Thank you to our generous sponsors and donors for contributing products, support and information to our annual Washington Gardener Magazine Seed Exchanges.
Washington Gardener Magazine is the award-winning publication for Mid-Atlantic USA gardeners by local gardeners.
Showing posts with label seed exchange. Show all posts
Showing posts with label seed exchange. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 10, 2026
Sunday, January 18, 2026
Seed Exchange 2026 Speakers Announced
UPDATE: Our online registration ends at 5pm on 2/6 for the 2/7 Green Spring Gardens event, but we still have a few spots left!
If you'd like to join us after the online registation ends, come to the registration desk just inside the visitor center at Green Spring Gardens starting at 12noon on Saturday. The speakier program gets started at 12:30pm - we can take onsite sign-ups until the swapping starts about 2:30pm.
See the full event details at
https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2025/12/seed-exchange-registration-now-open.html.
-----------------------------------------------
Here are the speakers for the upcoming Washington Gardener Seed Exchanges 2026. Seed Exchange attendees trade seeds, exchange planting tips, hear expert speakers, and collect goody bags full of gardening treats.
Talk 1 on 1/31 at the WG Seed Exchange at Brookside Gardens:
"Grow Great Lettuce All Year"
Speaker: Debby Ward of Prior Unity Garden
Debby says, "One of my absolute favorite things to grow is lettuce." There are so many different varieties that I end up growing over 30 in the fall garden. Lettuce can be started indoors in summer for larger transplants or direct seeded once temps cool down a bit. Debby will share her tips and tricks for growing greens all year round.
Talk 2 on 1/31 at the WG Seed Exchange at Brookside Gardens:
"Grow the Cutting Garden of your Dreams - One Seed At A Time! "
Speaker: Alex Mudry-Till of Quince Blossom Ridge
Have you ever wanted to grow a garden full of flowers, but felt too overwhelmed at a nursery or just didn't want to spend the money on lots of seedlings? Sowing your own flowers is an easy way to get lots of bang for you buck and there are lots of different ways to approach this growing technique. Alex will teach you the various ways she grows from seed for her flower farm, Quince Blossom Ridge. The talk will review the different types of seed, how best to sow them and multiple ways to start your seeds (including plug trays, soil blocks, bulk sowing, winter sowing, and if/when to direct sow). Whether a novice or a pro, you'll be sure to learn new tips and tricks for great germination, healthy seedlings, and happy transplants to grow a bountiful array of flowers, filler, and foliage.
“Cucumbers Love Sunflowers: Companion Planting for the Home Garden"
Speaker: Linda L. Jones, owner, Elements of Nature
Companion Planting is a method of growing plants in proximity to each other because of their ability to enhance or complement the other's growth or attract beneficial insects or repel insect pests. Companion planting includes techniques such as trap cropping, spatial protection, beneficial habitat, and nurse cropping.
She has presented on several diverse gardening topics and has led workshops throughout the DMV since 2010, beginning as a master gardener intern.
She often incorporates tips on creative, effective and alternative ways to maximize growing potential and space. In addition she uses her knowledge of growing, food, herbs and flowers and incorporates them into designer and exotic loose leaf teas, lotions and other home arrangements and into her natural products and skin care line - all of which are available at www.elementsofnatureusa.com
She believes that “Through saving and sharing seeds we are all helping to spread hope and enrich lives across the world”
She often incorporates tips on creative, effective and alternative ways to maximize growing potential and space. In addition she uses her knowledge of growing, food, herbs and flowers and incorporates them into designer and exotic loose leaf teas, lotions and other home arrangements and into her natural products and skin care line - all of which are available at www.elementsofnatureusa.com
She believes that “Through saving and sharing seeds we are all helping to spread hope and enrich lives across the world”
Talk 2 on 1/31 at the WG Seed Exchange at Green Spring Gardens:
"Grow the Cutting Garden of your Dreams - One Seed At A Time! "
Speaker: Alex Mudry-Till of Quince Blossom Ridge
Have you ever wanted to grow a garden full of flowers, but felt too overwhelmed at a nursery or just didn't want to spend the money on lots of seedlings? Sowing your own flowers is an easy way to get lots of bang for you buck and there are lots of different ways to approach this growing technique. Alex will teach you the various ways she grows from seed for her flower farm, Quince Blossom Ridge. The talk will review the different types of seed, how best to sow them and multiple ways to start your seeds (including plug trays, soil blocks, bulk sowing, winter sowing, and if/when to direct sow). Whether a novice or a pro, you'll be sure to learn new tips and tricks for great germination, healthy seedlings, and happy transplants to grow a bountiful array of flowers, filler, and foliage.
