Native Plant Seed Swap & Giveaway

Name: Native Plant Seed Swap & Giveaway
Start: 2025-01-12T13:00:00-06:00
End: 2025-01-12T15:00:00-06:00
Location: Schaumburg Public Library

Schedule

Sun Jan 12 2025 at 01:00 pm to 03:00 pm

UTC-06:00

Location

Schaumburg Public Library | Schaumburg, IL

Come join us for a day of learning about natives. Just starting out? Come learn why natives are important and how to garden with them, and get free seeds. Have an established garden? Share your seeds and your knowledge.
We'll have stations on site prep, winter sowing, and master gardeners to help with plant selection. We'll also have a spot to pick up extra plastic pots or drop off ones you don't need.

Questions about donations/swapping:

Q: How do I bring seeds if I want to swap or pass mine out?
Best practice for swapping would be smaller packets labeled with Latin and common names.
But if you threw milkweed pods or flower heads in well labeled ziplock or paper bags, that's great too. (Just remember plastic isn't best when the seeds are still drying).
And while we try to clean up the seeds as much as we can, we don't have the machinery to make the seeds look as perfect as they do when you buy them so expect some chaff in the packets. And we wouldn't expect your seeds to look perfect either. :)
There will be extra tables to set up for swapping and chatting.
Q: I want to donate seeds but I don't have time for the swap. What container should they be in? How to drop off?
If freshly picked, a paper bag/breathable bag would be best so seeds can dry. If older, shouldn't matter.
Please label, ideally with the Latin name. Please no cultivars or general names like "Rubeckia".
(However, we did accept a large bag of aster seeds last year because she knew it was one of three native species she collected but forgot to label the bag at the time. These seeds go to a friend that's converting farm land to prairie)
How much you want to put into it is up to you. We rather you give us whole coneflowers heads than nothing at all, but we appreciate the people that give us clean seeds.
You can drop off at the event even if you don't plan to swap or stay.