Free Plant Adoptions from the Middle Garden

First plant giveaway. Lots of tomatoes, one sad sign.

It was two summers ago when I put out the first free plants on my front lawn.  I had sown too many tomatoes and couldn't bring myself to dump the glut in the compost heap.  I thought surely someone would want free tomatoes.  Well approximately one person wanted one tomato.  So of the 9 extras I had, 8 still went to the heap.  Which is fine because the compost would make good use of the tomatoes.  

I was surprised only one was taken (as a plant person, it would have been my heaven to run across free plants).  But thinking more about it, I put them out in late June.  Anyone who is intent on growing tomatoes would have bought and planted them already.  And also (who knew that you still have to market free stuff) my pathetic sign was not exciting, it did not incite temptation.

I tried again last summer.  I put them in trays with a nice sign that read, “Free Plants. I sowed too many! Organically grown with love.”  Then, I created a sign for each type of plant I was giving away with some brief information.  There were only two plant types: Black Eyed Susans (x16) and Pale Spiked Lobelia (x8). I put them out in the beginning of October during the perfect perennial planting season.  

The second free plant giveaway, before the “rebrand”.

During the first two days, 4 Black Eyed Susans were taken and 0 Pale Spiked Lobelia.  Again, I was baffled.  THEY’RE FREE PLANTS!  My husband said I should elevate them because people probably just don’t notice them when they’re on the ground like that.  Good point.  I found a big cardboard box from the garage and put all the plants on top.  I redid the signs on sturdier cardboard.  I even added a little bit of guilt  (“the plants need homes!”) to my marketing campaign.  This time, I started getting bites.  I left the plants out for about a week and half and all the plants but 5 Black Eyed Susans were taken.

I consider this a success!  And I will certainly be doing more Free Plant Adoptions when the weather allows. I tend to oversow, so it’s inevitable there will be more plants to give away.  Those of you in/around Chicago can sign up for the newsletter to find out when free plant drops will be happening and where.