The fifth annual Great Indy Seed Swap has moved! The 2018 Great Indy Seed Swap will be held Saturday, February 10 from 9am to 1pm at the Bona Thompson Memorial Center, 5350 E. University Ave, Indianapolis in Historic Irvington. The Bona Thompson is just a block from the old location: The Benton House. The event needs more room not only for the legions of gardeners but also for seed vendors.
This is a free admission event for Indy’s urban gardeners at all levels (beginner to expert): flower, vegetable, fruit. If you save seeds or just love gardening, bring your seeds and stories and share with others. If you are new to seed saving, come and learn from Indy’s seed-saving community. Several expert seed vendors from across the Midwest will also be selling seeds to help you get started.
What is a Seed Swap? This is a chance to trade seeds you’ve saved of plants you know and love with other like-minded seed savers. Never saved seeds? Perhaps you have some old seed packets lying around you never planted. If so bring them! In fact, if you have seeds in any form and know what they are, bring them: a potted house plant, a bunch of seeds in an old shoe box, a half-used packet from 2005. The Number 1 way to make a seed swap successful is simple: BRING SEEDS.
Presentations are part of the fun so plan on staying for the entire event. On the agenda for this year’s seed swap will be a small class showing beginners just how easy it is to get started saving seeds.
Refreshments, including famous chili, will be available.
In Central Indiana, the average last freeze date is April 16, so starting seeds indoors to be planted out after the danger of frost/freeze in mid-May is February or March for many popular vegetables and flowers. As an example, you should sow your certified tomato seeds 6-8 weeks before planting the seedlings outdoors. Planting your seedlings outdoors should be scheduled around 2 weeks following the average last frost date. The USDA’s zone map shows Central Indiana is in the 6b hardiness zone.
For more information, contact Pete Kuhns by e-mail (pkuhns@gmail.com) or the Weekly View newspaper at 356-2222.
