Tomato Plants - how much would you charge?

[EllenFrasier]

I have some extra tomato plants and I'm going to let the kids sell them. I don't know how much to charge. How much do tomato plants cost in a store? I have some regular Big Boy types and then some Heirloom Varieties, which might not be available in stores.

 

[Hannathy]

How big are they?

I just paid $1.59 at one store and $1.99 at another for plants about 12-15 inches. in individual pots.

They had 3 packs of the smaller like 4-6 inch plants for $1.59

 

[McKelly]

I just bought Big Boys at a garden center 2/1.50, if that helps. Cherry tomatoes were the same.

 

[CTdiznymom]

I paid about $3.50 @ Home Depot.

My BIL usually buys his from a private grower, and today he went to get some and the lady was charging $7.00 a plant. He said they were very big and looked great but he wasn't about to spend that much.

 

[fall08CP]

If you don't NEED the money I'd consider donating them to a local homeless shelter or food pantry. Many of them do "Plant a Row for the Hungry" which helps the homeless not only eat, but learn a skill and sell their produce at a farmers market, and also have a serene place to sit and enjoy. We're planting 25 donated plants on Thursday!

If you need the $$, by all means sell them yourself. But check the program out anyways: http://www.gardenwriters.org/gwa.php?p=par/index.html

 

[LJSquishy]

It really depends on the size. If they are around 8" tall or so, I think $2 is a fair price if they are extremely healthy and stocky. If they are under 6" and/or are tall and lanky, I wouldn't charge more than $1 each. If you have any really "rare" heirloom varieties, you may be able to ask a bit more for those.

I just finished purchasing my tomato plants and I paid all different prices for various sizes...anywhere from $1.50 each to $4 each. If any of yours are organic, that is a huge bonus also. If you have a lot to get rid of, you can offer a deal of 4 for $X-amount.

 

[swilshire]

We pay $8 - $11 a flat for 32 plants at the local high schools. Big ones in single pots are more, like $2 - $3. I've paid $5 for huge, healthy looking ones in big pots that already had small green tomatoes on them. We have about 100 planted. Many of them already had green ones when we planted them, but I'm waiting anxiously for the first ripe one to pick.

Here it is getting pretty late and people are giving them away all over the place. Could have had a couple of hundred more at the school Friday for free, but they were all red ones and I had all I needed. I got two black German heirloom plants free at a plant swap yesterday. Some of the garden centers are marking vegetable plants down to half off this weekend.

Sheila

 

[janey99]

I let the volunteer plants from last year's garden grow to about 5 inches high, and give them away before I plant the ones I select for the new year. People love the mystery tomatoes. Like another PP, I suggest just giving them away!

Jane