best way to give away extra seedlings?

tryno12 · April 13, 2022

Anyone know of an inexpensive effective way to give away extra seedlings?

PaulF · April 13, 2022

Saw this post on another site so this is a copy of my answering post. What I do is, for me, a free and simple way to share extra seedlings.

In our little village everyone has to go to the Post Office to pick up mail. I put seedlings on a window ledge for people to take. Also in Facebook there is a section called Marketplace where when they are ready to be planted I put in a blurb that folks can come to my house a take home tomato plants. In Marketplace I ask for a free will donation to help offset expenses. For fellow townspeople at the Post Office it is take them for free.

tryno12 · April 13, 2022

Thanks Paul, you are correct - it is a "double post". What type of container etc? Cause after awhile soil, containers etc add up.

Labradors2 · April 13, 2022

Throughout the year, I save waxed containers from half and half creamer, etc. I also save yoghurt containers. When I had a friend who ran a coffee shop, I would take the used disposable coffee cups (pre Covid). I cut holes in the bottom of the containers and insert a piece of newspaper to keep the potting mix from falling out.

I also keep my eyes open for discarded plant pots of a suitable size, put out for recycling. I understand this isn't always legal, but it IS recycling

. I save the pots to give tomato starts to friends who will return the containers

.

Linda

PaulF · April 13, 2022

I transfer from plastic 2"X3" pots into styrofoam cups and write the variety on the side in sharpie. Cups are cheap (for a while anyway) and the soil is nominal. All it takes is a little time and that I have to spare for the time being. A few dollars pays for it all and soon there are more heirloom/OP tomato followers.

tryno12 · April 14, 2022

Thanks for all the comments/suggestions. I will definetly have 200 or so to pass on and was looking for better ways than I have "given" in the past and you'all helped. It will be down from 300 given last year, and only 45 plants grown for myself this year rather than the 120 grown last year. If i do NOT decide to put 2 plants per hole

Thank you

ScottinAtlanta · April 14, 2022

I live in an urban area, so use Nextdoor to sell mine for minimal amounts ($2.50). I find that the seedlings go to serious gardeners if I charge a bit, compared to the careless pickups that I had when I gave them away for free.

gardenmermaid · April 14, 2022

When I worked at Costco I would put boxes of tomato and pepper plants in the break room with a sign inviting people to take some home. I have also left boxes in church lobbies on Sunday mornings as well as sent them to church with neighbors. They always get taken. I start up conversations with neighbors and co-workers encouraging them to give growing a try and making recommendations on varieties, pot sizes, etc. Then I bring them the little starts and tell them to give them a good drink of very watered down coffee once they plant them. It seems to do trick to keep them from getting transplant shock.

FullSwing · April 17, 2022

I give my Son some and take the rest to work for the employees and customers.

hl2601 · April 18, 2022

Another idea to add to all the good ones above-Master gardeners are always game for extra seedlings. Call your extension office and ask. Usually they manage demonstration gardens and either could use them for those or for personal efforts.

VirginiaClay · April 18, 2022

Do you have a garden plot program in your locality -- community gardens or similar? That's where I give away my extra seedlings each year.

To save my pots and cell packs, I pop the seedlings out of the pots and put them in little paper or plastic cups or wrap the root balls in newspaper. I write the variety name (and, maybe if I'm feeling helpful, the color or type) in Sharpie on the cup or paper, and I put the seedlings in a shallow cardboard box so they're visible. I write "Free Tomato Plants!!!" on the box and put it under the bulletin board at the garden entrance, or by the water faucet or mulch pile. Within minutes it's like a zombie movie with gardeners and dog-walkers streaming towards the box, drawn by the magic of "Free!" The seedlings are usually gone in just a few minutes.

If you don't have garden plots, maybe try putting a box of seedlings at the entrance to any other neighborhood park -- a dog park, playground, etc., something with local foot traffic where people are near their homes. Swing by a little later to pick up anything that isn't taken so there's no mess.

MrsJustice · April 21, 2022

Quote:

Originally Posted by VirginiaClay

Do you have a garden plot program in your locality -- community gardens or similar? That's where I give away my extra seedlings each year.

To save my pots and cell packs, I pop the seedlings out of the pots and put them in little paper or plastic cups or wrap the root balls in newspaper. I write the variety name (and, maybe if I'm feeling helpful, the color or type) in Sharpie on the cup or paper, and I put the seedlings in a shallow cardboard box so they're visible. I write "Free Tomato Plants!!!" on the box and put it under the bulletin board at the garden entrance, or by the water faucet or mulch pile. Within minutes it's like a zombie movie with gardeners and dog-walkers streaming towards the box, drawn by the magic of "Free!" The seedlings are usually gone in just a few minutes.

If you don't have garden plots, maybe try putting a box of seedlings at the entrance to any other neighborhood park -- a dog park, playground, etc., something with local foot traffic where people are near their homes. Swing by a little later to pick up anything that isn't taken so there's no mess.

That is a good Ideal because I check with other places and they asked me not to place the Free Plants outside. But the Employees wanted them as they have never had an Heirloom tomato plant before. So Good for me, and those plants. As I am getting ready for my May Plant Sale. Some wanted Free Brandywines, but I told them they will be ready " for sale in May.

tgaede · April 25, 2022

I use facebook to post on my local community group about the giveaway and they were gone within an hour or so. I don't have the scale you do (i was only giving away around 30), so i just saved containers here and there throughout the year to use as giveaway containers.

tryno12 · April 29, 2022

Wife posted for me on a neighborhood facebook page and the "Givaway" was a success!!

