[peanut97]

My darling son has muddled up all my plant labels, i am not so worried about the tomato varieties but I am concerned about the courgette and pumpkin as I have limited space and wanted to plant only 2 of each.    I have 20 plants which all look the same, they have only just germinated, will they look different or should I start again with left over seeds.

What do you folks do with all the plants you end up with? I have about 60 tomato plants, was expecting a lower germination rate, also have about 60 chillis, was only thinking a few would survive but they have all been potted on and are going strong. I can't believe I am capable of getting things growing!

[crowndale]

School fairs are always good or there's always freecycle

[richyrich7]

I Compost my spares if my son don't nab em.

[GrannieAnnie]

or put them out the front of the house and sell em for 25p each!

[peanut97]

It seems a bit heartless to throw them on the compost heap after they have grown for you! I am feeling sorry for my thinning outs that get composted as it is, maybe I am a bit soft!

Does anyone know if my pumpkins and courgettes will look different?

[richyrich7]

Does anyone know if my pumpkins and courgettes will look different?

They might do as they get their 2nd set of leaves but it may only be a small difference as they are both related. Play safe and replant if your really stuck.

[Annie]

I find no shortage of people who will take tom plants off your hands from work,school ,swimming group,once you start asking it`s surprising.Same when you grow too many courgettes for the first month.
I don`t think it is easy to tell what you`ve got courgette/squash early on,if you take a guess and put a few others in pots as insurance the the courgettes will be the ones throwing more stalks from the base.In future try a marker pen on the pot-almost child proof!
I find it hard to throw out excess plants to,if you are the same it`s amazing where you will find space.

[GrannieAnnie]

I don't even like thinning seedlings, that's why I try to plant them far enough apart.  Seems sacrilege to me.  When I planted too many of most thing last year, we had a new member join from North Lincolnshire who had just got her first lottie.  I said if she was down this way at all, she was welcome to what leftovers I had, so she and her DIL came down and went home with 30 odd tomatoes, loads of runner bean plants, chillies, mint I think, lavender and a few other things.  So they didn't get wasted!!!! lol

[wellingtons]

... you can distinguish quite easily between courgettes and pumpkins.  The pumpkins smell slightly stale and unpleasant ... the courgettes less so ...  

The courgettes also have more of a defined point to the leaf, whereas the pumpkins are rounder.

Also the courgettes remain a central stemmed plant whereas the pumpkins start to throw out trailing stems at a very early age.  So pot em on and wait, you will recognise them I promise.

[slow_worm]

If you are using 'new' seed then expect 90-100% germination.
Always grow a few spare in case of accidents.
I have 100% germination on my courgettes and squash, same for toms and with sweetcorn just 1 out of 40 seeds failed to germinate!

[Zak the Rabbit]

we seem to keep getting these 'whats this plant' type question,

perhaps we could make use of the gallery to develop a collection of 'life stages' photos of various plants, that could be used as a guide? i myself am not sure if my parsnips are growing, but i can recognise my beetroot.

If a number of use agreed a plant type each, and photographed it growing as specific stages, such as first showing, first true leaf pair, second true leaf pair, flowering, fruiting, (and even bolting!) we could develop a very usable guide.

We could do the same for common weed seedlings, that would help diffrentiation. And one for bugs and maybe desieses?

anyone elses thoughts?

[acetaria]

At our allotments there is a shelf someone left by the gate - all excess produce or seedlings are deposited there for the other holders to use. Failing that put them in a cheap 3" pot and put them on the front garden wall with the word 'free' written somewhere (or a box with 50p each written on it ;-). Or let them grow till they are taking up too much room/time then compost them.

What do you folks do with all the plants you end up with? I have about 60 tomato plants, was expecting a lower germination rate, also have about 60 chillis, was only thinking a few would survive but they have all been potted on and are going strong. I can't believe I am capable of getting things growing!