21st Annual Washington Gardener Seed Exchanges
on Saturday, January 31, 2026, 12:30–4:00pm
National Seed Swap Day!
at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD
Registration is now open at
and
on Saturday, February 7, 2026, 12:30–4:00pm
at Green Spring Gardens in Alexandria, VA
Registration is now open at
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
SEED EXCHANGE REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
UPDATE: Our online registration ends at 5pm on 2/6 for the 2/7 Green Spring Gardens event, but we still have a few spots left!
If you'd like to join us after the online registation ends, come to the registration desk just inside the visitor center at Green Spring Gardens starting at 12noon on Saturday. The speakier program gets started at 12:30pm - we can take onsite sign-ups until the swapping starts about 2:30pm.
Washington Gardener Magazine presents the
21st Annual Washington Gardener Seed Exchanges
on Saturday, January 31, 2026, 12:30–4:00pm
National Seed Swap Day!
at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD
Registration is now open at
and
on Saturday, February 7, 2026, 12:30–4:00pm
at Green Spring Gardens in Alexandria, VA
Registration is now open at
Join us for:
Seed Swapping
Door Prizes
Planting Tips
Expert Speakers
Goody Bags
Indoor Plant Cuttings Table
Washington Gardener Magazine, the publication for DC-area gardening enthusiasts, is hosting the 19th annual Washington Gardener Seed Exchange at Brookside Gardens and Green Spring Gardens. These seed swaps are in-person and face-to-face. You bring your extra seeds and swap them with other gardeners. Everyone will leave with a bag full of seeds, new garden friends, and expert planting advice.
Where:
We are holding a duo of Seed Exchanges one week apart on opposite sides of the Washington Beltway. We urge you to attend the one closest to you.
One exchange will be held at Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton, MD. The other will be at Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA.
How to Register:
Register online for the 1/31/26 event OR for the 2/7/26 one. Be sure you are registering for which event you plan to attend.
Registration fee is $20 per person. Friends of Brookside members, Friends of Green Spring members, and current Washington Gardener subscribers receive a discount rate of $15 per person.
We strongly urge you to register in advance. There is a limited enrollment of 100 participants at each location!
We are GREEN!!!
We also have a Garden Book and Seed Catalog Exchange table. Seed Exchange attendees are encouraged to bring their used or new garden books and seed catalogs to swap and share at this year’s event.
We also ask you to bring your own water bottle or reusable mug and a home-made nametag. We will have a “best nametag” contest, so get crafty!
Event Hashtags #GardenDC and #SeedSwapDay
Please package them in resealable plastic zipper or wax sandwich baggies. Put an average of 20 seeds per baggy — more for small seeds like lettuce, fewer for large seeds like acorns. Label each baggy with a white sticker (such as Avery standard 5160 address label sheets) giving all the information you have on the seeds. If known, include the plant's common and scientific names; its soil, sun, and watering needs; and, its origins — where and when you collected the seeds. If you don't know all the information, that is okay; just provide as much as you can.
Yes, you can bring unused or opened commercial seed packs.
We also have table for houseplant cuttings and starts. We encourage everyone to bring your cuttings labeled and packed in individual baggies to share.
