Again, wish you all the best, but I simply can't. I am in charge of the lawn and garden department at the local Alco. I have to be there, particularly on spring weekends. :)

Nice to see you back, Charlene. :)

Charlene,

Thanks for hosting again this year. I missed the fall swap, but will be there on the 9th. Cabin fever is killing me. Gloria

I hope to be there with a few tomatoes, basil, peppers and stuff.

Hello,

Glad to hear from everyone about coming to the swap.

Jennifer, I'm really sorry and I feel bad for those that can't make the 9th but that seems to be the only weekend I am able to host.

After years (and thousands of $) my son is getting his black belt in Taekwondo and we are really tied up with preparation and testings (up in Breckenridge) the month of May. The only other weekend is Memorial Day holiday.

I could pull some stuff aside for anyone that can't be there.

Can't WAIT for spring!

Charlene

Congrats to your son.

I may be able to attend-- possibly with my 2-year-old in tow this year if DH is traveling by then. She's a bit more up for a drive these days, and I think she'll be reasonably well behaved.

Well...we switched our travel plans!

I really enjoy the swaps and getting together with like-minded folks, especially such a nice group such as yourselves!

So, we will be there.

I already know that I'll have strawberries and raspberries and we shall see what is available as the date gets closer.

I accidentally gave one raspberry plant to two people at the fall swap. I had offered it to someone but I thought they had changed their mind. And then, I gave it to someone else who was unable to take it because the first person really did want it. My bad!! I'd like to offer another raspberry to that person. Just let me know if you'd like one or two.

so excited....

Jennifer

I will probably be there. I probably won't have too much to trade except for a few houseplant cuttings, alas, but will certainly be willing to adopt a few plants so they won't be homeless.

I'm looking forward to this!

Ooo, I'd like to come, too. Sign me up! :D

I won't be able to come. There's no way to get there.

I intend to be there! I cant wait.

I would like to come, but will have no idea if it will be feasible until we get closer. That is finals week, I start a new job today, Target, and they expect me to work Saturdays, then there is the regional playoffs for baseball, if the team makes it, and my mother's birthday. I will have to let you know when we get closer.

Billie

I would love to come, but will likely have to work that day. :( Maybe the next one!

Nice to see people interested in the swap :)

I planted a bed of spinach with a row cover over it today. We'll see if it makes it to the spring swap to use home grown spinach for my salad! Two years ago it was awesome but last year it didn't work out. We'll see!

Charlene

It's too bad I can't get there. I could have brought a peach pie, made from my own peaches.

Everything I've read says to start spinach, lettuce, and peas pretty much now. This week I'm definitely getting some seeds going.

Hi all,

I was out for a while today potting up some things and sticking cuttings of other things for the Spring Swap, and it reminded me that when I did that first post about the swap I forgot to put in that IÂm about 98% certain IÂll be able to make it to this one again. IÂm senior enough by nowÂfinallyÂthat I have at least some realistic idea of what schedule IÂll be able to get for the following month, and IÂm on "reserve" in May, which means the only thing IÂm bidding for is which days off IÂll have, so I have high hopes. Keep your fingers crossed for me, and IÂll let you all know for sure near the end of April.

IÂm not gonna post what IÂm bringing yet, because I want to wait till IÂm sure theyÂre gonna make it, but so far I have 40 plants, and I KNOW some of them will make itÂand probably most. HavenÂt even started digging up the mums and other old stuff IÂm gonna dig to divide or give awayÂwhich is good, because I need to go get another bale of soil before I do that! And, in the unlikely event that I canÂt make it to this one, IÂll be sure to find a way to get everything there.

For those of you who have said you need to wait till closer to the swap to see if you can make it, fingerÂs crossed for you.

And for those of you who wonÂt be able to make it to this one, set your sights on the Fall Swap, which will probably be the beginning of September again. And when youÂre dividing things over summer, be sure to stick a little piece in a pot for the Fall Swap! :-)

7½ weeks till The Day!
Skybird

I plan to be there. I enjoyed it very much last year. Thankyou for your hospitality again this year Charlene. You have such a beautiful setting -- it will help us all to be inspired to get things growing.

Connie

I'll be bringing a friend! She is also a Nederland-ite. She won't have plants to swap--I'm almost positive, but if I know her, she'll bring something good to eat!

Sooooooo looking forward to this swap!

J.

