National Seed Swap Day: Grow Your Garden Community

Got extra seeds? Every January, gardeners across the country celebrate National Seed Swap Day on the last Saturday of the month (with a two-week window on either side for flexibility). It's a mid-winter tradition that's part seed exchange, part community gathering, and entirely worthwhile.

How It Started

The first swap was hosted by Washington Gardener magazine in 2006. Editor Kathy Jentz envisioned a winter event where gardeners could trade seeds and tips during the off-season. The idea caught fire, and the last Saturday of January was proclaimed National Seed Swap Day. Since then, neighborhood associations, libraries, nurseries, and garden clubs have hosted swaps nationwide.

Deep Roots

Seed saving and trading date to our agricultural beginnings. Nomadic ancestors settled by collecting seeds year to year; survival depended on it. Seeds were currency—traded for meat, tools, furs, other plants. In the Southwest, maize, beans, and corn arrived via travelers on foot—the original seed catalogs with limited but vital selections.

Finding a Swap

Search online for seedswapday.blogspot.com (listings from 20+ states) or use the hashtag #SeedSwapDay on social media. Hosts range from churches to community centers to greenhouses. No local listing? Contact a garden group—or start your own with friends and neighbors.

What to Expect

Many swaps have evolved into mini-conferences with speakers on pollinators, pest control, seed saving, community gardens. Some screen gardening films. Others keep it simple: coffee, donuts, and conversation. Like fertile soil, good ideas sprout when gardeners gather.

It's not just seeds. Tubers, roots, bulbs, acorns, cuttings—all welcome. Organizers set parameters (heirloom-only, non-GMO, etc.), so check ahead. And expect lively discussions: pollinator biology, pesticide pros and cons, community garden politics, food justice. Diversity is a gardener's hallmark.

Preparing for a Swap

Package seeds thoughtfully. Some swaps want small, individually labeled packets (10–15 tomato/squash seeds, 20–30 flower seeds). Think potluck—you're contributing to the whole, not feeding 100. Craft stores sell small zip-top bags; DIYers can use free templates from tipnut.com. Include "packed for" dates if repackaging commercial seed. Creative packaging sometimes wins prizes.

RSVP if required. Some venues have limited space or prepare packets based on expected attendance.

Bring viable seed. Old doesn't mean dead—properly stored, some varieties last years. But 12-year-old lettuce seed? Probably not.

No invasives. Never bring seeds of invasive plants. If unsure, check with your state extension office. A plant sold regionally may be invasive in your state.

Check for book/catalog swaps. Gardeners are the original recyclers—turning manure into gold, and old catalogs into new inspiration.

A Sampling of 2016 Swaps

Washington State: Great Seattle Seed Swap (Jan 30, Phinney Neighborhood Association); King County Seed Lending Library (kingcoseeds.org); Historic Schoolhouse Seed Swap, Battle Ground (Jan 31, potluck + food drive, venersborg.blogspot.com); 6th Annual Snoqualmie Valley Seed Exchange (Feb 6, kids' corner, bulb sale, talks, website).

Each year, more organizations host these mid-winter gatherings. Find one near you—or start one.