Shady Swap Recap: At the Chicago Flower and Garden Show

So as it turned out the #shadyswap ended up not being as Shady as initially intended, They were nice enough to allow us to use the press room as well as a table. So that we could all sit comfortably and talk seeds. To be honest it almost gave it a school lunch effect, where the kids swap different lunch items until they get what they want. Which in a sense gave it a feel all of it's own, everyone seemed comfortable and as if we all had known eachother for quite a while. The shady swap had a great turn out; in attendance was Kylee , Xan ,  Julia , Melissa , Mr. Brown Thumb , Auntie Cara , Abbie , and Linda . With special Appearances by: Gina,  Shawna, Diane , Kylee's Wonderful Mother , and Joe L'ampl.

Everyone brought great items to the table. To see everyones individual Seed lists click on here

The Seeds i walked away with!

Scarlet Runner Beans..been wanting to grow these, and now I can.

These are the seeds that i got from the swap, most of these will be put to use in my own garden and others will be given away as seedlings to friends and family. To hopefully inspire them to garden.

One of the greatest things that I enjoyed regarding the seed swap was that after we were done, any seeds that weren't taken, were left for others to try.

In my experience Seed Swaps are fun, and they should be, being that it is a method to give/ receive seeds that will have otherwise gone unplanted. It is also a great way to try and grow something new that you might not have been willing to try otherwise. To Start a Seed Swap in your area these guidelines  have seemed to have worked perfectly as well as Fern Richardson who has also has posted great in depth information on seed swapping.

Seedlings!!!!!

One of my favorite things about gardening has arrived!! The time to start your seedlings! This for me is more than anything a sigh of relief, a way that I know spring is not too far behind. There's something about planting seeds and watching them grow that just makes me feel great! However, there is some ground that needs to be covered before putting a seed into the dirt.

• The temperature (depending on the plant of course) needs to be between 60-70 degrees with a             preferable 10 degree drop. This helps speed the germination process.
• Lighting, Florescent lightbulbs that are made to replicate sunlight. 
• Space, a nice space for your seedlings where humidity isn't a problem. 
• Some method of airflow, this allows the seedlings to build strong stems, as well as it helps to prevent damping off.

The Fun Part:

Planting the seeds!!

 Follow the directions on the back of the seed packet ( Very Important!..unfortunately  I didn't do this for my parsnips, and assumed the directions would be the same as carrots. As it turns out the Parsnips need a longer cold period, and I might not be able to grow them to their full potential now.)

Watch them grow...and good luck!!