I have lost my mind!

[newatthiskat]

I have a confession to make. I planted too many seeds. I do not know why I did it other than it is Tormato's fault!
I have actually had to plant up my first batch of seeds I started. Only 9 varieties. They weere old for the most part seed stock I did not think would grow. I also planted a few I have bought from vendors on here. So that is where I stand right now. Problem is...I have planted up 40 plants already. All those old seeds? They grew. I still have a dozen from that first batch to plant up. Then I could not help myself and planted 25 more varities. then I could not help myself more and 72 later....Now I am awake and others are sleeping and it is all I can do to not plant the rest. I know it is ridiculous! I do not have room. If I had a farm this might be ok but I live in the CITY! In a rent house. Maybe they will not notice!

[NarnianGarden]

Haha! That's a problem many would gladly have
I hope none of my neighbors want to call the authorities on me for having too much plant life on my balcony.
My parents' yard and patio will resemble a tomato jungle.
It's just a sign of life - 'Look what those folks have come up with this season!'

If you end up with too many plants, you can always go around offering them to kindly neighbors. Or post a sign on a community board: 'Orphan tomatoes seek good homes'

[newatthiskat]

I have already started the plant give away LOL. Gave 4 to my daughter just because she helped me plant up

[pdxwindjammer]

Welcome to the madness and addiction of growing tomatoes! Each year I tell my sweetie I am going to cut back on the number of plants I grow. Each year I fail miserably. I think I grew almost 500 plants. Gave them away to friends, family and just neighbors walking past my house. Then donated the rest to the Oregon Food Bank.

This year I am really, really going to cut back. I mean it this time!

[tlintx]

My "final list" was 144 varieties (I have two 72 cell trays). Fortunately, I took a night to think about it, and woke up at like 3 am thinking, "WHAT THE HECK!". Then I cut that list down to 72, including a few duplicates for my MIL.

... plus the dwarfs, those get their own tray. Because they go in pots, and I'm limited in pots only in moola I wish to shell out for potting mix. Nevermind that at least some of the 72 will have to go in pots because I really, really can't have tons of plants in my front yard or the neighbors will lose their minds!

As stated above, what an AWESOME problem to have!!!

Even though you're in a rental, you could always do lots of pots. Tanya's recipe worked really well for me last year!

[Lorri D]

Offer to share, I doubt they will care after that! Yep, I too am addicted to growing, because of the challenges and the rewards. Lorri D

[newatthiskat]

I did get prior approval from house owner and rental to garden. I don't think he knew I really meant farm. When I saw this house I rented it that night. It has over an acre with it. In the downtown area. unheard of. but the front yard turns into a lake when it rains a lot. not planting up there. I tracked the course of the flooding and think I have a small plan.
I would love to container garden but broke beyond words so can not buy any containers. Then add in the mix...

[tlintx]

I know, it's so pricey, especially if you go for the good stuff like ProMix online. And I haven't found anything pre-mixed worth buying around here. The nurseries around here either cater to landscapers (shrubbery!) or are beautifully landscaped boutique places that charge $40 for a pot of petunias.

If it helps, what I did in my backyard (didn't want to make anything too permanent) was make raised beds out of cedar fence pickets, fastened in the corners with stakes that I pushed into the ground. If I need to remove them, they lift out, and the contents can be raked out over the low spots in the lawn. Grass grows so quickly here I doubt the lawn would even notice!

Originally Posted by Lorri D

Offer to share, I doubt they will care after that! Yep, I too am addicted to growing, because of the challenges and the rewards. Lorri D

Meh, we have a posse of fussbudgets on my end of the street -- they'd probably just accept the gift with wide toothy smiles and then discuss how messy my yard was behind my back. Or worse, to my face after I hand the tomatoes over! It's pretty amusing.

My two trays of dwarfs and determinates just became three, by the way. So much love for whoever included the Hawaii varieties -- can't wait to see how they perform in our hot, humid climate!

[Doug9345]

Originally Posted by pdxwindjammer

Welcome to the madness and addiction of growing tomatoes! Each year I tell my sweetie I am going to cut back on the number of plants I grow. Each year I fail miserably. I think I grew almost 500 plants. Gave them away to friends, family and just neighbors walking past my house. Then donated the rest to the Oregon Food Bank.

This year I am really, really going to cut back. I mean it this time!

Of course you've cut back every year. You look at all the catalogs, websites and offers here and pick out 1000 to grow. You work that down to 500. I think cutting your list in half is reasonable

Originally Posted by tlintx

Meh, we have a posse of fussbudgets on my end of the street -- they'd probably just accept the gift with wide toothy smiles and then discuss how messy my yard was behind my back. Or worse, to my face after I hand the tomatoes over! It's pretty amusing.

Those are the ones that you give the lettuce to that you are pretty sure the dog lifted his leg on at sometime.

[Barryblushes]

Offer the plants to a Boy Scout troop or a community garden . Im sure either will gladly take them off your hands.

[Tormato]

Next swap, I might put in a disclaimer that I'm not responsible for those going off the deep end.

[ChristinaJo]

Lol! If you've lost your mind, you've got a LOT of company...

Keep the ones you originally wanted to plant and plant one or two of the "extra" varieties in bucket containers, then just give everything else away.

[crazyoldgooseman]

I normally grow about 72 plants (a full flat) and plant 25 plants and give the rest away went I pot up the best for myself. The folks at work have learned to expect them and I'm still not very popular at work....LOL

[ScottinAtlanta]

I have an odd approach. I put my extras into a small plot in the shade, packed closely together, where they grow slowly, and then as my tomato plants die off due to foliar diseases, use that plot as replacements. Sometimes i am transplanting 3 foot tall tomatoes, but if you transplant deep, it works.

[Ken4230]

Originally Posted by tlintx

Meh, we have a posse of fussbudgets on my end of the street -- they'd probably just accept the gift with wide toothy smiles and then discuss how messy my yard was behind my back.

If Bubba was still alive, he would have been a lot of help in your situation. An extremely intelligent working dog, he understood hand signals and dozens of voice commands.
One of those commands was: "go poop, Bubba." If i could get him on their front porch, it woulld be a "done deal." A basket of tomatoes and Bubba's special delivery might have made them a little nicer.

I have some really nice neighbors and wouldn't think of trying that here. I've already talked two of them into starting small gardens by helping them plant some of the four dozen extra plants i grew. ( I can't help it either)
They are new to gardening and are fighting weeds and grass more than anything. I think i have talked them into raised beds this year. I have over 75 tomato plants promised to them and other gardeners this year.

Ken