Andrey_BY · April 29, 2022

Usually I share my extra seedlings with my friends and neighboors and don't care about yogurt pots I use

30-50% of all seedlings are for such sharing. It's a big fun. We have been doing this way from Soviet Union times

April 13, 2022	#1
tryno12 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Indianapolis Area 46112 Posts: 857	best way to give away extra seedlings? Anyone know of an inexpensive effective way to give away extra seedlings?

April 13, 2022	#2
PaulF Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brownville, Ne Posts: 3,296	Saw this post on another site so this is a copy of my answering post. What I do is, for me, a free and simple way to share extra seedlings. In our little village everyone has to go to the Post Office to pick up mail. I put seedlings on a window ledge for people to take. Also in Facebook there is a section called Marketplace where when they are ready to be planted I put in a blurb that folks can come to my house a take home tomato plants. In Marketplace I ask for a free will donation to help offset expenses. For fellow townspeople at the Post Office it is take them for free. __________________ there's two things money can't buy; true love and home grown tomatoes.

April 13, 2022	#5
PaulF Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brownville, Ne Posts: 3,296	I transfer from plastic 2"X3" pots into styrofoam cups and write the variety on the side in sharpie. Cups are cheap (for a while anyway) and the soil is nominal. All it takes is a little time and that I have to spare for the time being. A few dollars pays for it all and soon there are more heirloom/OP tomato followers. __________________ there's two things money can't buy; true love and home grown tomatoes.

April 17, 2022	#9
FullSwing Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Springfield, MO. Posts: 9	I give my Son some and take the rest to work for the employees and customers. __________________ "Thanks for your time, this time. 'Til next time, so long for just awhile."

April 29, 2022	#15
Andrey_BY Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Minsk, Belarus, Eastern Europe (Zone 4a) Posts: 2,278	Usually I share my extra seedlings with my friends and neighboors and don't care about yogurt pots I use 30-50% of all seedlings are for such sharing. It's a big fun. We have been doing this way from Soviet Union times __________________ 1 kg=2.2 lb , 1 m=39,37 in , 1 oz=28.35 g , 1 ft=30.48 cm , 1 lb= 0,4536 kg , 1 in=2.54 cm , 1 l = 0.26 gallon , 0 C=32 F Andrey a.k.a. TOMATODOR

April 13, 2022	#4
Labradors2 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Ontario Posts: 3,896	Throughout the year, I save waxed containers from half and half creamer, etc. I also save yoghurt containers. When I had a friend who ran a coffee shop, I would take the used disposable coffee cups (pre Covid). I cut holes in the bottom of the containers and insert a piece of newspaper to keep the potting mix from falling out. I also keep my eyes open for discarded plant pots of a suitable size, put out for recycling. I understand this isn't always legal, but it IS recycling . I save the pots to give tomato starts to friends who will return the containers . Linda

April 14, 2022	#6
tryno12 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Indianapolis Area 46112 Posts: 857	Thanks for all the comments/suggestions. I will definetly have 200 or so to pass on and was looking for better ways than I have "given" in the past and you'all helped. It will be down from 300 given last year, and only 45 plants grown for myself this year rather than the 120 grown last year. If i do NOT decide to put 2 plants per hole Thank you

April 14, 2022	#7
ScottinAtlanta Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 2,593	I live in an urban area, so use Nextdoor to sell mine for minimal amounts ($2.50). I find that the seedlings go to serious gardeners if I charge a bit, compared to the careless pickups that I had when I gave them away for free.

April 14, 2022	#8
gardenmermaid Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: In the snowy desert of SE Idaho Posts: 111	When I worked at Costco I would put boxes of tomato and pepper plants in the break room with a sign inviting people to take some home. I have also left boxes in church lobbies on Sunday mornings as well as sent them to church with neighbors. They always get taken. I start up conversations with neighbors and co-workers encouraging them to give growing a try and making recommendations on varieties, pot sizes, etc. Then I bring them the little starts and tell them to give them a good drink of very watered down coffee once they plant them. It seems to do trick to keep them from getting transplant shock.

April 18, 2022	#10
hl2601 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Metro Denver Posts: 770	Another idea to add to all the good ones above-Master gardeners are always game for extra seedlings. Call your extension office and ask. Usually they manage demonstration gardens and either could use them for those or for personal efforts.

April 18, 2022	#11
VirginiaClay Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: Virginia, USA Posts: 140	Do you have a garden plot program in your locality -- community gardens or similar? That's where I give away my extra seedlings each year. To save my pots and cell packs, I pop the seedlings out of the pots and put them in little paper or plastic cups or wrap the root balls in newspaper. I write the variety name (and, maybe if I'm feeling helpful, the color or type) in Sharpie on the cup or paper, and I put the seedlings in a shallow cardboard box so they're visible. I write "Free Tomato Plants!!!" on the box and put it under the bulletin board at the garden entrance, or by the water faucet or mulch pile. Within minutes it's like a zombie movie with gardeners and dog-walkers streaming towards the box, drawn by the magic of "Free!" The seedlings are usually gone in just a few minutes. If you don't have garden plots, maybe try putting a box of seedlings at the entrance to any other neighborhood park -- a dog park, playground, etc., something with local foot traffic where people are near their homes. Swing by a little later to pick up anything that isn't taken so there's no mess.

April 25, 2022	#13
tgaede Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 4	I use facebook to post on my local community group about the giveaway and they were gone within an hour or so. I don't have the scale you do (i was only giving away around 30), so i just saved containers here and there throughout the year to use as giveaway containers.