You can also bring bulbs/corms, cover crop seeds, etc.
You can also bring bulbs/corms, cover crop seeds, etc.
What If You Don't Have Any Seeds to Swap?
Come anyway! Even if you don’t have any seeds to trade, you are welcome to attend. We'll have plenty of extra seed contributions on hand and many attendees will be there just to learn, network, and prepare for next year's seed collecting.
Education Program
Expert speakers from the local gardening community will give short talks on seed collection and propagation tips. There will be ample time for individual Q&A throughout the program with the featured speakers, and invited experts as well.
(Note: This schedule is subject to change.)
12:00-12:30 Registration check-in
12:30-12:40 Introductions
12:40-1:20 Gardening talk
1:20-1:55 Gardening talk
2:00-2:15 Snack break and room reset
2:15-2:30 Seed Swap preview time
2:30-3:00 Seed Swap
(3:00-3:30 Photo Contest winners - at Green Spring event only)
3:30-4:00 Door prizes and closing talk
How Do We Swap?
As you check in, staff will collect your seeds and place them at the appropriate seed category tables.
You will be assigned a random seed swap number. There will be a short period for attendees to preview all the seeds brought in and available for swapping. You will be called in by your number to pick a seed pack from each of the category tables (if desired).
After the initial seed swap is complete, attendees are free to take any of the left over seeds and to trade seeds with each other. Dividing of packets is encouraged and extra baggies with labels will be on hand for that purpose.
What Types of Seeds?
Seed swap categories will include natives, edibles, herbs, exotics, annuals, perennials, and woodies (trees/shrubs). If you can pre-sort your seeds in advance into which of these seven major categories fits best, that would help us speed up the process on the swap day.
Door Prizes! Goodie Bags!
Each attendee will receive a goodie bag at the seed swap. The bags include seeds, publications, and garden items donated by our sponsors. In addition, we have some incredible door prizes to give away especially for area gardeners.
If your organization would like to contribute seeds or garden-related products for the goodie bags and door prizes, contact Kathy Jentz by January 25.
Charitable Donations:
Extra seeds from the swap are donated to local, nonprofit gardening groups.
A donation from part of the event proceeds will be made to the Seed Savers Exchange.
Tuesday, January 21, 2025
Seed Exchange 2025 Speakers Announced
UPDATE! More tickets have been released for both events! See full event details at -
https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2025/01/seed-exchange-registration-now-open.html
-----------------------------------------------
Here are the speakers for the upcoming Washington Gardener Seed Exchanges 2025. Seed Exchange attendees trade seeds, exchange planting tips, hear expert speakers, and collect goody bags full of gardening treats.
Talk 1:
“You’re Cold but Getting Warmer:
An Introduction to Winter Sowing Native Plants (and more)”
An Introduction to Winter Sowing Native Plants (and more)”
Around 2000, the term “winter sowing” was coined to describe the use of milk jugs to start plants from seed outside. Janet & Mimi of Bloom Wild (www.bloom-wild.com) will provide a lesson in the whats, whens, whys, and hows of winter sowing as a way to break dormancy and encourage germination. These lessons can be used to grow plants from seed without needing grow-lights or indoor space--and this method works for your vegetable seeds as well as for growing native perennials.
Speakers:
Abrehet “Mimi” Abdu (she/her), originally from Ethiopia, is a lifelong gardener with a passion for, and expertise in, native plants. A Master Naturalist and weed warrior, she has lived in Maryland for over two decades, where she is currently wrestling a native plant garden out of a half-acre of invasive plants. After a 20-year career in biotech, Mimi recently joined Bloom Wild with Janet to inspire sustainable gardening practices.
Janet Hostetler (she/her) grew up in Maryland and currently tends and studies over 250 locally native plant species at her test/demonstration garden in Takoma Park. A Master Gardener, Janet started Bloom Wild to help people increase the ecological value of their outdoor space. Bloom Wild designs & installs native plant gardens, provides consultation and coaching, and holds native plant sales. A recovering civil rights lawyer, Janet has found her passion in plants.
