Spring Plant Swap

The Spring Plant Swap is a ways off but, as SSG pointed out, it's not too early to think about a date. As many of you know, I'm going to host it at my home in Vienna, Virginia, so that's the "where"!

As for when: I'm thinking of May 2nd, 9th or 16th. We don't need to narrow it down to one day or the other just yet, but do those sound like good possibilities? Most importantly, do any of you know already that one of the dates will NOT work?

Please note: this thread is just for discussion about dates. As much as we wish otherwise, it's too early to get into any discussion about plants ; - )

This message was edited Feb 14, 2015 6:31 PM

Pat and I have no conflicts with any of those dates.

I think the only day we have that conflicts is May 2nd but I will ask Holly for sure.

Thanks, Greenthumb and Ric.

May 9th or 16th would work best for me anyway.

Does anyone have conflicts with those dates?

Thanks for the thread, Muddy!

Either of the 9th or the 16th would work for me!

Great! We're getting it narrowed down. The 2nd is really busy for me, so let's go for the 9th or 16th.

I'm looking forward to a crowd of regulars and newbies, and so would love to hear of any conflicts.

I know it's early....I generally don't know my plans a month in advance let alone 3.
For those who don't have plans for 9 or 16 May, please save the dates!

The 16th is out for me, but you do what is best for you. I know the 9th is Mother's Day weekend. It's very difficult to find a perfect day for everyone.

When is that Green Springs plant sale, and do we want to coincide with it (for those who might want to hit the sale in the morning and then the swap) or miss it?

Either date works for me.

Too early to decide for me too---but I will try---

Mother's Day Weekend is hugely busy at the HD. Lots of flower sales and customers.
Besides--I always do a workshop for kids where they plant a flower for
their mom in a pot and then stick a red heart on a bamboo skewer in it--Awww...
I make these by hand--cutting out all the hearts and gluing them to the skewers.
I have around 80 kids, -ALL ages, every year taking part in this-
I even bring a step-stool for the littlest ones. Bell donates the plants.

This will be year #4 that i am holding this Workshop. A unique function ONLY at our HD.
Have to do a lot of prep work for this too.

I bet many others may also want to be with families on this weekend.
So--I suppose my option would be the 16th at this time.

Gita

I found the Green Springs sale mentioned on the VA NARGS site, says it's May 16. The Green Spring Gardens website doesn't list events past March, that I can find. Just throwing that out there... I know some folks make a point of going every year.

There are multiple excellent plant sales every weekend during May. The Green Spring sale has opened at 9 AM in the past, and is about 10 miles from Muddy's, so anyone who wishes to can easily attend both. If we start planning around various sales we will never get a swap scheduled.

I can think of one good reason not to have the swap the same day as the Green Springs sale: There's only so much room in the car for plants! A lot of us have full cars both coming and going to swaps.

I agree with David--You cannot base the availability of a date if you are going to
consider where there are plant sales, or how much room you will need in the car
if you attend both. That just minimizes our Plant Swap to a "lets fit it in" category.

Plant sales are your option any time. Dangling the "Green Springs sale" as a
hook" to attract more people on a certain date is not fair.
Many of us never shop at these "sales", but we like to get together at a Swap
and share OUR plants...FREE..enjoy the commandeer, food, plants, etc...

Please--let's keep the two events separate. We ARE planning for a DG Plant swap--right?

Thanks, Gita.

Are there that many of the group who would attend the swap that regularly attend the Green Springs sale? Most do not live that close. How many of this group would be inconvenienced by same day scheduling?

I've been going to Green Springs' fall sales for the last several years. I always go for the plants with the most seed heads ; - ) I have too many plants to plant in the spring as it is!

Cannot do 16th-DD college graduation.

Okay, looks like we have a winner!

The swap will be on May 9th.

It's going on the calendar!!!

I'm a little late to chime in, but any of the dates would have worked for me. I'm looking forward to it. The 9th it is!

Good! I hope this date works out for those who haven't chimed in. The more the merrier!

Gita, too bad this is the same day as the wonderful Mother's Day project you do with the kids, but it sounds like that activity would be much missed.

I'll start the usual plant swap threads soon.

All good points. I just remembered that the Green Spring sale, in particular, had been an either/or choice for people with past swaps. I think going to the sale in the morning and to the swap in the afternoon would make for a marathon sort of day -- but what a great way to end up exhausted!