Well I was out today potting up a few more things, and the things I did the other day are almost all looking really good, so IÂm virtually certain theyÂre gonna make it. So hereÂs a beginning list of the things IÂm bringing to the swap. These are all styrofoam cup size! There are still a few things IÂm not too sure about, so IÂll wait to post them later!

8 Â Geranium dalmaticum ÂCompact RoseÂ, Dwarf Cranesbill

5 Â Anemone sylvestris, Snowdrop anemone

1 Â Alcea rosea - mixed colors, single hollyhock

1 Â Coreopsis auriculata ÂNanaÂ, Dwarf Coreopsis

8 Â Sedum pachyclados

6 Â Sedum spurium ÂTricolorÂ

4 Â Sedum reflexum ÂBlue SpruceÂ

5 Â Sedum ÂAngelinaÂ

6  Sempervivum, Hen and Chicks  since I donÂt know the names of most of the varieties I have, IÂve assigned them letters! This one is variety/letter ÂDÂ. Those of you who have gotten hen & chicks from me before will need to check to see if this is different from those youÂve gotten in the past. These are nice little plants. When I divided ÂD last fall, I stuck 6 little bunches of the leftovers into a corner of the garden so they could root over winter. I just dug them up and put them in cups todayÂnicely rooted! Since hen & chicks can vary so much, hereÂs a pic of this one in its winter color.

IÂll post pics of the other things IÂm bringing on a separate "picture" thread so the pics donÂt slow this thread down too much.

Skybird

Here is a link that might be useful: Picture Thread to go with Spring Swap thread!

Well, I still don't know for sure if I can come or not, but DH is going to try and catch a Friday flight instead of a Saturday one, so as soon as he purchases his ticket, I'll let you know if I'm coming.

I hope that I'm able to make it, because I've already potted up a couple of things to bring!

Bonnie

Lilacs, where do you live? I will (most likely) be coming from Lafayette. If you are somewhere in between Lafayette & Castle Rock, perhaps I could swing by and give you a ride or maybe someone else is close by where you are located. Let us know & perhaps we can help get you there.

Thanks! I think I probably am on the way. I live in Aurora near Mississippi and Peoria. That's only about a mile west of I-225. I would really like to go. Maybe I can bring that peach pie at that.

IÂm wondering about your upcoming "plant swap" in Castle Rock, COÂ is that more of a private event, where everyone already knows everyone? Or, is it a big huge deal where people come from all over the place? Can newbie's go?

I'm in Woodland Park, CO. Not too far away. The problem is, I'm still really new to this area, and having some trouble getting a handle on this 'high altitude' situation. What I really need to do is connect with some more experienced gardeners in my area... because at this point, I've basically researched myself past to point of confusion. And the search engine isn't working now... it's driving me nuts.

I have all kinds of things I could trade... but have never been to a plant swap before. I accidentally started way to many seeds last month... baby plants have already taken over my kitchen, and it's too cold to kick them outside. I have gobs of seeds that I've never even tried yet. I went a little overboard on a recent plant order that will be here by April 25th. (Please tell me I'm not the only person who has done this.) And then there are those nice established perennials that need to be thinned out anyway. (Will I even be able to dig those up by May up here, or will it still be too cold?)
I'm so stir crazy for winter to be over. It's nice outside just long enough for spring fever to kick in... and now today we're having another blizzard.

convexles,
I have never been to a swap before, and I haven't met these nice folks yet (except one) and I AM going to the swap. I'm very much looking forward to it. Reading the swap threads from last year, even if you didn't have anything to trade, you would be welcome.

I'm about an hour's drive east from you in Falcon. One of the little tomatoes in my basement will be moving to a friend's house in WP when it's safe to send it west.. She's not an experienced gardener though. She might try a salad garden for the first time this year. The tomato will likely be in a pot on her deck.

This weather is so frustrating after having all those nice warm days in January, February & March. Now that it's not way too early to start some things, it's way to cold!

Here is a link that might be useful: Tales of a Transplanted Gardener

GreenBean,
I am right there with you! I managed to restrain myself from planting in February because I have finally been around long enough to know this would happen... These snowstorms are still frustrating though!

I'd like to come if the party is still open. Do we have a sign up sheet for the potluck or anything? I don't want to be the 5th person bringing potato salad. :)

I will have a few lavenders, a few cherokee purple tomatoes, some hollyhocks (i think!) and maybe a few more. Looking forward to meeting everyone!

