[Siouxfly]

Being my first year I never really thought about how much of each thing I would grow and just sort of filled up spaces as I went but to be honest I've went way wrong with some of it.
I've got far too much spinach, too many tomatoes, too many peppers and probably too many herbs as drying them wasnt really what I was after doing.
Then I've got too little lettuce so loads more on the go, too little spring onions and way too little strawberries. 
I think everything else appears just right but of course I've no idea how many brussels grow on plant etc so I might end up having too little or too much of many other things. I guess it will get easier every year to work out how many of each thing I'd use but this year I am determined not too waste anything so it's tomato sauces every other day, roast peppers every other day and spinach and fresh herbs with everything, until they are all used up.
I think the suggestion on here of a notebook was a good idea because it means when planning next years salad stuff I'll have a much better idea of how many.

[mumofstig]

Too mant tomatoes...........impossible! 
Bottle them as passata or freeze them......you'll not have to buy tins of toms during the winter then 

[GreenOwl]

Tomato sauce with peppers, herbs and spinach and freeze it!

Yes I'm struggling to work out how much I should grow.  I sowed 4 rows of kohl rabi this morning.  (short rows, 3ft long) but I have no idea how much that will equate to in edible crop and if its going to be way too much or not enough.

[Beetroot queen]

I expect even the old boys sometimes grow too much of something or too little of something else, thats all part of the fun, some years a crop will be better than others. Personally I just plan our meals around what we have.

Cant have too much good quality fresh veg 

[SarahB]

Too mant tomatoes...........impossible! 

That's what I thought when I read it!!   

Get a book or two on preserving, it's really not a hassle when you get into it, and it's a great feeling knowing you've got stuff put aside.  Especially as even the price of tinned veg now is appalling!

[rivkele]

there are some good ideas for tomato preserving in the recipes section of this site. I'd never bottled anything before last year but val's instructions gave me the confidence to try, and I ate the last jar of tomato and pepper sauce just the other day. Chutney's another goody. the green tomato and cardomom one on this site is excellent, and i did an experimental ginger and chilli one which turned out great too.
Peppers are really easy to freeze, you don't need to blanch them or anything, just cut into strips or halves and freeze in plastic bags. they thaw out kind of mushy unfortunately, but still good for giving flavour to casseroles through the winter.
(as you can tell i had exactly the same tomato and pepper problem as you last year )

[andy135]

There are lots of good books on preserving. Join your local library. It's free. 

[Trillium]

You're right, siouxfly, it all comes with experience. but now that you know what you really need in quantity, you're ready for next year. Just be sure to plant a bit extra for backup in case something fails or gets eaten by pests, and if it all grows then you've seedlings to swap. I wish I had more space to grow veg and fruit, but it won't happen so I'm quite strict with myself as to how much I plant, and what I really need versus what I'd like to try. Must be why I've just built a few more raised beds and a potato tower this year 

[pigeonpie]

Even with experience the amount you grow can change year by year due to conditions.  We just eat what we have (last year it was a courgette year, every meal had to contain courgette - even my Dad's birthday cake was a chocolate courgette cake!!!), freeze what we can't or have jam and chutney days.  I deliberately grow too many tomatoes for us to eat so that I can make loads of tomato chutney.  I also make sauces and soups with things that don't freeze so well.  Courgette soup, spinach pesto, etc all taste great and freeze well.