I have ~1000 native plants in pots that I've grown from seed. Any ideas on the best way to either sell them or get rid of them? Collaborations with organizations, etc.?
All seeds harvested within 100 miles and in same ecoregion. I have a nursery license and have sold some (at cost) at a few yard sales, but am looking to sell more or do a plant giveaway before winter. Have been looking for examples of others doing this and haven't found much. Want to ensure people buying them/taking them actually plant them and have some education. Any ideas would be appreciated.
I'm in the San Francisco Bay area of California. I've seen native plant sales on Nextdoor.
Also, even if the buyers aren't interested in natives you are still distributing them in your area.
I've considered growing a local oak from acorns. I've found a couple growing randomly on my property and there is a park across the street with some huge ones (and lots of acorns).
Edit - I've also seen some local groups having trades, donation, giveaways.
The extras my fam would not take, I just planted them around my neighborhood. Of course this was just a few of them. There are tons of folks who like free stuff too. You could put them in a box at a local park saying they are free. Made a post on reddit about some extras I had and 10+ people were asking me for them
Have you kept track of the species and approximate quantities of each? A solid spreadsheet or inventory list that you can circulate to nearby groups or organizations would probably drum up more interest than random pop-ups or sales.
If that isn't panning out, you could reach out to local landscapers who specialize in native plant design and offer them a good deal, especially toward the end of the season. They may have jobs spec'd that they still need to fill, or be willing to design around what you have. In any case, I hope you can find good homes for them!
Check with your local native plant societies. They may be willing to advertise your stock to their members or let you set a booth up at events. You could try Nextdoor or Facebook as well. If you or someone you know is planning a garage/yard sale, set up a table with your plants there.