Planning a Seed Swap
Looking for an easy way to expand your seeds for this year’s garden and a way to build community at the same time? Why not plan a seed swap?
The fundamentals of a seed swap are simple: participants come bearing seeds and swap them with each other. It’s a great way to try out new varieties, to share leftover seeds if you ended up buying or saving more than you’ll need and to introduce others to the varieties you love best.
My favorite description of a seed swap comes from the Manitowoc Seed Collective, which says a seed swap is like a potluck, “but with seeds.” That sounds like my kind of potluck!
Make your plan
The size of your seed swap will determine a lot of the details for the event. You can keep it super simple and just invite some fellow gardeners to bring over their extra seeds and then swap them informally over coffee. Or, you might plan for a more elaborate event at a public venue with guidelines and parameters so things run smoothly.
To ensure that there are enough seeds for everyone, you can set a minimum number of seeds each participant should bring to share, and you can also restrict the number of swapped seeds each person can take home. But you can also take a more relaxed approach and let the event unfold more naturally. Gardeners with patio gardens may only be interested in a few seeds while gardeners with expansive gardens may be interested in as many as possible, so you may prefer to minimize the “rules.”
Work your plan
Once you’ve worked out the details, choose a date and location and then start spreading the word! You can ask about placing notices at area garden centers, or you can post on social media and contact local gardening organizations. Your county extension office can be another great resource for promotion and information.
A-S-K
If you want to add an extra-fun element to your seed swap, contact some of your favorite seed companies and ask if they have any leftover or complimentary seed that they would like to donate to your event. You can then make this seed available for free to your guests and really boost the available offerings at your event.
Add an educational component
You can take your seed swap to the next level by incorporating some educational elements. Add a book swap for gardening books and magazines, or bring in experts who can share their knowledge of specific gardening topics. It’s especially nice if the topics are related to seeds, seed saving, or heirloom varieties, since you already know your audience is interested in these subjects, but your expert guests could also speak on other helpful topics like companion planting, composting, or techniques for extending the growing season.
Above all, keep your eyes on the main goal: to nurture an environment that cultivates the joy of gardening and allows you to share your love of seeds in a fun, budget-friendly way. And hopefully you end up with some exciting new plant varieties to try. Have fun!
Samantha Johnson is the author of several books, including Vegetable Gardening for Beginners: Learn to Grow Anything No Matter Where You Live (New Shoe Press, 2023). She writes frequently about pets, gardening and farm life. Visit her online portfolio.