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Weather Report for League City
Other Plant Swaps and Website Information
FAQ’s
 | What
is a plant swap? |
It is a friendly gathering of people who love to garden. They bring plant seedlings, seeds, cuttings and other garden-related items to share with other gardeners. It all started on the Gardenweb.com forum when fellow gardeners suggested getting together to exchange their plants with other members. The plant swap brings beginner (newbie) gardeners all the way up to Master Gardeners. You don’t have to be a Master Gardener to come. Although you will see Master Gardeners there walking around answering garden questions! We also have door prize drawings for donated gardening items, a silent auction, a 50/50 drawing and a free barbeque.
| What
are the requirements for coming? Do I have to be a member? |
There are no requirements other than having a passion for plants and gardening! Bring your extra plants, cuttings, bulbs or gardening items to trade or give away and get ready for some fun!
| This
is my first plant swap. What should I bring? |
If this is your very first plant swap you don’t have to bring anything. Just come and see what it is all about. Please be sure to tell everyone there that this is your first swap or that you are a newbie to gardening and you will see how nice everyone is and how they make you feel right at home. They are very generous too! If you don’t want to come empty handed, bring a few plants, seeds, cuttings, bulbs, seedlings, or garden-related items and follow the guidelines for marking your plants for identification.
| I’ve
been to other swaps but what should I bring to your swap? |
Most swaps are basically the same. Bring plants, bulbs, seedlings, seeds, cuttings or garden-related items for swapping or to give away. Please refer to our etiquette guidelines. We also would like you to contribute to our barbeque.
| What
are your etiquette guidelines? |
When swappers get plants, they need somewhere to put them in a safe place so no one else will take them. They always put them under their table or in their garden wagons or carts next to their table. Please DO NOT take any plants under tables or on garden carts or wagons. These plants are off limits. It is also good etiquette to ASK each swapper at their table if it is OK to take a certain plant. Sometimes they do a “pre-trade” on the internet with other gardeners and they are saving those plants to give to them. There will be a designated table for free plants for the taking. These will be extra plants that swappers will bring to give away.
| Can
you give me some suggestions on how I should prepare the plants before the
swap and how to mark my plants for identification? |
Bring anything that you think someone would want. Dig up rooted plants the morning of the plant swap. Put them immediately in moist soil in old coffee cans, plastic pots, styrofoam cups or even plastic bags with moist soil over the roots. Take cuttings the morning of the swap and immediately put them in water. Make sure the cuttings have at least two nodes on them. Make a note of which end is the stem end (end closest to the mother plant). If you bring bulbs, corms, rhizomes, etc., make sure they are dried and cleaned of most garden soil. If you can’t – no biggie! Just put them in paper bags so they are easier to handle. Seeds should be packaged in labeled envelopes. It would be helpful if you can include other information about the plant or flower on the envelope, such as – sun-loving, shade plant, purple blooms, blooms from March until frost, drought tolerant, etc. When marking your plants, you can use permanent ink on popsicle sticks, cut pieces of old blinds (we do not recommend cutting up your blinds on your windows!), plastic knives, forks or spoons and anything else you can be creative with!
| Should
I bring food or snacks or drinks? |
Please go to www.Gardenweb.com (Texas Gardening/Exchanges) and look for the Galveston County Plant Swap thread for a list of food items to bring for our picnic or click on the link in this website Food List for Spring Swap to view the list and to contact our organizer to let her know what you would like to bring.
| Can
I bring alcohol? |
The park has an ordinance prohibiting alcohol and we prefer to keep our plant swap alcohol-free.
| Can
I bring my children or my dog? |
Yes, children and pets are allowed, however, there are some plants that are sharp and poisonous and we do not want the children or pets getting hurt or poisoned, so be sure to keep a very close watch on them at all times!
| What
do I do with my leftover plants that I do not want to take back home? |
We will have a designated area for “orphaned” plants that will be given a good home.
| Should
I bring a garden cart or wagon? |
Bring a garden cart or wagon to carry your plants back and forth to your vehicle. You will be glad you did!
| Should
I bring a table and chair? |
There are picnic tables under the pavilion and under the trees, however, we cannot guarantee that you will have a table when you get there to set up depending on the number of swappers, so bringing your own table and chair is a "good thing" as Martha would say.
| What
if it rains? |
WE WILL BE THERE RAIN OR SHINE! We are die-hard gardeners! We will be under a covered pavilion under huge trees to protect us from rain. Check out our weather link before you come! Weather Report for Clear Lake/League City Area
| What
is a pre-trade? How do I pre-trade with other gardeners before the plant
swap? |
A pre-trade is a plant trade with other gardeners online who are going to the scheduled plant swap. Gardeners are looking for certain plants to swap with other gardeners and agree ahead of time that they will bring those plants to the plant swap for each other.
Open this link to get to www.Gardenweb.com or check out our Haves and Wants page in this website to see the list of gardeners coming to the swap who have posted what they are bringing to trade and what they are looking for. Their name and email address will be listed, as well, so you will be able to contact them.
| Does
the plant swap cost any money to attend? |
ABSOLUTELY NO MONEY IS TO BE EXCHANGED FOR ANYTHING!
We allow swapping or trading of plants or garden-related items only!
| Is
the plant swap open to the general public? |
Yes. The general public is invited, however, they will be asked for their email address and given information about our swap so that we can notify them and they can come and participate in the next swap.