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Ways to Share Plants

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When you want to increase the variety of plants in your garden - indoors or out - it can get very expensive to buy live plants. Collecting seeds and taking plant cuttings are a couple of alternatives to consider.

Start a Seed Exchange

1. In the spring, ask your friends, neighbours and workmates if they'd be interested in participating in a seed exchange. Do take care not to violate propagation restrictions or import/export laws. Some of the benefits you could list would be:

Try new plants with no initial cost
Know where the plants came from, so that you can ask questions later
Be sure that plants shown as good for your zone, really are good for your zone

2. Send out an email to those who want to participate, describing how to gather seeds for sharing.
3. Send out reminders periodically throughout the summer and fall about the seeds that may be ready to gather.
4. Gather seeds, clean and store until ready to package.
5. Request that everyone send you a list of seeds they have available. Ask that they include the common name, botanical name if available, and a SMALL image if available. Also ask for colour and approximate size of plant. Advise that their email addresses will be included for the other participants to order seeds.
6. Gather all submissions into a list and email to everyone, including SMALL pictures and email addresses of those with seeds OR make a web page showing all and have the email link to the web page.
7. Participants can email each other and share as they wish - your job is done.

Some seeds that work well for this are tickseed, black-eyed susan, gaillardia, california poppy, lamb's ears, shasta daisy and columbine.

Start a Plant Cutting Exchange

A plant cutting exchange works best with people in the same general location, so that they can easily get together in person. Much like a seed exchange, this activity will help you increase your plant variety without exhausting your budget. Here's how it could work for you.

1. Ask your friends, neighbours or other soccer parents if they'd be interested in participating in a cutting exchange. Do take care not to violate propagation restrictions.

2. Send out an email to those who want to participate, asking them to list what plants they have that they would be willing to take cuttings from.

3. Compile a list of plants available and email addresses

4. Send out or hand-deliver the list of plants and email addresses to all participants.

5. Let the participants arrange for their plant cuttings or arrange a date, perhaps six weeks hence, for the in-person cutting exchange.

Some common plants that grow well from cuttings include spider plant, lipstick plant, blood leaf, swedish ivy and pothos.

How to Gather Seeds

Gathering seeds can be done throughout the growing season in your garden. The timing will differ depending on the plants you have, but these general guidelines will help.

1. Once the flowers have dropped, you usually have a choice to either let the seeds ripen or to cut off the spent bloom. Be aware that leaving the seeds to ripen may result in less blooms for the remainder of the season. One way to get around this is to choose a couple of plants in the back of a bed, for example, and use these for seed gathering. In this way, the front plants continue to bloom to their full potential.

2. Where possible, let seeds mature to the point where they fall from the seed head when tapped. Some seeds do not drop in this way, but usually they won't spoil if you leave them too long.

3. Use secaturs or other sharp cutting tools, and drop entire seed head plus stalk into a suitably sized bin. I prefer a small pail. Cutting the stem at the same time reduces clean-up tasks later.

4. Trim all stems, leaves and other rubbish from the seed heads.

5. Place a piece of clean white paper on the table in front of you.

6. One at a time, remove the seed heads from the bin and open them over the paper, to release the seeds inside.

7. You will likely notice some chaff from the seed head drops onto the paper with the seeds. Carefully separate the seeds from all other plant material, and keep only the seeds.

8. Using the paper as a funnel, slide the seeds into a paper envelope of any type. Do not seal, yet.

9. Note on the envelope the type of seed and when gathered.

10. Store away from sunlight, in cool location.

11. Leave for 2 weeks, to thoroughly dry out, then seal envelopes.

Helen Kirkup is a Master Gardener, freelance writer and developer of The Garden Management System, gardening software to help you grow your garden.

Email your comments to hmkstaff@hmk.on.ca