[Elcie]

This is my first year of growing plants from seed and I have quickly realised that I have grown too many for my own use.  For example I have 45 moneymaker plants growing and 45 cherry tomato plants growing!  That doesn't count the three trays of other varieties ready for pricking out of the four other tomato varieties I would like to sow this year.

So, what do you do with the leftover plants that you cannot grow to maturity yourself?

[peapod]

I give them away or do swapsies with my plot neighbours, I just got some lovely garlic from one of the committee and have offered my sprouts if his dont buck their act up soon. Im also careful this year not to get carried away 

[JulesJ]

I'm in the same position - am planning on giving them away to family, friends, colleagues, neighbours. If push comes to shove, I'll put them on our front wall with a sign saying 'Help yourself' or see if a charity shop wants them to sell on. Can't be bothered to do a carboot sale. Can't bring myself to bin them if they get that big, but I haven't pricked out every seedling that came up, just the strong ones, and I'm still overrun. I had no idea my stuff would germinate so well, as it's the first time I've grown anything from seed indoors. Next year I'll grow far fewer of everything!

[Kristen]

I'm very mean ... I grow everything in pots so they have a flying start in the veg garden, and for things like Lettuce I can control a succession of plants more accurately (a drill takes a variable time to germinate depending on rain etc.) and I only grow exactly what I need 

Anyways ... I have a different problem, I plant enough seed for the number of plants I need and then have loads of seed left over.  I've got 3 varieties of Lettuce, I grow 6 plants per variety per month for, what, 6 months?  There are 350 seeds in each packet apparently  Some of the seeds will keep for a year or two, but ...

I really ought to arrange with someone else to give go halves with them ...

[mumofstig]

Don't panic about lettuce seed........i am still growing from a pack of Italian mixed lettuce that had thousands in and it's 5 years old. I sowed a bit thicker this year in case the  germination rate had gone down but doesn't look like it

[Parsnip]

I've grown extra toms, chillis and peppers deliberately. We are planning on doing some car boots ( we have so much stuff to get rid of ) and I plan to sell my extra plants there.

[richyrich7]

Usually my son has them for his ploy if not I give them to neighbours or I  compost them or the guinea pigs/hens get them.

I try not to sow to  much over if I want 9 tomato plants of 1 variety then I'll sow no more than 12 seeds, that way a packet can last for years  

[zazen999]

I give them away or swap. I was given a load by a gardening friend [who also cooked me a vege lunch and took me to see his lotties] and I lovingly potted them on - and I've managed to send a few of those on their way, along with some of my own potted on seedlings, up north at a meeting today.

Sharing is best - the more you give away the more you seem to get back.

If I had too many to give away, I'd leave them out the front for people to take away. Toms and chillis usually go pretty quickly.

[mumsy]

Last year I grew far too many toms, ended up popping outside free to good homes.  This year only set 3 seeds per tom that I wanted, still have 2 of each too many.  Planted out me broad beans yesterday ( always start off in green house) Had 10 too many, popped out with a sign 10p a pot ( 2 in a pot)  A lady came by & gave us a quid!!!!!  Toms will go out next weekend 10p each!!!

[Kristen]

What's the best way to keep opened seed packets "viable" for future years?

I just have mine in a "seed box" in my den ... probably ought to be cooler?  Although I expect that the fridge is too cold?

[richyrich7]

Airtight box in the fridge seems to work very well for me, I've tom seeds that are now about 10 yrs old and still getting 100% germination. 

[p00rstudent]

i tend to plant loads more than i need, put aside the seedlings that i want for my self for each batch, then whats left over i try and sell at work, by taking the cost of the packet of seed and dividing it by the number of seedlings going to be sold, and then add on 15p for the pot and compost.

so say a packet of tom seeds cost £3
i am able to germinate say 50 tomatoe plants from it

i want to keep 20 for myself so thats 30 avaliable for sale

£3/ 30 = 10p each + 15p (for pot and compost) = 25p per tomato plant

and thus my tomatoes cost me nothing. at least thats the idea.

[crowndale]

I just freecycle mine.  i live at the bottom of a cul de sac so door step sales wouldn't work!

[Lynne]

Airtight box in the fridge seems to work very well for me, I've tom seeds that are now about 10 yrs old and still getting 100% germination. 

My husband loves telling everyone how we have a small fire proof safe and the only thing that is kept in it are my seeds. It's true! A few silica gel packets and it's cool, airtight and just perfect.

[richyrich7]

Airtight box in the fridge seems to work very well for me, I've tom seeds that are now about 10 yrs old and still getting 100% germination. 

My husband loves telling everyone how we have a small fire proof safe and the only thing that is kept in it are my seeds. It's true! A few silica gel packets and it's cool, airtight and just perfect.

  sounds great .. might be worth investing in