Starting Seeds to Trade at Plant Swaps
One of the great things about starting seeds is you often end up with many more seedlings that you know what to do with. There is nothing better than sharing your beloved seedlings with other gardeners. Get together with your gardening neighbors and friends to swap – or join a local plant swap to share your extras and also adopt a few seedlings to grow something new!
Many libraries, local Wild Ones Chapters, gardening clubs, and community gardens host free seed and plant swaps each spring, it's a great way to meet gardeners, share gardening tips, and swap seeds and plants with each other. Search for local gardening groups near you on Facebook, Meetup, or other social media outlets, check out your local gardening magazine (such as Edible New Mexico or Colorado Gardener), to stay in the know about upcoming swaps.
If you don't have a plant or seed swap near you, host one!
Even just a few gardening friends typically have enough plants to share and swap. You don't have to have a huge gathering for a swap, they can be informal and spontaneous with gardening friends or clubs. Often gardeners will dig up plant volunteers from the garden to share (think walking onions or herbs), swap house plants, or simply have extra seedlings or seeds to share – anything can make for a successful swap. If you're part of a community garden, suggest hosting a swap each spring to share any extras.
Photo above from one of the Native Seed Swaps hosted by Front Range Wild Ones in Denver - they also host native plant swaps. We love growing native plants in and around our vegetable gardens as they bring in pollinators and beneficial insects and birds to help keep pests at bay.
Whatever kind of swap you go to, you are sure to enjoy the company and you'll love sharing your extras and growing something new.
Many libraries, local Wild Ones Chapters, gardening clubs, and community gardens host free seed and plant swaps each spring, it's a great way to meet gardeners, share gardening tips, and swap seeds and plants with each other. Search for local gardening groups near you on Facebook, Meetup, or other social media outlets, check out your local gardening magazine (such as Edible New Mexico or Colorado Gardener), to stay in the know about upcoming swaps.
If you don't have a plant or seed swap near you, host one!
Even just a few gardening friends typically have enough plants to share and swap. You don't have to have a huge gathering for a swap, they can be informal and spontaneous with gardening friends or clubs. Often gardeners will dig up plant volunteers from the garden to share (think walking onions or herbs), swap house plants, or simply have extra seedlings or seeds to share – anything can make for a successful swap. If you're part of a community garden, suggest hosting a swap each spring to share any extras.
Photo above from one of the Native Seed Swaps hosted by Front Range Wild Ones in Denver - they also host native plant swaps. We love growing native plants in and around our vegetable gardens as they bring in pollinators and beneficial insects and birds to help keep pests at bay.
Whatever kind of swap you go to, you are sure to enjoy the company and you'll love sharing your extras and growing something new.
Happy growing!