SisterK, are you interested in picking up another straggler? I would love to go but we're down to 1 vehicle which hubby will be taking to work that day, and can't tell at this point if I'm going to have ANY plants to bring... Wintersowing only started for me during our big March snowstorm (didn't want to have everything sprout in the early March weather that we always have, so I like to wait until the first March storm), and I have some seeds inside that are either slow starters or suffering from the dreaded damping off (a couple have sprouted).

MIGHT have--plants will be small though:
*generic red tomatoes, and maybe some others. Does anybody else plant 83 seeds and 47 varieties even though they only have room for 6 plants!?! (and if you deny it, we'll all know you're fibbing!!)
*pansies
*petunias
*variety of peppers
*basil--maybe?

dryad58, will you please earmark a Cherokee Purple Tomato for me? I have tried starting some, but they haven't sprouted for me (grr!)

I look forward to my first swap!

Hi Convex! Welcome to RMG! Anybody who finds their way here to RMG is invited to the Swaps, so you are definitely invited! We just started having the swaps in spring of Â07, and none of us knew each other at the first one! Well, actually, those of us who were regularly posting on RMG felt like we already knew each otherÂbut we had never met in person!

I checked, and you have Private Messaging enabled on your GardenWeb account (and an email address listed), so when we get closer to the swap, Charlene will be contacting everyone via either a PM or email, and a week or so before the swap sheÂll be emailing her address and directions to her house to those who plan to come.

Dryad, the only cutoff limit for coming to the swap is to let us know in time for Charlene to contact you for an email address and send you the directions! I checked and you have PMing enabled, so watch for a post from her. I donÂt know if sheÂll PM everybody individually or if sheÂll ask you to PM her with your email address. ArenÂt you up in Cheyenne? Are you really gonna drive all the way down? Last year Bonnie drove in from Silt (on the Western Slope) and weÂre hoping sheÂll be able to again this spring, and another person who rarely posts here drove in from the Colorado/Kansas border. Now weÂre spreading out to the north!

MayBerry, welcome to RMG to you too! The same as I said aboveÂwatch for a post from Charlene about if sheÂs gonna PM everybody for addresses or if she wants you to PM her. She doesnÂt have time to do much posting around here right now, but sheÂll be back! And with your seedlings, be careful to not keep them too wet. By the time you can see something coming up, you should already be leaving the surface of the soil dry before watering them again. A lot of people bring small seedlings to the Spring Swap. The Fall Swap is usually more perennial divisions.

Our potluck sort of just "happened!" At the first swap at CharleneÂs house, she said sheÂd make a spinach salad, and then some of the people who didnÂt have plants to bring said they were gonna bring something to eat, and then some others who brought plants brought food too, so weÂve just sort of kept up the tradition, and anybody who wants to bring something, does. WeÂve never had any sort of a list of whoÂs bringing what, but if you know for sure what youÂre bringing and want to post it here, itÂll give others a heads up. One thing I have noticed is that we always get plenty of dessert-type thingsÂnot that I want people to quit bringing them since I love sweets!

For all of you, read the second post at the top of this thread for more info on how the swap works, and if you still have any questions, come ask.

AndÂfor those of you who havenÂt signed in on the WhoÂs Here thread yet, come tell us a little more about yourselves!

Only about 4 more weeks,
Skybird

Here is a link that might be useful: Who's Here in 2009?

Mayberry - I'd be happy to save one of those for you.

Skybird - I was in Wyoming for a few years, but we've moved down to Colorado. I'm still a ways away, but it's definitely not a two hour drive anymore :)

Charlene, can you add me to the email list please. I'm still way up in the air about whether or not I can come - family issues and school events, and now a possible short notice trip to Oklahoma may be coming up.

Thanks
Jen

Sister K & Mayberry, I'm also a newby in Lafayette (and based on her pics about 2 blocks away from Sister K - catty corner from the Lion's Gate/Dovehouse). I was hoping to carpool too. I hadn't committed to the swap yet cuz I have a wedding in Houston and a graduation in Flagstaff (AZ), but with the economy I'm not betting on plane tix to either. So SS'09 is WINNING! Nothing to swap yet as I am puzzled by collecting the seeds. Something I hope to learn more about at the swap! I'll bring something for the PL. I look forward to getting more information!

