Join New Hope Bird Alliance’s Bird-Friendly Habitat team for a free native plant swap event!
Please RSVP here.
Who: All Bird-Friendly Habitat program participants, NHBA members, friends and neighbors. All are welcome, if you have plants to swap or not!
What: A native plant (only, please!) exchange for those with too many or not enough native plants.
When/Where: Blackwood Farm Park Pavilion, Saturday, October 26, 10:00 am -12:00 pm.
Why: Gardeners are the best sources of plants and knowledge! Let’s get together and swap plants, share advice, and grow more native plants.
How: Bring transplanted native plants in old nursery pots or bags that you are willing to part with. Folks who bring plants to “swap” will have an opportunity to pick plants one at a time from the available selection. Any extra plants will be free to take for anyone who does not have plants to donate. We will do our best to distribute plants evenly across attendees.
When you dig a plant, get as much root as possible as well as some of the soil the plant is growing in. If you have clay, you may want to supplement with light potting soil or “soil conditioner” found where you buy bagged garden soil. You can make an inexpensive potting mix with equal parts compost and soil conditioner.
Once you dig a plant, immediately put it in an individual pot and water it.
Keep transplanted plants in a shady spot and water as needed until the Plant Swap.
Before the swap, label each plant with the common and botanical name (if you know it) and if it grows in the sun or shade. Any additional information would be an appreciated bonus! An easy way to label plants is with a marker on painter's tape or masking tape, stuck to the pot or bag.
Consider bringing a small box, bucket or wagon to transport plants home.
*Thanks to the Georgia Native Plant Society for the plant swap tips.