CONGRATULATIONS!!!
HPS/MAG SEED EXCHANGE CELEBRATES 30 YEARS!
GROWING STRONGER EVERY YEAR!!!
The 2023-2024 Seed Exchange is now open! Our 30th year!
Since the fall and winter of 1993-94, the Seed Exchange has been one of the activities that makes HPS/MAG stand out from all of the other plant societies in the Mid-Atlantic region. Each year, as the fruiting season for a plant comes to an end, dedicated Society members collect the seeds and forward them, along with a description of the plant, to the Seed Exchange Team. The information is then used to create the Seed Exchange Catalog. Last year’s annual edition (see link below) of the Catalog included 768 seed donations generously contributed by 59 gardeners, from beginners to professionals and included approximately 72 new seed varieties never before offered in our catalog.
Seed Donations
The Seed Exchange relies on members (like you) to collect seeds from favorite or unusual plants to provide to other members. If you have donated to the Seed Exchange in the past five years, we will send to you, by e-mail or mail, a list of the seed you have donated in the past, by September 15, 2023. Rather than completing a new form, you can simply check off any seeds that you wish to submit again this year – the historical donation form is Word-editable. Word-editable means that if you press the Review tab, then click on Track Changes, you can see your changes and the document will save that way. If you do make changes to the description on the list of historical donations, please make them in a different color or highlight the changes so we do not miss your corrections. If you do not receive a history of your past donations by September 30, 2023, please contact [email protected].
For any new varieties being offered by past donors or any donations from those who have not donated seeds in the past, there are 2 ways to inform us that you are donating seeds:
1. E-mail a spreadsheet or Word document with your seed list and descriptions to [email protected] or mail them to the address bel
2. Click here for the front and click here for the back to print the Seed Donation Form. You may print and make copies of the Seed Donation Form and mail it to us at the address below or scan it in and send the scans via e-mail.
The SEED DONATION FORMS (but not the seeds) are due October 31, 2023. Mail Seed Donation Forms to:
Susan Doblmaier
225 Drake Lane
North Wales, PA 19454
We must receive the Seed Donation Forms as early as possible to be able to publish the Seed Catalog and deliver it to you by the end of December. If you have any problems, questions or concerns please contact Susan Doblmaier at [email protected] or 215-542-7865. Please don’t worry about the possibility of crop failure. If that occurs, or if you discover some unexpected seeds, just let Susan know. The Seed Exchange Committee has until the first week of December to make changes.
Seed Exchange Catalog
The 2023-2024 Catalog is now available, click here to open the catalog. The 2022-2023 catalog is available for viewing here.
Online seed shop is open at https://www.hardyplantseedshop.org
An eBlast and a posting on HPS’s Facebook page will alert all members when the online catalog is accessible. Some members have their catalog mailed to them. The mailed catalogs will be posted a few days prior to the online availability. If you would like a mailed Seed Exchange Catalog, contact Susan Doblmaier.
In late December through the first half of January, Society members can order seeds for a small fee. Later in January and February, dozens of volunteers meet at Tyler Arboretum in Media, PA to sort and divide seed into packets to satisfy the orders. Thousands of work hours and volumes of gardening knowledge go into providing this valuable exchange of seeds.
Any member or non-member can submit seeds or volunteer to clean and sort seeds. To order seeds, one must be a member of HPS-MAG. Click here for the membership form.
To learn more about the Seed Exchange, read "A Seed of an Idea and How it Grew" and "The Power of Seed" from past HPS Newsletters. Also visit the Avant Gardens Blog, Garden Foreplay, for their 2014 posting titled "Collecting Seed for Seed Exchanges." (links, Janice)
Working with the Seed Exchange is a fun way to meet fellow plant lovers in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere.
Volunteering at the Seed Exchange Workshops
Later in January and February, dozens of volunteers meet at Tyler Arboretum in Media, PA to sort and divide seed into packets to satisfy the orders. Thousands of work hours and volumes of gardening knowledge go into providing the valuable exchange of seeds. The workshops at Tyler Arboretum’s Terrace Room (lower level of the Barn) will begin on Wednesday, January 31st and continue until we finish cleaning the seeds, packaging the seeds, and filling orders. Normally this takes about 10 days. Workshops will be on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 10AM to 3PM. Come join us for the full day or part of the day – we always have fun! Bring your lunch, as we have a microwave to reheat items.
Sign up to volunteer at one of the following workshops, as spaces can fill up quickly and we limit the number of people to 10 a day. Face masks are optional. Please contact Polly Garnett at [email protected] or [email protected]. When picking a day and time, please also send her your cell phone number in case of emergencies on the day of the event. On the Sunday before your volunteer week, Polly will send weekly volunteer assignments with additional instructions.
2024 Dates for Seed Exchange Order Fulfillment Workshops: Location - Terrace Room, Tyler Arboretum
These workshops are posted on our calendar.
- January 31 - Click here to go to the calendar event
- February 1 - Click here to go to the calendar event
- February 6 - Click here to go to the calendar event
- February 7 - Click here to go to the calendar event
- February 8 - Click here to go to the calendar event
- February 13 - Click here to go to the calendar event
- February 14 - Click here to go to the calendar event
- February 15 - Click here to go to the calendar event
- February 20 - Click here to go to the calendar event
- February 21 - Click here to go to the calendar event
- February 22 - Click here to go to the calendar event
If you have questions or want to know how you can participate, please contact Susan Doblmaier, [email protected] or 215-542-7865.
2023 Seed Exchange Calendar – more dates will be added as the schedule is finalized. Check back for updates.
August 1. Seed Exchange officially opens.
August 19. Seed Saving Program at Indian Valley Library, Telford, PA, 10:30AM. Susan will be speaking about seed saving with a short workshop. All supplies will be provided. Members and non-members are welcome.
September 9. Seed Saving Program at Easttown Library, 10AM. Susan will be speaking about seed saving to the Easttown Library EAC. Please RSVP at https://easttownlibrary.org and visit their Events page to click on the program and register. This is a program brought to the community by the Easttown Library EAC and HPS Seed Exchange.
September 15. Seed Donation Forms will be mailed or e-mailed to past donors by this date: Contact Susan at the above address or phone number if you do not receive your Donation Form by September 30th.
October 31. Seed Donation Forms are due.
November into early December. The Seed Exchange database is updated with the Seed Donation Forms. Updates to the new catalog are made at this time.
Early to Mid-December. The database and catalog updates are sent to the IT Design team to begin catalog layout design. Once finished, the catalog is sent to the printer.
Late December. The catalog is e-mailed to all members and mailed to those who have requested a copy. The Seed Exchange Committee would like to mail as few catalogs as possible in order to minimize costs and paper consumption.
January 5, 2024. Mail donations: Seed may be submitted by mail by January 5, 2024 to Carole Maher, 774 Church Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027.
****'Members wishing to submit seeds for the Seed Exchange can bring them to the Perennial Plant Conference, the Joint Scott Lecture and/or Annual Meeting and they will be taken to the drop off site'
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