Plant Swap Success

Bright and early this morning I headed outside to load my car with plants and supplies before heading out to the plant swap. It was unusually nippy outside this morning and I'm so glad I thought to grab a jacket before I left. It sure didn't feel like May in Texas, but maybe something nearer to the beginning of March.

Upon arriving, everyone was already beginning to unload and set-up. You could feel the excitement and anticipation in the air. Most everyone arrived 45 minutes before the swap is even suppose to begin so they could get a gander at the best items in the swap. Truth be known, the swapping starts early each year. Latecomers miss out for sure.

Once the madness of the swapping started and I went from booth to booth asking questions and taking a few plants here and there. Before I knew it I already had quite a bit hauled back to the car. The pace of the swap moved along pretty steady for about 30 minutes and then it was all but over. For those with plants left to give away, they practically beg you to just "take it all" because they don't want to go home with it. Its kind of good really need quite a few plants for your yard.

Plants I took home from this year's swap

Here is what I came home with today:

Crape Myrtles - 2-3' tall, pink

Garlic Chives

Lilies - orange and yellow

Irises - purple & rust

Obedient plant

Moonflower

Turk's Cap

Cayenne Pepper

Lemon Basil

Purple Basil

Ornamental Basil

Sea Oat Grass

Wandering Jew

Fennel

Habenero Pepper

Purple Hyacinth Bean Vine

Savory

Oak Tree

Passion Flower

Cat Mint

Cactus - various

Globe Amaranth seeds

Dill Seeds

French Hollyhocks 

Privets

I've been planting like crazy. Its a good thing its cool outside and overcast. That's the best weather to do this kind of work. The plants aren't stressed as bad. I always try to get the plants in the ground that we bare root first. Then I will tackle the ones in pots and afterwards the seeds. What a great plant swap it has been!

Fun At The Plant Swap

One thing our Master Gardener group does every Spring and Fall is host a plant swap at our local Farmer's Market. What fun it is to take plants and seeds from your own garden to share and trade with others at this event. I really wish I would have taken my camera with me.. I forgot of course. Bummer.

The trading was scheduled to start at 9am but, I will tell you it had already begun before I had even got there at 10 til 9. With eager anticipation and nearly every booth filled with plants, the trading was in full swing when 9am began. Just how many bags and containers could I carry at a time from one booth to the next? Not as many as I would have liked! After numerous trips to the car, my trunk began to fill quickly. Good times.

Everything pretty much finished up by 10am. Sweeping and cleaning up leaves and dirt were about all that was left to do after the fury of trading. It reminded me a bit of Christmas morning with wrapping paper strewn on the floor after all of the gifts are opened. But with the help of several people we were cleaned up in no time.


This is what I was able to bring home! Unbelievable...

-Bearded Irises (a lot of them..mostly white and yellow)
-Russian Irisis
-Rock Rose
-Frog Fruit
-Artemesia
-Chameleon Ivy
-Umbrella Plant
-Daylilies (yellow)
-Mugwort
-Airplane plant
-Castor Bean
-Rose Campion
-Mullein
-Moon Flower
-Aloe Vera (can be grown outdoors here)
-Liriope
-Ornamental Basil
-Spiderwort
-Vinca majora
-Nicotania
-Mexican Heather
-Mexican Petunia
-Variegated Vine (groundcover)
-Jewel of Opar
-Spearmint
-Chocolate and Apple Mint
-Asparagus

What a wonderful experience. I'll be planting like crazy over the next couple of days that's for sure... and thinking about what I can collect to trade for the Plant Swap in the Fall.

If you don't have this type of event in your area, I would encourage you to start one. With just a little bit of planning and some printed fliers in area businesses you are on your way. These events are a great deal of fun and require hardly any money to put together. It's just another way you can build community in your town.