Gita, I wonder if you could interest a couple of your fellow workers in helping with the Mother's Day event... maybe having you set up and start things off in the morning, then head out and let somebody else take over? I have no idea if that would work for you, schedule-wise, but as well as you get along with your manager and other people there I thought it was worth suggesting. If you can't make it, we'll miss you -- but we'll have fun imagining you surrounded by all those eager, smiling faces!

Yes, those HD projects are a big hit with the kids. I took JR to one when he was a little younger and we both really enjoyed it. Come to think of it, I believe it was a Valentines theme. Possibly a wooden pinwheel game or something of that nature. He got to enjoy it a second time when his parents came to pick him up and he did his own show and tell.

My project is on Sunday--Mother's day. NOT Saturday! I work on Sundays--am off on Saturdays.
Sorry if that did not come out clear.

I think what was confusing is that I "implied" that I needed Saturday to
prep my stuff for this. No biggie--I can get it done a couple days earlier...

You know--this is MY workshop! I started it 4 years ago. No other HD has this...
I would never be comfortable letting someone else do it, unless something drastic
happened and I had to. I think by now the customers expect it.
I have flyers the Greeter passes out--as well as the cashiers, to promote this function.
We tape them on the doors too...

The only "disappointing" thing is that "Bell" has to allow me to use (donate) the plants.
Usually--I go through about 2-24 cell flats of the small annuals. VERY small, 1 1/2" plugs-
and they are NOT in that great a shape. They are jammed on the carts--watered to death--and many of the plants have rot because of it.

Beggars can't be choosers---but I sure would like better quality plants for this...I want something that will GROW--so the kids can feel some sense of accomplishment--because THEY planted it!
My option would be the 4" annuals--but--think 80+ kids times $1.49--and it is unrealistic.
Even if they were on sale for .99cents--it could still be close to $100.
Unfortunately--cost matters....
The pots are free--as I hoard them throughout the year. We just mark down 2 bags of soil Mix.
I spend many an hour making the heart sticks. Gluing the hearts to the stick-etc.

Love doing this-- I need to think what to do to have more workshops/clinics.
I do not need managements permission--(per Curtis--SM) but I would let them know...

I LOVE doing clinics--totally comfortable on any topics to do with gardening too.

G.

That is good news, Gita, that you won't miss the swap OR your Mother's Day project.

Good to know your clinic is on Sunday. Hmm, wondering if you could squirrel away a couple of flats where they'd get better attention, maybe even take them home to baby them... I'd talk to the Bell rep., too... since you've been doing this for several years, you're probably getting people to stop by who might not normally do so... and I bet they buy a bunch of other plants while they are there. I'd say a couple hundred for plants (way less than that "at cost" for Bell) is a small amount to pay for that sort of advertising!

Hi All. I'm really gonna try to get to this one because I missed the seed swap. One bad thing about the 2nd Saturday of the month is that one of Bob's gold prospecting clubs meets in Pottstown, Pa that date but I'm going to try anyway. Knee is all healed up now & Physical Therapy is over & I'm pretty much on my own. I must say it was an experience. They gave me a little too much oxycodone then morphine on top of that & I don't remember anything for a couple days. When they asked me what day it was, I told them "Pennsylvania." I guess if they asked me what state are we in, I would have told them "Monday." Bob had to feed & wash me those two days. I dreamed I was all tangled up in my sheets & pulled a couple IV's out. I rang for the nurses and they got the bleeding stopped, cleaned me & the bed up and the rest og the night was uneventful. They won't forget me after that. Anyway, it's over and I have spring, summer & fall to play in the garden. This little beauty opened up today. I paid $ 20.00 for it many years ago, it bloomed once they no blooms until last year. Hippeastrum papilio, the butterfly amaryllis. Sorry I cannot share or sell since it has a lot of growing to do after all those years of just sitting there. Button.

Woohoo!!! Thankful you are mending well. That med stuff is soooo scary!
What a prettiful bloom!!!! Just the thing to brighten our day

I hope you can make it, Button! I'm so glad that your knee surgery ordeal is over and that you're ready to venture out into the garden.

Muddy, is this the "official" organization thread for the swap (the one you want me to put a link to on the events thread)?

Critter, no. I was waiting until March to create the official threads. Now that it's March, I guess I should get my act together! February just seemed too soon.