The problem is, how do you store them all? Most families cannot manage all the runner beans and cauliflowers they have grown this season, let alone the summer fruit which has to be picked when ripe.
So often, people end up with their harvests lurking at the bottom of the freezer months later.
But there are particular crops harvested throughout the summer which you will enjoy eating in the winter months and which keep better than others, provided you store them properly.
Raspberry lovers should freeze raspberries in a single layer on metal trays. Once frozen, the fruits should be transferred to polythene bags or plastic boxes, which makes them easier to separate when required.
Redcurrants also make useful fruits in the winter, pepping up puddings and pies, and should be frozen in the same way as raspberries.
If you pick blackcurrants when they have ripened fully, they also freeze well and you can save time by freezing whole bunches.
Anyone who has ever tried to freeze strawberries will know that they usually end up a soggy mess during the defrosting process.
So if you want the summer taste of strawberries, puree them before freezing and they can be added to ice cream in winter or used as a coulis under a delicious chocolate dessert.
There are many vegetables which will freeze well, including dwarf French beans, garden peas, broad beans and mangetout. They should be frozen in small quantities – enough for your family needs.
Cauliflower and calabrese can also be frozen and the best way is to remove the largest stalks and separate into florets, freezing on metal trays before transferring to a bag.
If you want to store vegetables for longer than a month, you should blanch them first, putting them into a colander and plunging them in to boiling water for up to three minutes (sweetcorn requires up to six minutes) before cooling them quickly in a bowl of iced water.
If you want to freeze spinach then it’s best to cook it first, removing the stalks and then simmer until soft. It can then be squeezed to eliminate the excess water, rolled into balls and frozen.
Anyone with a glut of ripe herbs should also take action now, because they are wonderful later on in the year.
If you have an ice cube tray you can freeze Coriander, Basil, Mint, Parsley and Thyme.
Blanch sprigs of herbs by dipping them in boiling water for a few seconds until the colour intensifies and then chop them roughly and transfer them into individual compartments of the ice cube tray. They should then be covered with water and frozen and once they are frozen you can transfer them to bags.
Alternatively, pack the herbs into butter and freeze that in cubes, or add them to flavour olive oil or wine vinegar.
Tomatoes don’t freeze well as a fruit, but the answer again is to skin them by pouring boiling water over the fruit, leaving for a few minutes and then the skin should come off easily.
After that you can puree them and freeze them, ready to add to bolognese and other tomato–based pasta sauces or casseroles.
You can keep other surpluses of vegetables by liquidising them, freezing them in bags or food boxes and using them as a base for soup.
And if you run out of space in your freezer, remember that potatoes, carrots, beetroots, parsnips, leeks and sprouts can be left in the ground or on the plant until required in the winter.
Author: Jonny
Author of Gardening Life!