[SorchaBC]

Hey,

Was just wondering if anyone would be interested in setting up a section on here to swap excess seeds etc? I always germinate waaaaaaaaaay more seedlings than I need, and have lots of seeds I don't use and hate to waste. Could we have a section on here to contact other members and swap or trade seeds and plants? Don't know if it goes against forum rules but just thought I'd float the idea and see what everyone else thinks?

[Sive]

Wonderful idea in principle. Just not sure of the practicalities....seeds no problem, as they can go in the post ( if people are happy to divulge addresses that is.....)...but seedlings and plants ?
But definitely an idea worth discussing.......

[James Kilkelly]

Anything that you have to swap can be posted up in this section of the forum....... Plant Propagation, increasing your stock of plants in Ireland.
Feel free.

[Protein]

[Blowin]

As others have said, the principle is excellent but will almost certainly work best in your own locality - say a five mile radius - and the forum may throw up others with similar inclinations near your base if you ask the question.

Seed type can be a factor. I equipped myself with a set of Rootrainers last year and now use them for things like swedes and curly kale where individual seeds can easily be handled and placed in each cell. I've found it's unusual not to get at least 26 plants out of 28 seeds which means I could produce enough out of one packet to fill the needs of maybe three gardens. The plants, each in their own plug of compost, are then transplanted uniformly into the final row site with no misses and no need for wasteful thinning.

There's a definite groundswell of home gardening in the country and, if the anonymity of this forum hinders local grouping, a letter to the local paper might bear fruit. Good luck. I'd welcome such a thing.

[sal]

i think its a good idea,i once asked on here before and was told of a site www.gardenswopshop.co.uk
where i swopped with dinah from this site ,
myself and friends have a gardening group where we swop plants,seeds,and recipes for cakes,wine making etc,but its very casual and we are all mostly novices with a really good gardener also sometimes it just goes into a coffee morning with cake tasting and sometimes we get onto gardening,chickens anything that we are interested in,its easy to set up,just ask your neighbours and friends that might be interested ,we meet in one anothers houses,

[mcgrueser]

Is anyone involved in the GIY (Grow It Yourself) movement that is meant to be sweeping the nation? They have similar meetings where they swap seeds and plants etc. And also i think they might go around to each others houses helping out if someone needs an extra hand with something in particular, and then vice versa....

I'm in Wicklow and as far as i know, for anyone interested, there is a such meeting in the Glenealy Garden Centre every couple of wks- i'm just not sure when. I must find out and post it...

I just looked it up there actually and its the third Saturday of every month. It says everyone welcome and there's no charge. Sounds very good really. I'd say there is similar groups close to most people around the country...

And while i'm writing i found the website too. Not sure if i'm allowed post a site address, so apologies Verge if you've to take this down:

http://www.giyireland.com/home.php

I'm going to dive into the site now and see what it's all about because i've really only heard a couple of things and nothing specific about what the idea is....

[Blowin]

Well done, McG. Good research.

I've just had a brief look round the site but found it very diffficult to navigate and I have to confess I'm a tad concerned by the 'Ltd' on the end of it which may suggest a commercial undertone. This sort of thing is always best if conducted with no strings attached so that all concerned know exactly where they are and who they can trust.

I honestly can't see it challenging this site for a very long time BUT, if it fills a niche by providing a link for local groups, then fair play to it. For me, the nearest group is 30 miles away - much too far - but, being new, it may grow.

[SorchaBC]

Jeez after me starting this then I didn't contribute at all sorry

I'm aware of the other sites that have been mentioned alright but I'd like to do something through Irish Gardeners if possible, everyone here is very lovely and sound

Since there's the option to put where you're from up under your user name when posting we can at least see if someone's in the same county. James, thanks for saying that the propagation forum could be used.

However, members here could take a leaf out of GIY's tree and hold once a month swaps or something? For example, if anyone in Kildare wanted we could meet at various places of interest, local gardens etc, once a month, take a look around, have tea and swap what we've got spare? The Japanese Gardens in Kildare Stud springs to mind, and if anyone else anywhere else has a local beauty spot that would inspire gardeners then ya'll could meet there.

Obviously they wouldn't be actual outings organised by the site officially, so no one from the site is responsible for the members (etc etc legal stuff), it would simply be a case of a few of us using the site as a way to organise outings that we ourselves are personally responsible for.

T'is an idea anyhoo! Lemme know if anyone would be interested.