Talk 2:
"Easy Seed Saving Tips"
Speaker: Kathy Jentz, GardenDC Podcast host and editor of Washington Gardener
This talk covers the basics of seed saving from selecting for the best qualities to seed harvesting techniques and
storage.
Washington Gardener Magazine presents the
19th Annual Washington Gardener Seed Exchanges
on Saturday, January 25, 2025, 12:30–4:00pm
National Seed Swap Day!
at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD
Registration is now open at
and
on Saturday, February 1, 2025, 12:30–4:00pm
at Green Spring Gardens in Alexandria, VA
Registration is now open at
Thursday, January 02, 2025
SEED EXCHANGE REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
Washington Gardener Magazine presents the
19th Annual Washington Gardener Seed Exchanges
on Saturday, January 25, 2025, 12:30–4:00pm
National Seed Swap Day!
at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD
Registration is now open at
UPDATE: Our online registration has ended, but we still have a few spots left. If you'd like to join us, come to the registration desk just inside the Auditorium at Brooksde Gardens starting at 12noon on Saturday. The program gets started at 12:30pm. (Or sign up for next week's event at Green Spring Gardens.)
and
on Saturday, February 1, 2025, 12:30–4:00pm
at Green Spring Gardens in Alexandria, VA
Registration is now open at
UPDATE: we still have a few spots left!
Our online registration will end by 5pm on Fri. 1/31. After that, you can come to the registration desk just inside the Auditorium at Green Spring Gardens starting at 12noon on Saturday to sign-up onsite.
Our online registration will end by 5pm on Fri. 1/31. After that, you can come to the registration desk just inside the Auditorium at Green Spring Gardens starting at 12noon on Saturday to sign-up onsite.
The program gets started at 12:30pm.
Join us for:
Seed Swapping
Door Prizes
Planting Tips
Expert Speakers
Goody Bags
Indoor Plant Cuttings Table
Washington Gardener Magazine, the publication for DC-area gardening enthusiasts, is hosting the 19th annual Washington Gardener Seed Exchange at Brookside Gardens and Green Spring Gardens. These seed swaps are in-person and face-to-face. You bring your extra seeds and swap them with other gardeners. Everyone will leave with a bag full of seeds, new garden friends, and expert planting advice.
Where:
We are holding a duo of Seed Exchanges one week apart on opposite sides of the Washington Beltway. We urge you to attend the one closest to you.
One exchange will be held at Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton, MD. The other will be at Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA.
How to Register:
Register online for the 1/5/25 event OR for the 2/1/25 one. Be sure you are registering for which event you plan to attend.
Registration fee is $20 per person. Friends of Brookside members, Friends of Green Spring members, and current Washington Gardener subscribers receive a discount rate of $15 per person.
We strongly urge you to register in advance. There is a limited enrollment of 100 participants at each location!
We are GREEN!!!
We also have a Garden Book and Seed Catalog Exchange table. Seed Exchange attendees are encouraged to bring their used or new garden books and seed catalogs to swap and share at this year’s event.
We also ask you to bring your own water bottle or reusable mug and a home-made nametag. We will have a “best nametag” contest, so get crafty!
Event Hashtags #GardenDC and #SeedSwapDay
Please package them in resealable plastic zipper or wax sandwich baggies. Put an average of 20 seeds per baggy — more for small seeds like lettuce, fewer for large seeds like acorns. Label each baggy with a white sticker (such as Avery standard 5160 address label sheets) giving all the information you have on the seeds. If known, include the plant's common and scientific names; its soil, sun, and watering needs; and, its origins — where and when you collected the seeds. If you don't know all the information, that is okay; just provide as much as you can.
Yes, you can bring unused or opened commercial seed packs.
We also have table for houseplant cuttings and starts. We encourage everyone to bring your cuttings labeled and packed in individual baggies to share.
