Plant Swap

This Saturday is the Monticello Plant Swap, which I hope becomes an annual event. For a number of years, now, I have wanted to attend one, after reading about them in countless gardening magazines. I have organized ones on much smaller levels, with neighbors and with friends, but still wanted something bigger. So, after some heavy thinking, this idea popped into my brain, or should I say that it grew from a small seed into a larger one. There, that is a good gardening reference, don’t you think?

The idea of a plant swap is to bring a plant or two that you have in your garden and trade it for one that you might not have, or would like more of. Of course, the more plants you have to bring, the more you can trade out.

With these difficult times economically, purchasing plants might not be the most present and pressing priority right now. Couple that with the fact that the price of plants in many gardening stores is steadily creeping up, making it difficult to stretch that gardening dollar. That’s why a plant swap is so neat.

For example, I shall be spending the evening tonight digging up extra bushes of forsythia, as well as sedums, creeping jenny, and other plants that desperately need dividing in my beds. Sometimes I pass them along to visitors and neighbors. Sometimes I just throw them on top of the compost pile (but don’t tell anybody that, please…)

But, with a plant swap, I can exchange these for something I don’t have. In fact, I have spent the past few days looking around my garden for spots that are in need of something different, something new, something colorful, and hope to find that special something at the swap this Saturday.

Here is how it works. Place any plant that you want in a container of some sort and label it. Make sure that it is labeled, so others at the Swap know what it is. Saturday morning, at 10 a.m. on the Square, bring your potted and labeled plants. For each plant you bring, you will receive a voucher, or ticket, of some kind. Each voucher will allow you to receive another’s plant.

Several have asked me what to bring. Let’s talk about what not to bring. Please don’t bring any plant that is invasive, nor any house plants. Outdoor plants, bushes, shrubs, veggie plants, and even fruit ones are all welcome.
When planning this, I envisoned an event that would be welcome for all, both beginner gardener and veteran, both green thumb person and non-green. I also believe that this will be an event where people from across our community can come together, meeting with old friends, and making new gardening ones. I sure hope to see you there this Saturday. Please come up and introduce yourself to me, if I don’t know you. Let’s have a great time with the First Annual Monticello Plant Swap. Enjoy!