Transition Kensal to Kilburn

Plant Exchange idea

Something has occurred to me. If you are like me and grow your own already, you always end up planting too many seeds and end up with spare seeds, seedlings and plants. (or is it just me?).

Would there be any support for setting up a seed swap? We could do it online if we wanted.

In detail we could for instance start a Newstream and when anyone has spares to offer, they post an advert. Any members wanting to re-home things could get in touch.

Seed swaps are also good - I always have more seed than I can use so I am always happy to give away excess.

If you do this on and excange basis you also get to try different varieties of crops e.g. I have Rocket seeds, you have Endive. We swap half our seeds with each other and we both than have Endive and Rocket!

In previous years I've just offerred things up on Freecycle and always been swamped with offers to take stuff. I have also had to turn down offers of more stuf than I and my neighbours can handle up to and including young fruit trees, simply on the basis I did not have the space fro it all!

In fact, let's just do it and see what happens!

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Simon R on March 28, 2010 at 9:23

I have a dozen strawberry plants cultivated from runners from last year if anyone can use them? Don't know the variety but they produce nice sweet berries late May/early June. Happy to split into smaller lots.

Permalink Reply by Transition Kensal to Kilburn on March 28, 2010 at 14:59

Really like the idea of a seed swap... I'd like to think that by next spring we will be running a seed exchange to bring everyone together to swap different varieties before the planting season...
Good idea to just get on with it anyway and see what happens. Also if you want to see them go to a good home then speak to or email Michael Stuart, and we could include any excess seedlings in our seedling giveaway planned for May/June... about 3,000 seedlings are being grown to give away (or sell for a small fee to recover costs) at stalls in the Farmer's market, school playgrounds etc etc...
Another idea is to ask the webgroup to include developing better ways to manage exchanges into our future website development
Also hope your produce will be entered into the prize veg competition planned for queens park day?
George
George

Permalink Reply by Simon R on March 28, 2010 at 19:50

Can anyone use some or all of the following seeds? I've now started more than I need of these ones. Please get in touch to arrange collection.

Salad Bowl Red Lettuce

Onion "Red Baron" +
Onion "Long Red Florence" +

Pepper "de Brese" (small approx 1 inch bullet sized very hot)
Pepper "Commo di Torro Rosso" (Standard size sweet pepper) +
(Both of these need to be in green house or a warm window cill)

Kale " Walking stick" +

Dwarf French Bean "Slenderette" +
Dwarf Runner Bean "Hestia" +
(Both the above produce patio/pot/balcony sized bean plants)

Perpetual Spinach (Leaf Beet)

Herbs:
Parsley "Lisette"
Parsley "Moss Curled" +
Sage (Salvia officinalis)
Basil "Sweet Genovese" +
Thymme "vulgaris"

( "+" = Organic seeds)

Permalink Reply by Chris Wells on March 29, 2010 at 8:22

This is a fab idea. Funnily enough the web group have "seed exchanges" on our list of ideas to plug into a new version of the web site at some point in the future.

What would be really useful to us is a few ideas on the type of information you'd need from each other in order to know whether the seeds/plants on offer would be useful to you. For instance, I can see you guys are already adding notes on:
- type of plant
- variety or breed
- whether the seeds are organic
- whether they need a green house or open air planting
- whether you're offering seeds or existing plants
- grow in greenhouse/house/garden

Any more thoughts on other info you'd need to help make decisions about swapping or collection?

Permalink Reply by Michael Stuart on March 29, 2010 at 21:14

An easy way to share is to bring spare seeds and bags along to any TT event, ie cinema, green drink etc and announce it or ask whoever is running it to make an announcement.

Permalink Reply by marjory fraser on April 1, 2010 at 16:33

It would be great if we could take along our surplus plants and seeds to a "swap" table at the film night as that seems to attract lots of people. I always have a surplus of plants and seeds as like most people in city gardens space is limited. I have a small propagator (£3.00 from a charity shop) and have a few shoots coming up - tomatoes and sweetpeas so far.

Permalink Reply by Julinie M Nasir on May 1, 2010 at 15:08

I do end up with lots of left over seeds & extra seedlings myself, so I'm up for a seed/seedling exchange. At the moment, any excess seedlings I have I will be selling off at the Kilburn Library Garden Open Day (15 May 12-4pm- it's in the Events diary). But, like a few people here, I still have quite a few spare seeds. How should we organise this seed swap? What's happening with the seedling giveaway in May/June? Is it going ahead? I have not seen it advertised in the Events section. I'll definitely be there if it is organised- am at the QP Farmers Market most weeks anyway.

Permalink Reply by Transition Kensal to Kilburn on May 1, 2010 at 21:11

So many people have talked swapping seeds and seedlings - so lets have that picnic in Queens Park (by the bandstand) next saturday and make it a seed swap event.... I have spare broccoli and brussel sprouts and probably broad beans too... come along, bring a picnic and something to swap and go away with more diversity for your fruit and veg growing! George

Permalink Reply by Julinie M Nasir on May 2, 2010 at 9:06

Alas, I am away next weekend!

Transition Kensal to Kilburn said:

So many people have talked swapping seeds and seedlings - so lets have that picnic in Queens Park (by the bandstand) next saturday and make it a seed swap event.... I have spare broccoli and brussel sprouts and probably broad beans too... come along, bring a picnic and something to swap and go away with more diversity for your fruit and veg growing! George

Permalink Reply by Rozelle Pope on June 18, 2010 at 10:24

love the picnic seed swap idea or seedling swap.
We will be more organised next year and able to participate.
Found this site - we thought great for companion planting >
http://www.the-gardeners-calendar.co.uk/Guides/default.asp
Rozelle

Permalink Reply by Simon R on May 6, 2011 at 10:02

Hi again.

Thanks to you who have organised the seedling swap next weekend - hope to meet some of you there.