How to Have a Seed Exchange Party

Get Ready for Spring by Swapping Seeds This Winter

Jan 12, 2009 Chris McLaughlin

Chase away the winter blues by having a seed exchange party. Every guest goes home with a garden.

A seed exchange is like having a garden party indoors. It feels like it takes forever for winter to melt into spring. Instead of sitting around waiting for the ground to warm up, start planning the garden by gathering seeds. A seed exchange is an easy party to plan, and a great pick-me-up after the winter holidays are long gone. This is one party that doesn’t need to be fussy; in fact, it works beautifully as a luncheon or a simple afternoon event.

Who to Invite to The Seed Exchange

It’s amazing how many people are interested in planting and gardening. The seed exchange may even encourage would-be gardeners to give it a try! So don’t leave anyone out of the invitation.

Try inviting:

Family
Friends
Neighbors
Friends in your garden club, book club, and other social club acquaintances.
Bunko group
Church acquaintances
Parents of your kid’s friends
Work friends

The Seed Exchange Invitations

Invitations to the seed exchange can be as simple as a phone call or an email. Handmade, or store bought invitations can be sent as well. Whichever kind is used, send the invites out a couple of weeks in advance. Make sure the date, time and place are clearly written on the invitations. Put a note inside letting the guests know that they need to bring one seed packet per person invited. The seeds can be flowers, vegetable, herbs, or whatever they like, but the seeds should all be the same.

How to Exchange Seeds

The easiest way to exchange the seeds is to have one container per guest on a kitchen table. Have everybody put their seed packets in one container each. Then, the guest’s pick up one seed packet out of each container. They now have an instant garden!

One special touch might be to buy inexpensive little baskets or gift bags for the guests to put their seeds in to take home. This way, the seed collections could be displayed nicely on a counter or shelf until they are planted.

Finger Food

Appetizers don’t have to be fancy or involved to be delicious. A seed exchange should be a relaxed and easy-going event. Just break out the finger food. Creativity is always appreciated, so think about types of food that carries on with the theme. Flower shaped-cookies or a cake decorated with a couple of real flowers is simple. Nothing says "garden soil" better than plastic cups with chocolate pudding, covered with Oreo cookie crumbs and topped with a gummy worm.

Variation of The Seed Theme

Instead of purchasing seed packets, guests are welcome to bring seeds they have gathered from their own garden or traded elsewhere.
Try switching the seed exchange out for a seedling exchange. Guests plant their seeds a few weeks before the party at their home. This variation is most successful in the early months of spring, as opposed to the late winter, as the seeds have time to germinate and grow. Remind people at a seedling exchange to bring along directions for growing the plants (and enough copies for each guest).

A seed exchange party makes an excellent mid-winter tradition and it's another great way to bring people together to celebrate.

The copyright of the article How to Have a Seed Exchange Party in Plants & Bulbs is owned by Chris McLaughlin. Permission to republish How to Have a Seed Exchange Party in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.