Get Ready for Spring: Host a Seed Swap Party

All gardeners are tree huggers. So, if you’re going to send invites, use recycled paper or better yet, use paper that has been embedded with seeds and can be planted in the spring. Seed paper is an invite and party favor all in one!

You’ll need seeds, of course, plus small envelopes to hold seeds and pens and pencils to mark the envelopes. Also, if you’re going to start the seeds you’ll need seedling pots or a seedling pot maker with newspaper, seed-starting mix and plant markers. Include note paper or notepads to jot down planting instructions or gardening tips.

Lay out the supplies based on the activity and let your guests move from station to station — pot making, planting, envelope decorating, seed sorting, etc. It’s bound to get messy, so you may want to cover the table with a canvas drop cloth or plastic tablecloth.

Sort the seeds in like groups such as annual flowers, perennials, herbs, fruits and veggies. Ask your guests to share self-gathered seeds as well as commercial seeds from last year that they may not have been able to plant. (Many of us with big garden aspirations buy more seeds than we have room for!) If they don't have any seeds on hand, there are no rules against going out and buying some new seeds to share.