What do you do with your extra plants?

I'm taking a break from putting in my garden (so excited..it seems like an eternity since I started this SFG project). I guess I was a little more successful in my seed starting than I thought I would be and I have too many plants. Gorgeous cucumbers in peat pots with roots coming out, tomatoes and peppers. I thought of posting on CraigsList but the cukes need to be planted NOW. Most of my friends don't have gardening space and the ones that do - I won't see for 2 weeks. I can't just let them die. What does everyone else do?

I give them to my co-workers and neighbors or put them in my perennial gardens.

CC

CapeCoddess wrote:I give them to my co-workers and neighbors or put them in my perennial gardens.

CC

+1

I've tried to give them to neighbors but no one gardens.

You may be able to get a same day response from Craigslist, but make sure someone is home with you for safety from "weirdos".

Perhaps contact your local elementary school.and see if they could use a donation. Or an adult daycare center...

sanderson wrote:I've tried to give them to neighbors but no one gardens.

 It's the same here even the old folk only want washed and peeled stuff ,  lazy BTD's .
Even then it's usually a case of " Oh I don't like that  " or " I can't see me eating that stuff I've never had it before ".

 So since early on five years ago with the current ANSFG bed everything that's excess to our needs now goes onto the composting bins . At least that way we will get some benefit back from it.


 Wrt :- Offering it to local schools etc. etc. in the local area .

That would be inviting ID 10 T's to get throwing bricks & petrol bombs at my doors & windows for upsetting the trade unions  upsetting the contractor who supplies the schools with so called fresh prepped veg ready to cook  , robbing people of a living , not being able to prove that it is grown to EU standards & not having  ground to plate traceability with EU approved seeds and fertilizers . Plus I'm not a registered crop producer. 

For some reason I often think the so called civilized world has gone bloody PC crazy.

Senior citizens home came to mind after reading Camprn's post. We have both fairly close by here. Church groups.

Good idea!

camprn wrote:Perhaps contact your local elementary school.and see if they could use a donation. Or an adult daycare center...

Triciasgarden wrote:You may be able to get a same day response from Craigslist, but make sure someone is home with you for safety from "weirdos".

Please be careful!  Meet them at a public location, tell someone(s) where you are going, take someone(s) with you.  I met my handyman for the first time outside Safeway, not at my home.  And I took my big dog with me.  You CANNOT be too careful, especially with Craigslist crazies. 

I took my extra seedlings to the dog park and they were snatched up by some very grateful people!  Good conversation starters, too.  But be careful at the dog park, too, lol!

If I can't find homes for my extra plants among friends, family, and co-workers, I donate them to one of a couple of community gardens we have here.

Several times in the past and present, we have an extra 2 or 30 extras.  So, we plant them in containers.  We just planted some mesclun mix in a couple of 10 pound Epsom salt boxes.  I made a very ugly self-watering container by placing one on top of another.

Here we use the free plant swap to trade away our excess plants. Of course, we come home with new and different plants.

If swapping is not an option, post an add on your local FreeCycle Network. No excuses; if there is not a FreeCycle near you, start one. When using FreeCycle, use caution and meet in a public place. I used to recommend meeting in front of the public library or a grocery store, but I like the idea of meeting at the dog park even better. What a grand day that would be for everyone!

I've donated mine to the local community garden group and then there is our local library's late spring plant sale to make money for books.