Community Seed & Plant Swap

January 27th is National Seed Swap Day, and the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo is celebrating with our Second Annual Community Seed and Plant Swap Event.

Saturday, January 27 - 9 am -2 pm

All event activities are included with zoo admission or zoo membership.

Receive a 10% discount off zoo admission with a donation of wildflower seeds. Seeds will be used to re-seed banks around ponds throughout the zoo.

Goal of the Day:

Community Seed and Plant Swap - Bring your garden seeds, plants, and cuttings to swap with attendees.

Swapping seeds and plants adds variety to your gardens and allows you to share your love of flowers, herbs, and vegetables with new gardeners.

Demonstration Schedule

Time- Topic- Presenter

9:15 AM-9:35 AM - Easy Care Gardening - Wanda Martin, BCMG

9:45 AM-10:05 AM - Key Gardening Tips - Charlotte Hamm, BCMG

10:15 AM-10:35 AM. - Native & Nonnative Pollinators -Veronica Culberson, Honey of the Hill Apiaries

10:45 AM-11:05 AM - Homemade Noodles - Robin Newell “Mrs. Noodle”

11:15 AM- 11:35 AM. - Spinning and Weaving - Apryl Swafford, A&R Farm

11:45 AM- 12:05 PM -TBD - David Goodman “David the Good”

12:15 PM- 12:35 PM - Citrus Trees - Kitty Cooper, Cooper Farms

12:45 PM- 1:05 PM - Folk Tinctures & Medicinal Plants - Natasha Freeman, Bee-Lightful Homestead

1:15 PM- 1:35 PM - Mushrooms - Tanner Hammond “The Mushroom Man”

Additional activities will include:

Munsell Sustainable Garden tours and talks – Zoo’s Sustainability Committee

Local gardening information and demonstration tables

Seed planting activities for kids to take home

And new for this year... vendor booths with local plants and homesteading items for sale.

National Seed Swap Day is on the last Saturday in January and reminds gardeners that spring is on its way. It is also an ideal time for gardeners to gather and swap seeds in preparation for starting seeds indoors. #SeedSwapDay

Frequent Questions?

Q. How do I harvest seeds for a seed swap?

A. Collect fully ripe seeds of an individual plant, lay them out to dry on a plate, and expose them to the air for several days. The length of time will vary depending on the seed, but 2-3 days should be sufficient for most seeds. Please place them in a labeled jar or envelope to identify the seeds easily.

Q. Should I provide planting and growing information with the seeds?

A. Information such as when to plant, types of soil that worked best for you, sun vs. shade plant, and germination info are helpful to others. If you can provide these details, please do. However, not every gardener keeps track of this Information.