by Connie Oswald Stofko
Have you ever bought plants and found you had extras?
You have space for two cherry tomato plants and one beefsteak, but each variety comes in a package of four. What do you do with the extras?
First, are you sure you don’t have space? You don’t need a lot of space to garden. Containers aren’t just for flowers; you can plant vegetables in containers, too. One local gardener I met planted fruit trees in containers. See more about gardening in small spaces here. Maybe you can find a spot for that extra plant on a sunny deck or in your front yard.
If you’re sure you don’t have a spot, there are many people out there who would be glad to take those extra plants off your hands. Here are some suggestions:
- Offer them to friends, family and neighbors.
- Find out if there is a community garden in your area. The folks there will be delighted to get your extras, and if their garden is full, they probably know someone who needs your plants.
- A soup kitchen or food pantry in your neighborhood may be able to handle donations of food plants. Call or email them first.
Bonus reminder: When it’s harvest time, share your food crop with others.
Bonus tip: If you want to share plants from your own garden, make sure you’re not spreading Asian jumping worms.
What do you do with your extra plants? Please leave a comment below.
