Plant exchange! Why not more????

Category: Starting and Maintaining the Garden | Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 7:44 am

Last week-end I went to a plant exchange that I had been invited to attend. It's true that I had been potting up extra plants all spring for friends and co-workers. Many flats of red blooming strawberries, bleeding hearts, corisian mint, angel tears, sweetwoodruff, mini iris, golden bamboo, chinese ground orchids, italian plum trees and anything that was encroaching into the walkways or onto the patios.

Wow! It was exciting to find out I'm not the only person who hates to compost good plants in the need to maintain a garden. I managed to give away over a couple hundred pots of varying sizes during the spring, but I had a few left overs. I just don't seem to know when to stop potting and to start recycling/composting. (the night before the exchange I potted up another flat of hellebore starts that had self-sown in the front yard)

plant starts ( photo / image / picture from Jewell2009's Garden )

After my last flurry of potting I packed up the car (oh dear me, it was full of plants) and headed off the next morning at the prescribed time to attend the exchange. WOW! There was about 50-75 wonderful gardeners of all ages at the exchange. The variety of plants was awe inspiring and some of the pots were five gallon size. I really didn't want to take too much, because I was feeling "planted-out", but how could I resist.

There was a real pretty little sedum/succulent, shasta daisies and fall asters in two gallon pots, and perennial sun flowers, tall white/green ornamental grass and bell flowers (Campanula) I felt I made out like a bandit, but compared to others took very little.

Succulent ( photo / image / picture from Jewell2009's Garden )

It was such a pleasant morning drinking tea/coffee, eating a scone and visiting with other gardeners discussing the pros and cons of the plants that were there. Everyone got to chose twice (making sure everyone got two plants that they really wanted), and then have whatever else they wanted that was still available (which was quite a lot).

I can't wait until next year, and I can continue potting plants knowing someone will want them.

Perennial Sunflower start ( photo / image / picture from Jewell2009's Garden )

I can't wait to see how my new arrivals (bell flowers, perennial sunflowers, and sedum) will do in my yard, and it is good to have old friends (shasta daisies and fall asters) growing in the yard again.

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eileen wrote on Sat May 30, 2009 2:09 pm:

How I wish we had plant exchanges around here. I give away as many plants as I can but sometimes end up with more left than I bargained for or know what to do with. I do sooo hate throwing new plants away so a plant exchange would be ideal.

Jewell2009 wrote on Sat May 30, 2009 5:12 pm:

This plant exchange was started by one woman inviting a few friends three years ago. Amazing how fast it has grown. Someone who was having a garage sale, and another who has a new unlandscaped yard divided up the left-overs. Can't wait until next year.

Droopy wrote on Sat May 30, 2009 7:08 pm:

We don't have plant exchange meetings either, but I wish we did. Maybe I could start one? The local gardening club has some dos, but I don't think it's a swap meet. I don't like the people in there much, lots of snobbery.

Jewell2009 wrote on Sat May 30, 2009 7:33 pm:

You should give it a try (starting a plant swap) Droppy. I was surprised how much fun it was since I only knew the aunt to the woman who organized it.