You can also bring bulbs/corms, cover crop seeds, etc.
You can also bring bulbs/corms, cover crop seeds, etc.
What If You Don't Have Any Seeds to Swap?
Come anyway! Even if you don’t have any seeds to trade, you are welcome to attend. We'll have plenty of extra seed contributions on hand and many attendees will be there just to learn, network, and prepare for next year's seed collecting.
Education Program
Expert speakers from the local gardening community will give short talks on seed collection and propagation tips. There will be ample time for individual Q&A throughout the program with the featured speakers, and invited experts as well.
(Note: This schedule is subject to change.)
12:00-12:30 Registration check-in
12:30-12:40 Introductions
12:40-1:20 Gardening talk
1:20-1:55 Gardening talk
2:00-2:15 Snack break and room reset
2:15-2:30 Seed Swap preview time
2:30-3:00 Seed Swap
(3:00-3:30 Photo Contest winners - at Green Spring event only)
3:30-4:00 Door prizes and closing talk
How Do We Swap?
As you check in, staff will collect your seeds and place them at the appropriate seed category tables.
You will be assigned a random seed swap number. There will be a short period for attendees to preview all the seeds brought in and available for swapping. You will be called in by your number to pick a seed pack from each of the category tables (if desired).
After the initial seed swap is complete, attendees are free to take any of the left over seeds and to trade seeds with each other. Dividing of packets is encouraged and extra baggies with labels will be on hand for that purpose.
What Types of Seeds?
Seed swap categories will include natives, edibles, herbs, exotics, annuals, perennials, and woodies (trees/shrubs). If you can pre-sort your seeds in advance into which of these seven major categories fits best, that would help us speed up the process on the swap day.
Door Prizes! Goodie Bags!
Each attendee will receive a goodie bag at the seed swap. The bags include seeds, publications, and garden items donated by our sponsors. In addition, we have some incredible door prizes to give away especially for area gardeners.
If your organization would like to contribute seeds or garden-related products for the goodie bags and door prizes, contact Kathy Jentz by January 21.
Charitable Donations:
Extra seeds from the swap are donated to local, nonprofit gardening groups.
A donation from part of the event proceeds will be made to the Seed Savers Exchange.
Tuesday, January 23, 2024
Seed Exchange 2024 Speakers Announced
UPDATE! More tickets have been released for both events! See full details at -
https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2024/01/seed-exchange-registration-now-open.html
-----------------------------------------------
Here are the speakers for the upcoming Washington Gardener Seed Exchanges 2024. Seed Exchange attendees trade seeds, exchange planting tips, hear expert speakers, and collect goody bags full of gardening treats.
Saturday, January 27 at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD
Speaker 1:
“Growing Great Peppers”
Speaker: Carrie Engel, Horticulturist, Valley View Farms
This talk will cover how a local business prepares its tomato crop for the spring season. From the beginning steps from seed selection, starting the seeds to seedling, to a plant ready for transplant and sale. It will also cover what varieties do best in our region.
Carrie Engel began working at Valley View Farms in Cockeysville, MD, in 1972, and is well known in our area. Carrie appears with meteorologists Tony Pann and Ava Marie, weekly on the WBAL TV's Sunday Gardener. She was awarded the 2020 Professional Achievement Award from the Maryland Nursery, Landscape and Greenhouse Association. She enjoys writing, speaking about gardening, photography, the Orioles, and spending time with her extended family. Carrie also enjoys traveling, especially road trips, where she looks for what is new in plants and gardening everywhere she goes.
Speaker 2:
"Setting up an Indoor Garden System"
Speaker: Niraj Ray of Cultivate the City
This talk will cover setting up an indoor garden – from lighting and
irrigation options to exploring hydroponic options and nutrient
management, plus ventilation considerations.
