How many is too many?

[Paulieb]

Just had a count up and I think I've got a tad too many plants, in terms of chillis, toms and sweet peppers.

The count is;
Chillis - 51 plants (over 25 varieties)
Sweet peppers - 20 plants (8 varieities)
Toms - 100+ plants (30+ varieties)

The problem for me is I want to grow fruit from all these seeds that I've amassed, but can't choose between them.

I'm lucky enough to have 2 greenhouses at home, but still won't have room for all of these, though my mum and dad will have some, and the MIL and friends.

But, how do you guys decide which varieties to grow, as I'm sure I'd much rather limit myself to a few varieties, which would also save me lots of time regarding labelling, etc????

Same with potatoes too, but they're all in buckets now!

[Jamesy_uk]

Well the problem is, you may find something nice but.... will the next thing be nicer? so I like to try new things all the time where possible, however there's only so much space and time in a year so I usually go by recommendations from other people first and random things like Fat Baby Achocha's that catch my eye.

[SarzWix]

Been there and done that I'm quite lucky in a way now that I have an outlet for all my excess plants; I sell them at school to raise money for the gardening club. But I've also whittled down the number of varieties I grow, because I've worked out the types that we use most of. Cherry types largely go uneaten, so a couple of Sungold plants suffices. Standard toms like Moneymaker/Shirley don't get eaten that much either, so again 1 or 2 plants is enough. Tomatoes for cooking on the other hand, are used many times a week, so I concentrate on plum and beefsteak types which cook well - more flesh, less juice.

In time, you'll work out what you eat most of, and what grows best in your conditions. In the meantime, see if your local school wants your spares?

[redser]

Wise words there SarzWix. I'm trying to be practical minded this year. We end up more or less only eating cherries, so I've done no regular of beefsteak types. I made sauce last year for the first time but with regular toms. Nice enough, but not the real deal. So doing lots of plum rosada and Roma this year.

[bearded bloke]

What Sarz says ^^^ plus you could set less seed of varieties that have good germination rates

[Potstubsdustbins]

Sounds like lots and lots of tomato puree there.

Potty

[Thelma Sanders]

My spares go on the 'take it if you want it' table at the allotment but I was quite ruthless this year and there will be a lot less.
I always grow a couple of Black Cherry for salads and 4 x Rio Grande for bottling, and some Maha for pots on the staging (last years discovery - thank you whoever donated the seeds )
I have space for 8 more in the 2nd greenhouse, so I'm trying some different beefsteaks in there again this year, hoping to find 'the best one yet'

Here's hoping we all stay blight & botrytis free!

[alldigging]

Wow. I feel so much more relaxed about the tiny numbers of things I've got )

[Creemteez]

I put my "spares" outside my house with an Honesty Box and have paid my yearly plot rent out of the takings two years running now.
Then there are boot sales, but there is the faffing about transporting them - or do the altruistic thing and take them to a local charity shop. They will be grateful for them.