How to share your garden surplus

Some crops are notorious for producing far more than one household needs. If you're growing any of these, you'll likely have extra at some point in the season.

• •Zucchini and summer squash. A single healthy plant can outproduce a family of four within weeks.
• •Tomatoes and herbs. Basil, mint, and parsley regrow faster than most people can use them.
• •Fruit trees. Apples, plums, and pears often ripen all at once rather than gradually.
• •Succession-planted vegetables, where staggered sowing still ends up ripening in a glut during hot weeks.

Homegrown produce is more delicate than shop-bought — a little extra care at harvest time makes it last until pickup.

• •Pick at peak ripeness, not before — homegrown produce won't ripen much further once picked.
• •Only pick what you can list soon. Perishable produce loses quality fast once harvested.
• •Skip a heavy wash right before listing — excess moisture speeds up spoilage. A gentle rinse is enough.
• •Bunch herbs and bag loose items so pickup is quick and tidy for whoever collects it.

Both are valid — it depends on how much effort went into growing it and how much you have.

• •Give it away for a quick, zero-admin way to clear a genuine glut — great for the tenth zucchini of the week.
• •Sell it for a small price if a crop took real time and effort — think slow-grown tomatoes or a fruit tree you've tended for years.
• •Price to move volume, not to profit — a token price gets it picked up faster than a market rate would.

Homegrown produce doesn't need to look shop-perfect — people picking up garden surplus expect character, not uniformity.

• •Shoot in daylight and include one close-up plus one photo of the full haul.
• •Mention the variety if you know it, and whether it was grown organically or pesticide-free.
• •Be upfront about blemishes. A little cosmetic imperfection is normal and expected for garden produce.

Sharing food you grew yourself comes with a bit more responsibility than sharing shop-bought surplus.

• •Only list produce that's genuinely ripe and unspoiled — not bruised, moldy, or past its best.
• •Mention if you use pesticides or fertilisers, so people can make an informed choice.
• •Wash your hands and tools between harvesting and packing to keep things clean.

Garden surplus is often at its best for only a day or two, so a tight, convenient window works better than a long open-ended one.

• •List it the same day you pick it whenever possible, and offer same- or next-day pickup.
• •Evenings and weekends tend to work well, since that's often when home gardeners are around anyway.

Create a listing under the Produce category, choose Giveaway or Sell, and add a couple of photos. Your exact address stays private — only your ZIP and city are shown until someone actually commits to picking it up.