Cultivate the City is an urban farming organization based in Washington, DC. In addition to managing a network of school and corporate gardens, CTC also runs a rooftop garden center and nursery where they start most of their plants and hold weekly workshops. CTC focuses on growing hard-to-find and ethnically and culturally important foods- they have been practicing saving their own seeds for more than 5 years!
Niraj founded Cultivate the City (CTC) in 2015 to inspire healthy and sustainable living by empowering local communities with the tools, training and resources for urban agriculture and vertical farming. CTC currently manages over 25 locations around DC, including a rooftop farm at the Washington Nationals Stadium. Niraj holds a B.S. in Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology from the Ohio State University and a M.S. in Integrated Environmental Science from Bethune-Cookman University. He is a 2013 National Wildlife Federation Emerging Leader Fellow and formerly worked with the US EPA - Office of Water.
Washington Gardener Magazine presents the
18th Annual Washington Gardener Seed Exchanges
on Saturday, January 27, 2024, 12:30–4:00pm
National Seed Swap Day!
at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD
Registration is now open at
AND
Saturday, February 3 at Green Spring Gardens in Alexandria, VA
Speaker 1:
“Seed Mixes and Substrates”
Speaker: Carol Allen, Horticulturist
This talk will cover different seed-starting mixes and what they contain, which are the best to use, and which ones you should avoid. Carol will also talk about possible reuses of mixes and other tips.
Carol Allen has been involved in many aspects of gardening and horticulture since childhood and likes to describe herself as a committable plant-a-holic. She has more than 25 years experience in the horticulture industry with special interests in Integrated Pest Management, landscape design, native plants, tropicals of many kinds, and especially orchids. Carol enjoys helping people understand how to care for their plants and holds a monthly diagnostic clinic in Washington, DC. After serving a term of two-and-one-half years as supervisory horticulturist at the United States Botanic Garden Conservatory, Carol returned to college and earned a degree in horticulture. Fascinated by the interplay of pest and prey, Carol continues her education on plant pests and diseases. She enjoys teaching people how to outwit their garden pests with little or no pesticide application and also authors the “InsectIndex” column in the Washington Gardener Magazine..
Speaker 2:
“Seed Buying Tips”
Speaker: Debby Ward of Prior Unity Garden
Enjoy Debby's passion for quality seeds and seed companies. She will talk about the different types of seed companies (seed houses vs small family farms). She will also pass on her a few of her favorite seed companies and why she loves them. Plus, she will cover types of seed (OP, F1, F2, and the different definitions of "Heirloom".)
Debby Ward is founder and owner of Prior Unity Garden - Growing Your Own Organic Food Made Easy. She has been gardening since she could crawl. Her family always had food and herb gardens in which she participated and she has continued that tradition. She loves to help grow gardeners and has taught for many local groups including The Mason Sustainability Institute, Master Gardeners in Fairfax County VA and the Grow Your Health Festival.
on Saturday, February 3, 2024, 12:30–4:00pm
at Green Spring Gardens in Alexandria, VA
Registration is now open at
Thursday, January 04, 2024
SEED EXCHANGE REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
UPDATE: the online registration closes at 6pm today (2/2) -- we may have a few spots for folks to register onsite starting at 12noon tomorrow at Green Spring Gardens.
Washington Gardener Magazine presents the
18th Annual Washington Gardener Seed Exchanges
on Saturday, January 27, 2024, 12:30–4:00pm
National Seed Swap Day!
at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD
Registration is now open at
and
on Saturday, February 3, 2024, 12:30–4:00pm
at Green Spring Gardens in Alexandria, VA
Registration is now open at
Join us for:
Seed Swapping
Door Prizes
Planting Tips
Expert Speakers
Goody Bags
Indoor Plant Cuttings Table
Washington Gardener Magazine, the publication for DC-area gardening enthusiasts, is hosting the 18th annual Washington Gardener Seed Exchange at Brookside Gardens and Green Spring Gardens. These seed swaps are in-person and face-to-face. You bring your extra seeds and swap them with other gardeners. Everyone will leave with a bag full of seeds, new garden friends, and expert planting advice.
