[rhines81]

Last year I just used Avery labels attached to the containers, custom printed on demand. The year before I used the same labels but I printed several numbers on each label and cut the labels in 4's and gave people a "key" sheet to tell them what plant the number corresponded to. (Note: the 200 or so labels and ink/toner cost me $0.00 ... shame on me).

But more importantly, the extras that I grew for friends and friends of friends. I handed out a list in March of what I planned to grow and gave an April deadline of what people (at the local bar) would want so I had an idea of quantity - nobody had to sign in blood or commit (just to get an idea). I grew what I thought I needed and I drank for free mid May through mid June. Sometimes I would get 2 drinks per plant, sometimes only 2 drinks per dozen ... YMMV, but I had a pocket full of wooden chips. To put that into 'real' money, some people paid $9-$10 per plant, others $0.50 per plant. I believe my actual cost for tomato and peppers (minus labor) was about $0.42 per plant with seed, soil mix and container. The generous people supplemented the not-so-generous people ... it's all good.

I am NOT doing that this year because I am working out of town and only have 2-3 days a week to care for plants.

Edit: My cost to grow 200 extra plants was about $85 (without considering labor)... sales, mainly via drink chips, was roughly $800. Well now gosh darnoodleyit, you know how much I spend at the bar each month (could buy another house perhaps instead).