Recently a friend shared a meme that had a picture of a sketchy looking window-less van with the words “Free Plants” on it with the caption, “This is how they get me.” I laughed, and found it all too relatable.
I was already starting to collect house plants before the pandemic began, however my interest and knowledge about them continues to increase as I have more time to spend at home tending to my collection and researching answers on how to best keep my plants happy and thriving. (And in turn, this seems to help keep me happy and somewhat thriving despite the dumpster fire that is 2020.)
If you are a plant lover like me, I have some awesome news for you: did you know there is a rapidly growing local group on Facebook created specifically for plant lovers who’d like to grow their collection through trading? It’s true! There is! You can request to join the Fresno Plant Swap Group here.
The group’s founder, Lacey, who started the group this past September says she created the group because she loves collecting plants and expanding the variety in her collection, and she wants to help plant-lovers connect with one another and make new friends.
Though the group is less than three months old, there are already 389 local members and the group is hosting twice monthly plant exchanges at the Safe Exchange Zone located in the parking lot just West of Signature Theater at Manchester Center. (Northeast Corner of Shields and Blackstone, near the 41 freeway.) To participate, swap-goers simply have to rsvp to the event in the Facebook group, then gather their plants, baby plants propagated from other plants or clippings and meet at the designated location.
No sales are allowed, all plant exchanges, trades and gifts made are to be completely free. Group members can also offer plants for trade or request to trade for specific varieties on the Facebook group at anytime. Most members do this via porch pick up, and all guests at the recent plant swap which I personally attended were wearing masks and being conscientious of distancing, and since the event was outdoors it felt relatively low-risk Covid-wise.
The group is looking forward to continuing to grow, as as the founder says, “the more the merrier, as the more people participating, the greater variety of plants we’ll all get to enjoy!”
If you’re a plant-fan, come join the group and I hope to swap with you soon!
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