I was out picking vegetables this morning, and thought "we have enough squash. Perhaps I should just pull the plants up." Then the same thing with the cucumbers, just leaving a vine or two for us. I immediately felt guilty. There are people who would like to have the extras; we put effort into growing these and I'm going to trash them? Why do I feel guilty about pulling up extra plants? Is this some sort of "plant protection" feeling kicking in? Please tell me I don't need therapy!
yeah, I get that feeling. I have a hard time throwing any plants away before they even have a flower....
I think we all need therapy as I absolutely hate having to throw seedlings away. Even when I know I'll never be able to use them all I find myself thinking of potting them on and keeping them.
Hope you have better luck than I did ! II have offered free vegetables and couldn`t get any takers ! Of course they had to pick them,, ! But if I picked and delivered them ??? !
Mart, I have had good luck distributing vegetables. I take them to the local food pantry--there is a 95 year old lady that just loves squash and always hangs around until the squash are entered in the log and ready to be handed out. Cucumbers? Lordy, home grown, not waxed, those dear people just really want one or two! So many of the folks are too old or too infirm to pick, and I really don't want anyone else in my garden.
I like to grow too much, and then sell or give away. I sometimes don’t find place to put my plants so they just shrivel and die in their pots. I do not let random people in my garden as they will just trample my plants half the time.
When all our seedling planting is done and it has been 2-3 weeks...and they all have survived the weather and the little garden beasts, we walk around over the gardening complex and offer them to other members. We have not yet returned to our garden with any left-overs.
this year I had a wedding scheduled for June 18th in GEORGIA. 800 mile drive. 10 hours away... oyvey. on the 15th I tossed ALL of the vegetable plants I had left. thousands of plants all went into the compost pile. I felt terrible. but I couldn't be here and water them.
I can't stand to throw away seedlings or food plants either. I offer extra to friends and family, and if there are still some left I put out at the end of the driveway with a 'free' sign. If all else fails I take them to work and plant them there, and then it becomes our chefs problem haha
