Drop off at a local nursing home if they are accepting donations -- I'm sure they would bring immense cheer to the residents and let them know people are thinking of them.

Good idea except I would hate to be a Typhoid Mary and do some damage to an elderly population! Years ago I went to one of those mystery dinner murder play things.... and it turned out that I was the murderous brother!!

There probably haven't been any studies done on how this stupid virus lasts on vegetation. Too bad everything is so catawampus right now.

Just use gloves when you cut and bundle them - they will be perfectly safe. (Don't sneeze or cough on them!!).

I love the nursing or retirement home idea, but just leaving a bunch on a doorstep is wonderful idea as well.

If you can find a hospital or nursing home to accept them they will probably be greatly appreciated ...or you can keep them and make beautiful arrangements with them and share photos with us. I think that would be very charitable of you.

How on earth did you keep the deer from eating them? My husband planted 100 bulbs (despite my objections to planting deer candy) and they ate every blessed one.

Giving it away to hospital staff, nurses, doctors emes would be a nice touch, if possible. They all could do with a little cheer right about now. Not sure where you are but if it is one of the communities facing down the virus right now that would be my first choice. Next, the police, the 911 operators, even the grocery store worker or mail men/women. They are all doing a service at significant risk to themselves.

The tulips get covered with chicken wire tents the minute they start to sprout, today I took a pic of them after taking off the tent and before I put up wire fencing that will protect them while they are flowering. The fence isn't too purdy so I didn't take a picture of it!

The rabbits start going after my tulips as soon they show above the ground, and if they aren't protected with some kind of barrier the groundhogs and deer will eat all of them in one evening. At least I've learned where to plant them where the Voles don't eat every single one of them over the winter.... that has happened to me before! Anna sorry to hear that you spent good money to feed your wildlife a little snack.

Thank you for all of the ideas, will probably bring the tulips to the people that are doing the most to help and could use a little distraction. Maybe post pictures of their progression, looks like we all have a little more time on our hands these days....

Pics of my protective fence - it isn't attractive but it works!

Eat your heart out, Martha Stewart!

Jeb, thank you for the information. Thankfully, it was my husband who bought the bulbs, I took one look at what he brought home and said "That's all you." Needless to say, he spent a couple of hours planting them and his frustration the following spring was notable. Hasn't done it again!

Jeb -

Wish you luck on whatever direction you end up doing. Maybe bouquets that you just leave by a door and if the person feels it is safe enough, they will take in. Safe - especially in these current times

In the summer, I always have cold drinks for the delivery guys.

These days when I am expecting a delivery, I put a bottle of water, gatorade and some sealed snacks in a ziplock bag. Throw some nitrile gloves in them as well. Some of my usual delivery drivers take them, some don't. We are all playing it cautiously.

This is one of those areas where Facebook comes in really handy. Where I am, there are a lot of groups, like "Buy Nothing", that are specific to the area. So, if it were my situation, when they are about to be cut, I would say I have 300 tulips available to be dispersed via porch pickup, and see what responses you get - then determine how to either divide out what you have to different parties, or perhaps one solo deserving party. And then say they will be left to be picked up on the porch at whatever designated time. Obviously, the above applies if you have non Facebook groups that you can communicate to on a large scale, but the closest I've seen to that is Freecycle, and not a lot of action there these days...

Do many people walk past your house? Could you put them outside on a table with an honesty box for a local charity?

All good ideas! It is very rural here, no people walking, and hardly any cars go by these days. About an hour away from any major city. It will be up to me to get these cut and bunched, then given out to recipients. There are a few people on my list so far that will be given some in thanks and appreciation, the remainder will probably be given out as random acts of kindness. I will even leave a few stems in the garden to enjoy for myself!

An update - got a call from the market manager this morning, she said that the market will be held this weekend. New rules are in place, 50 people allowed into the area at a time, it is an outdoor market so social distancing shouldn't be a problem. Two people recommended for each vendor, one to handle the product and one to handle the money.

This is a market that I have brought my plants and flowers to for more than 20 yrs and have a loyal customer base. I have many many daffodils and cut pussy willow branches that I could take this weekend and would probably sell out.

Now I am torn between doing the market and not doing it. I will be 60 this July 1st. Absolutely no health problems, don't smoke or drink, in good overall health as far as I know....

Now the question is would you expose yourself to the general public if you took precautions this weekend???? My life does not depend on my selling a few flowers to market goers. The city nearby is Cleveland Ohio, don't think there are a high number of cases reported.

Jeb -

Personally, for me, why risk it ? I know of 3 parties, zero health issues, half your 60 that have succumb to this. Ignore the 60+ mantra. This affects everyone and anyone.

Go ahead be prepared and careful - gloves, a cloth mask covering nose and mouth, and glasses. Keep your distance, make spaces for people to line up by lines or circles. Don't touch your face mark or glasses while the market. Once done, everything you are wearing goes to washing with soap water and take a shower. I know I am being a little paranoid but anyone coming across too many people should take as much precaution as possible. At least some grocery store workers have contracted the virus. At the same time, people have to earn a living if possible. If the level of risk to self and others is small enough, it makes sense to go ahead.

Jeb- do you have a second person for the booth? How big is your booth? Do you have PPE's, cleaning materials, and disposal for such for selling? Can you take plastic only, or will you have to do cash only, or both?

How are the vendor staging areas set up? Even letting in customers with caution, staging areas can come close too. Also, what's the spacing between vendor seating within the booth and/or walls/curtains between booths?

Sorry if that's a lot of questions and things to consider. I've been to many and worked a lot of markets... and dang. Some really lax stuff, and really uptight rules.

And yes, I am eating my heart out over your tulip grow. And if it were me, and can take the fiscal hit.. I'd still donate the flowers to homes and just let the rest grow out till the fall... you could dig them up later this summer and sell the bulbs!

No, I would not go to the market. It isn't easy, but staying at home except for essentials (no matter how old anyone is) is the way to beat this right now.

No, absolutely do not go. Age has nothing to do with it. I’m younger than you and I would not go. And cloth masks (the homemade ones) are useless against anything that is aerosolized or transmitted via droplets. There’s a reason droplet precaution masks have to pass a certain fluid resistance to be deemed acceptable. Cloth masks are a false sense of security if worn on their own.

Garden club sales and even the local agricultural university plant and shrub sales have been canceled here.

https://us.cnn.com/2020/04/02/health/aerosol-coronavirus-spread-white-house-letter/index.html

I’m glad you’re not going. In my hospital and in every hospital, we treat this as an airborne disease. Given its rapid spread, I have no doubt it’s airborne. We have also moved to universal mask usage, meaning we wear masks everywhere around the hospital. I’ve been in healthcare since 2002 and this is the first time we have ever done such a thing. And, no offense to your doctor and nurse friends, but if they’re not telling you to err on the side of caution, I wouldn’t be enlisting their advice. Covid-19 patients are spending, on average, 11-17 days on a ventilator and the vast majority are not able to be weaned. This is what Covid does to the lungs: https://abc7ny.com/health/doctor-created-3d-model-of-lungs-infected-by-covid-19/6048692/

On,y spend time with people in your household, that’s it,