What do you do with your trimmings? Any smart ideas?

[Art]

Is it just me or do others really feel bad about throwing away perfectly healthy plants?​

As someone with a smallish aquarium, my stem plants quickly get overgrown and I need to thin them out. I wish I had friends nearby that could use these castaways because I can't bring myself to throwing them in the garbage. I even set up a 10 gallon I had lying around to hold some of these but that is now also overflowing!

Anyone have any good ideas on what to do with these excess plants? I guess I can get into composting??

 

[TRyan]

I take mine to a local aquarium shop for in-store credit. I feel bad about throwing plants away myself. I've also sold some on Offer Up.

 

[Phish Tank]

I do like @TRyan , my LFS gives decently generous credit for excess plants. Ive also composed, and it's pretty easy to offer up free plants to local aquarium groups. You can also look into donating them to local schools. And last spring I tossed a few in a neighbors neglected koi pond, they did great til the first freeze.

 

[techman81]

I also hate throwing away trimmings. We have a FB aquarium swap group in KC and I could offer the trimmings for free on there, but to be honest, even when giving stuff for free, people can be as much a pain to deal with as if selling on FB marketplace. They say they want it but then stop communicating or want you to bring it to them or say they'll show up at a certain time in then cancel. I don't know that any of the LFSs in KC would even take trimmings for free. So....I just throw them away.

 

[TRyan]

I also hate throwing away trimmings. We have a FB aquarium swap group in KC and I could offer the trimmings for free on there, but to be honest, even when giving stuff for free, people can be as much a pain to deal with as if selling on FB marketplace. They say they want it but then stop communicating or want you to bring it to them or say they'll show up at a certain time in then cancel. I don't know that any of the LFSs in KC would even take trimmings for free. So....I just throw them away.

100%!

 

[DutchMuch]

I have a friend who I frequently send to, and he covers the shipping costs. Whenever I trim, I simply send them out to him and he reimburses the (usually $10~) shipping price.

I am sure that there are many others who do this, or I hope lol. It’s a great “pen pal” hobby activity.

 

[Phish Tank]

...even when giving stuff for free, people can be as much a pain to deal with as if selling on FB marketplace. They say they want it but then stop communicating or want you to bring it to them

I'm having this exact problem trying to give away a leaky 55 gallon tank. I joined a reptile group just to post it there since leakiness might work for reptiles. Three people immediately DMed me, and eventually all three didn’t work. One guy even wanted me to deliver it to him. Tank is still sitting in my garage.

 

[BenB]

I also hate throwing away trimmings. We have a FB aquarium swap group in KC and I could offer the trimmings for free on there, but to be honest, even when giving stuff for free, people can be as much a pain to deal with as if selling on FB marketplace. They say they want it but then stop communicating or want you to bring it to them or say they'll show up at a certain time in then cancel. I don't know that any of the LFSs in KC would even take trimmings for free. So....I just throw them away.

This is it exactly. I don't want to deal with people.
I joined my local aquarium society, but a lot of the plants we grow aren't as known to the more fish aligned people. Also, the meetings don't start until 8pm, and I usually get up at 5am for work. I'm going to try to take more into meetings though.

 

[OmidNiav]

I sometimes post trimming getaways on the CO2 page on Facebook. I just ask for shipping cost to be covered by the recipient.
Used to do it more but life has gotten busy. One issue is that not that many people nowadays want to share. Preference is to sell unfortunately.

One other thing I used to do more was to coordinate with one of the bugger clubs and send large trimming packs.

 

[PeerUnk]

Several years I did a recycling project to fully dry out cuttings. When dried, I feed these to my snail and shrimp only tank. It’s a way to compost the plants. Not needing to provide food, nor fertilizing the plants.

 

[ElleDee]

This is it exactly. I don't want to deal with people.
I joined my local aquarium society, but a lot of the plants we grow aren't as known to the more fish aligned people. Also, the meetings don't start until 8pm, and I usually get up at 5am for work. I'm going to try to take more into meetings though.

RAS has Saturday afternoon meetings too! I heard that January's meeting is going to be on 1/3, though I haven't seen the official calendar.

I auction off my excess plant material at meetings because I don't want to deal with people either. From what I've seen, plants are at least 50% of the auction lots and less common plants are very appreciated! It helps that our usual auctioneer/current RAS president is a plant guy through and through and will inform the audience about interesting and well grown plants on the fly, and there are a ton of people with planted tanks buying stuff.

 

[BenB]

RAS has Saturday afternoon meetings too! I heard that January's meeting is going to be on 1/3, though I haven't seen the official calendar.

Yeah, I was at the one in Nov with Jen Williams speaking. Have known her for decades. I also plan to be at the one Jan 26 with Arlene speaking.

I auction off my excess plant material at meetings because I don't want to deal with people either. From what I've seen, plants are at least 50% of the auction lots and less common plants are very appreciated! It helps that our usual auctioneer/current RAS president is a plant guy through and through and will inform the audience about interesting and well grown plants on the fly, and there are a ton of people with planted tanks buying stuff.

Before I joined, I came to a meeting a donated some plants. I let the money go to the club since I wasn't a member. We'll see about the future.

 

[Pepere]

How To Eat Duckweed: A Complete Guide to This Tiny Superfood - CookedByTaste

Duckweed, often mistaken for pond scum, is actually a powerhouse of nutrients and a sustainable food source rapidly gaining popularity. But how exactly do you

cookedbytaste.com

I am willing to bet a well seasoned pan seared steak is much more satisfying though.

 

[Dinopuppy6]

I throw mine on top of my houseplants. I want to believe that they help fertilize the soil but I have no clue if that’s true

 

[techman81]

How To Eat Duckweed: A Complete Guide to This Tiny Superfood - CookedByTaste

Duckweed, often mistaken for pond scum, is actually a powerhouse of nutrients and a sustainable food source rapidly gaining popularity. But how exactly do you

cookedbytaste.com

I am willing to bet a well seasoned pan seared steak is much more satisfying though.

Just keep it away from my aquariums!