Where:
We are holding a duo of Seed Exchanges one week apart on opposite sides of the Washington Beltway. We urge you to attend the one closest to you.
One exchange will be held at Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton, MD. The other will be at Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA.
How to Register:
Register online for the 1/27/24 event OR for the 2/3/24 one. Be sure you are registering for which event you plan to attend.
Registration fee is $20 per person. Friends of Brookside members, Friends of Green Spring members, and current Washington Gardener subscribers receive a discount rate of $15 per person.
We strongly urge you to register in advance. There is a limited enrollment of 100 participants at each location!
We are GREEN!!!
We also have a Garden Book and Seed Catalog Exchange table. Seed Exchange attendees are encouraged to bring their used or new garden books and seed catalogs to swap and share at this year’s event.
We also ask you to bring your own water bottle or reusable mug and a home-made nametag. We will have a “best nametag” contest, so get crafty!
COVID POLICY: We request that all attendees wear masks.
Event Hashtags #GardenDC and #SeedSwapDay
Please package them in resealable plastic zipper or wax sandwich baggies. Put an average of 20 seeds per baggy — more for small seeds like lettuce, fewer for large seeds like acorns. Label each baggy with a white sticker (such as Avery standard 5160 address label sheets) giving all the information you have on the seeds. If known, include the plant's common and scientific names; its soil, sun, and watering needs; and, its origins — where and when you collected the seeds. If you don't know all the information, that is okay; just provide as much as you can.
Yes, you can bring unused or opened commercial seed packs.
We also have table for houseplant cuttings and starts. We encourage everyone to bring your cuttings labeled and packed in individual baggies to share.
You can also bring bulbs/corms, cover crop seeds, etc.
You can also bring bulbs/corms, cover crop seeds, etc.
What If You Don't Have Any Seeds to Swap?
Come anyway! Even if you don’t have any seeds to trade, you are welcome to attend. We'll have plenty of extra seed contributions on hand and many attendees will be there just to learn, network, and prepare for next year's seed collecting.
Education Program
Expert speakers from the local gardening community will give short talks on seed collection and propagation tips. There will be ample time for individual Q&A throughout the program with the featured speakers, and invited experts as well.
(Note: This schedule is subject to change.)
12:00-12:30 Registration check-in
12:30-12:40 Introductions
12:40-1:20 Gardening talk
1:20-1:55 Gardening talk
2:00-2:15 Snack break and room reset
2:15-2:30 Seed Swap preview time
2:30-3:00 Seed Swap
(3:00-3:30 Photo Contest winners - at Green Spring event only)
3:30-4:00 Door prizes and closing talk
How Do We Swap?
As you check in, staff will collect your seeds and place them at the appropriate seed category tables.
You will be assigned a random seed swap number. There will be a short period for attendees to preview all the seeds brought in and available for swapping. You will be called in by your number to pick a seed pack from each of the category tables (if desired).
After the initial seed swap is complete, attendees are free to take any of the left over seeds and to trade seeds with each other. Dividing of packets is encouraged and extra baggies with labels will be on hand for that purpose.
What Types of Seeds?
Seed swap categories will include natives, edibles, herbs, exotics, annuals, perennials, and woodies (trees/shrubs). If you can pre-sort your seeds in advance into which of these seven major categories fits best, that would help us speed up the process on the swap day.
Door Prizes! Goodie Bags!
Each attendee will receive a goodie bag at the seed swap. The bags include seeds, publications, and garden items donated by our sponsors. In addition, we have some incredible door prizes to give away especially for area gardeners.
If your organization would like to contribute seeds or garden-related products for the goodie bags and door prizes, contact Kathy Jentz by January 24.
Charitable Donations:
Extra seeds from the swap are donated to local, nonprofit gardening groups.
A donation from part of the event proceeds will be made to the Seed Savers Exchange.
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