Potty's Official Plant Swap is coming to the Northwest...

It is officially 2 weeks until the next Sunshine Plant Collective, and if you are lucky there may even be a few swapper tickets left for you to join in on the main event of the day: a plant swap.

There are a few plant swaps in the northwest and around Manchester, but they are infrequent. The goal of the Sunshine Plant Collective is to create an in-person houseplant community right here in the northwest where folk can socialise, learn, create and grow their houseplant collection.

What is a plant swap?

Great question. When Alex first told me about his ideas for the Sunshine Plant Collective and mentioned the plant swap (a suggestion from the very cool @plantwithlucy), I didn’t really understand what he meant at all. I pictured taking one of my fully-potted houseplants and swapping it with someone else’s pre-loved houseplant and then maybe one day in the distant future we would swap back? The logistics were beyond me.

Now I am far wiser, and this blog post seeks to bestow my wisdom on to you all, future plant swappers!

So, how does a plant swap actually work?

Participants will bring a range of pest-free cuttings of their plants to the swap. You are welcome to bring bigger plants as well, but you are not required to. The cuttings can be fresh or rooted, and we provide a fun little Sunshine Plant Collective ID card for you to tell the person you are swapping with a bit about the condition of your plant.

Now comes the fun bit! A bit like the antiques roadshow, you move between the tables shopping around for which plants you like the look of. Once you have found something you like, you can offer one of your own cuttings to swap for your fellow swapper’s plant. They can accept the swap, request a different plant of your collection, or decline your offer.

You can bring any type of plant to the plant swap, it does not have to be particularly rare or unique. Many swappers will simply be looking to expand their collection. Swappers are well within their rights to decline a swap if they are not interested in what you are offering, though there’s nothing stopping you from bargaining!

Alongside taking home a new and exciting collection of plants, a plant swap is a great way to meet fellow plant lovers, to trade tips and tricks, or just to make a friend! The ID cards provided offer a section for you to pop your socials down so you may stay in touch with other swappers and let them know how their cuttings are getting on. Moreover, the structure of the event encourages you to introduce yourself and your plants to the other swappers in the room, giving you the chance to chat to a bunch of strangers about your shared passion for plants!

There are a few house rules to consider…

- You must make sure your plants are pest-free before the swap.

- Aim to bring around 10-15 cuttings. Remember you will need to transport them to and from the swap!

- Label your plants if possible so that whoever you swap with will be able to find the correct care instructions.

But in short, a plant swap is simple, social and fun! It gives you the opportunity to expand your plant collection and make new plant-y friends whilst you’re at it.

To get a ticket to Potty’s next plant swap on the 12th July click the link here!