I am going to have a "Bring Your Own Planter or Hanging Basket" Garden Party. I'll get big bags of potting soil and set up tables with all of my extras. Can't wait!

I give some away to friends and neighbors, take some to plant swaps and donate to the local community gardens. My husband and I used to sell at the Farmers Market and to various nurseries, but since we've retired and sold the nursery, my joy is making other people happy with beautiful flowers and delicious veggies. Besides the vegetable plants we donate, we also grow a lot extra to give to the local food bank. I enjoy taking stuff to the Senior Center. There's nothing like the pure pleasure and excitement on the face of someone who gardened their entire life, but can't any more, when I give them fresh beans, tomatoes or squash, etc. A great feeling!

Plant swap, plant swap, plant swap. about 70% of my extras go to the annual spring plant swap I have every year on the first weekend in June.

The remaining 30% go to several memorial gardens in and around my town.

Have met some wonderful people at my plant swaps, and several have become very, very close friends.

Fran

I second the plant swap. We always have beginning gardeners who have nothing to swap. We just give them our extras with the understanding that eventually they will have stuff to swap and pay it forward.

I also have 2 grown kids with homes and yards of their own to pass extras on to, and of course friends who could use them.

Don't forget people who helped you get started and of course the neighbors too.

Craig's list or freecycle is an opting as well.

If there is no plant swap in your area.. start one. Its not all that hard to do. Let me know if you want any pointers on starting one up.

I'm not a master gardener but I have donated plants for their annual sale that raises money for the public gardens here. They're always glad to get donations.

Every year I consider potting some little plants up in styrofoam cups and selling them in a garage sale to make a few bucks. I think they would go quickly if it was advertised on Craigslist. If you sell stuff at a farmer's market, you have to pay a fee which would take a chunk out of your profit.

Relatives, Friends, and some neighbors.

Anyone who will take them off my hands -- relatives and friends. Still, I always have more than I need because I overplant counting on some things not germinating then am always surprised when 8 of 9 or even 9 of 9 sprout.

I hope to have lots and lots of seedlings so I am going to try the farmers market route AND I plan to donate to the local food bank. Someone else mentioned the senior center and I like that idea, thank you! I am also toying with the idea of giving some away and in exchange have that person save seeds for me. Not sure how that will work! Oh, I can't wait!

There is an activity labeled guerilla gardening. It basically consists of sneaking plants or seeds into needy spots, such as neglected city lots, parks, along freeways, or even into other peoples' yards, if done thoughtfully. I've done this with native seeds or seedlings that I have left over.

Martha

For four years, I did a booth at several local farmer's markets. I got into it because I had so many plants left over from wintersowing after I gave and swapped alot away. The hard part is finding a farmer's market that doesn't already have a plant seller, or at least one that didn't sell what you have to offer. I stopped because 1) two other vendors in my main market started carrying the same plants in the same sizes I was selling and 2) the new markets were charging too much for a booth.

If you can overcome 1 and 2, and you still like the idea of selling (and making money at it) you have to also check out the answers to

3) does your state or county requiure a liscence to sell plants (Maryland does not)
4) convincing the market that since you are not selling food and have no employees, you don't need an expensive insurance policy
5) figure out how you are going to package your plants to sell. I got 3, 4 and 6 inch pots for free from swaps and generous neighbors as a way to recycle the plants.
6) figure out how you are going to label your plants, keeping in mind the large number of novice gardeners you need to sell plants to.
7) figure out your costs and prices including soil, seeds and lebels (ink if you are printing them out on your computer)

Finally remember that early in the summer, the produce growers usually sell flowers and vegetable starters and hanging baskets until they have produce to sell.

I made good money and some new friends my first three years. The last year, I just broke even and decided that it wasn't a worthwhile investment of my time.

But for a few years it was a nice second income. I know other s just do a plant "garage sale" which is easier if you can get the traffic.

I put all my extras in styrofoam cups with cheapie plant labels in a lowes cheapie green house. I leave this at the end of my street(i'm the only house on my street) with a free sign on it. There usually is nothing left after a couple of hours.

I do this with everything! This year I left two livingroom sets,dining table and chairs, two bikes a punching bag and an easy chair. I couldn't be bothered with listing things on craigs list or freecycle when my neighborhood people are so happy to take them.

Good luck getting rid of yours!

Lisa

There is an activity labeled guerilla gardening. It basically consists of sneaking plants or seeds into needy spots, such as neglected city lots, parks, along freeways, or even into other peoples' yards, if done thoughtfully. I've done this with native seeds or seedlings that I have left over.

Martha

My neighbors did this to me when we first bought our house. We didn't move in for a while since we were having construction done. DD and I went out and bought flower seeds that we planted in a whiskey barrel at the end of the driveway. We came by the house a few days later, and some "good samaritan" had planted a bunch of annuals in our whiskey barrel. I was so mad. And I had a crying 3 year old to deal with.

There is an activity labeled guerilla gardening. It basically consists of sneaking plants or seeds into needy spots, such as neglected city lots, parks, along freeways, or even into other peoples' yards, if done thoughtfully. I've done this with native seeds or seedlings that I have left over.

Martha

LOL. This is a good one. I'll have to try this sometime.

I like guerrila gardening.
However, I would not plant seeds or plants in someone's yard.

My extras and amy others I can get my hands on are sold to benefit Childrens Hospital in Boston. Link below is my blog where i talk about the plant sale I do

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.crazyplantlady.org/

ontheteam, I had a whole rack of "over 60 plants> winter sown and divisions for you at the end of my street....You were going to come and pick up but never showed. I'm sure that "something" happened but you never let me know. They went to the end of my street that is free for the taking with the others, the passersby where happy.

Lisa

Lisa,we had some health issues come up that were pretty severe. I am truly sorry .
I am glad they did not go to waste. I was pretty sure Ihad emailed you however...again my deepest apologies.

It looks as if most of my seedlings will be going to my sister's garden once she, her boyfriend and the kids move into their new place :). The best part is she said they had a big yard so it looks like the seedlings just might have a new home. :)

Brad AKA Moonwolf