GemskiB]

Lean over and cut them off. Then the seed will grow where it falls, rather than coming to you on the wind

I can only reach a couple... Their garden is a jungle 😣