How To Host A Neighborhood Plant Swap ​—​ No Green Thumb Required

Good Neighbor Day is coming up on Tuesday, Sept. 28, and it’s a great opportunity to do something kind for your community. One fun way to connect with others is to plan a neighborhood plant swap. Plants create a peaceful environment and add natural beauty to our homes, two things everyone can use.

Sharing a love of plants and gardening with others in your neighborhood can promote inclusivity, create connection and build friendships. A plant swap can be as big or small as you’d like to make it. The only requirement: Participants must have seeds, flowers or plants to share.

To ensure your plant swap is a resounding success, we have planning tips from FTD Flowers. If you’d like to send someone a lovely plant to spread a little neighborly joy, we have great news: Patch readers get 15 percent off FTD Flowers retail price! The discount is automatically applied at checkout.

Ready to start planning? Here’s what you need to know to host the ultimate neighborhood plant swap.

Get The Word Out

Recruit a few friends or neighbors to help out. And if your neighborhood has a social media page, be sure to post your plant swap information there. You can connect with others through a telephone/text tree or post flyers around your neighborhood.

Decide What Type Of Plant Swap You Want To Host

Your plant swap can be big or small; and once you put out feelers, you’ll have a better idea what your neighbors would prefer. Do what feels right, whether you choose to hold a large plant swap at a nearby park or host it virtually.

Here are a few helpful guidelines:

• Everyone who participates should have a seed packet, plant or flower to trade.
• Plants should come with a plant label and care instructions.
• Only healthy, pest-free plants should be swapped.

Check Out These Plant Swap Party Ideas!

Whether you decide on a small get-together or a larger outdoor event, these ideas will ensure your plant swap party is a neighborhood hit.

Plant Party In the Park: Host your event at a nearby park or in your back yard. Set up tables creating different stations or opt to make the space feel like a plant nursery. You and the other plant lovers can share helpful plant care tips, enjoy some snacks and, of course, trade plants.

Plant Swap Dinner Party: Invite a small group of plant-loving friends or neighbors and host a potluck. Everyone can share a different dish along with a plant. Set up a side table just for the plants. Trade your plants over a tasty meal.

Book Exchange-Style Plant Swap: Similar to a book exchange, set up a box in a specified location where neighbors can leave a plant and take a plant. Plants such as succulents make good options because they can be left in the sun without water for lengthier periods.

Virtual Plant Swap: A modern twist on the plant swap, you can create a group on social media and invite friends and neighbors to post photos of plants they want to trade. Once your neighbors have virtually chosen a plant, they can be dropped at the recipient’s doorstep.

Pick Your Perfect Plants

Once you pin down the plant swap details, you can select the best plant choices for trading. You’ll want plants of all shapes and sizes. Another great option is to bring cuttings, also known as “starts,” and baby plants, known as “pups.” Plants can be in pots with soil or with bare roots.

Below are a few plants that are sure to be popular at any neighborhood plant swap.

Jade Plants — The Crassula Jade Succulent Plant is a great specimen for a plant swap. Jade plants are easy to grow, they prefer indirect sunlight, and regular rotation helps them to catch the light evenly. The Crassula Jade Succulent Plant will grow more slowly in winter but continue to sprout stems. It’s the perfect plant to make a decorative statement on a countertop or book shelf.

Pothos — Golden Pothos is a versatile and easy-to-care-for plant, adapting well to indirect sunlight. It’s a great choice for sharing a cutting at a plant swap. The Golden Pothos has green-speckled leaves that will trail over its geometric planter. It’s highly adaptable and can be grown indoors or outdoors, depending on climate.

Dracaena — Another lovely option for a plant swap is the dracaena. The Loving Light Dishgarden features dracaena, along with peace lily, palm plant, philodendron and some bright yellow chrysanthemums. The Loving Light Dishgarden offers a diverse group of plants to grow and share.

Coneflower — The Sun Purple Coneflower, also known as echinacea, is a great flowering plant to share with friends or neighbors. You can divide part of the plant to share or grow a new plant from a cutting. The Sun Purple Coneflower likes full sun and can be placed indoors or outdoors, depending on climate.

Succulents — The Zen Succulent Hexagon Garden includes a few different types of succulents you can grow and share. Succulents make great plant swap options because they don’t require a lot of work to propagate — you can start a new plant from a leaf. Succulents do well in full sun and only require water when the soil is dry.

Herbs — The Fresh Garden Herbs trio includes rosemary, sage and oregano. These herbs are great candidates for sharing and cultivating. Swapping fresh herbs will inspire neighborhood cooks who enjoy adding a dash of brightness and flavor to meals. The Fresh Garden Herbs set also makes a great Good Neighbor Day gift for a neighbor or friend.

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