Good news! DH is coming back from his trip on the Wednesday, or Thursday before the swap, so I should be able to come.

Since there's less than a month until the swap, should we start a thread for posting what you'll be bringing (plants and/or food), or wishlists?

Can't wait to see some familiar faces, and meet some new ones!

Bonnie

I cant make it to the swap after all. My dad has kidney disease but is in the early stages so I am flying back home to the Seattle area to spend time with him and the rest of my family. I'm sorry I will miss yet another swap :( I hope you all have a lot of fun sharing plants, yummy food and conversation. I will miss you guys!

Hello there!

Swap time is getting closer! We were gone for two weeks and now have two baby girls in our care so life's been a bit busy.

I will work on getting out a mass email to everyone with directions and details in the next couple of weeks. If your email address is not on your "my page" then you'll need to send me a private email through "my page" so I can get the info to you.

Glad to see all who can come!

Azura-I'm so sorry to hear about your Dad. We live so close if there's anything you want we can save for you. We live so close I'd love to get together with you another time.

Looking forward to it!

Charlene

Oh wow, this site is officially the most lucky find I've EVER run across on Google! I'd absolutely looooove to go. This is my second post to be made on this site, so I know I'm a complete stranger, but I'd really really enjoy going. I don't know if I'd have anything to bring plant-wise as I just moved in to a small apartment, but I can bring food and it all sounds like so much fun! :)

Charlene,
looking forward to the swap, I think I can be there, I have to work 1/2 day.

anyone want rhubarb?

I definately plan on coming. I'm not sure what I'll have to bring yet, but I have lots growing so I should have a good variety. I'll be coming from Boulder & will be happy to pick anyone up along the way. Just let me know.

Wow! I finally got around to making a list of possible attendees, and I came up with 20 hope to be there plus a couple more might be able to come! If that really happens, itÂll be the biggest Spring Swap weÂve had yet! For those of you that are new to RMG, this will be the third year for our swaps.

Azura, IÂm sorry you wonÂt be able to make it. Fingers crossed you can come to the Fall Swap. I hope youÂre able to have a good time when you see your family. If thereÂs anything I post that IÂm bringing that youÂd like to have, let me know and Charlene can hold it for you.

AndÂall you newbies that hope to make it to the swap, come on over to the WhoÂs Here in 2009 thread and tell us a little bit about yourselves! ThatÂs one of the ways we get to know each other around here! And if you have time to read the whole thread, youÂll find out a little bit about the other folks around here. And if you donÂt have a "public" email address listed on your bio page, be sure you send Charlene a Private Message with your email address so she can send you the directions to her house.

It wonÂt be long now! For those of you that are bringing divisions, try to get them in pots now so they have a couple weeks to grow some new roots.

See you all soon,
Skybird

Here is a link that might be useful: Who's Here in 2009?

I don't have anything to swap, but I might show up just to meet everyone. Thanks, Charlene, for hosting. Holly

Charlene, I will be coming to the swap and bringing a neighbor. Cyndi

I found out this week that I have a friend from VT coming to visit that weekend so there will be one more if that's ok :-)

Hello, everyone! I am coming out of hibernation finally at this point in the year. I would like to try to attend the swap again this year, but I am not 100% sure at this point. We were planning on buying a house this May so I didn't start really anything because I did not want to move it. But now, it seems that the move date is going to be pushed back into June and I am pining for plants I didn't start. I am planning on buying a lot of plants for when we do finally move.

So I would like to come, but I will not have anything to trade except maybe some strawberries or maybe some rhubarb starts from seed. If I come I will be bringing something to eat and holding back to pick up any straggling plants when everyone else has had their picks.

No hanging back allowed, Lindy! I swear, the biggest problem we have at the swaps is getting people to take the plants!!! At the very first swap at CharleneÂs house, Spring Â07, we couldnÂt get anybody to say what they wanted! You were there! Remember, everybody just kind of stood there and wouldnÂt admit they wanted anything! I thought I was gonna have to bring half of my stuff back home that time!

SoÂitÂs the same for everybody, Lindy! (That includes you, Holly/H Giest!) Whether youÂre able to bring plants or not, you get an equal chance to get what you want. If you see something posted on the "picture" thread that you want, say so! IÂm bringing over 80 plants already, and there will be more! And IÂm SO not the only one bringing stuff! There will be plentyÂlike there always is. (And I, for one, definitely donÂt want to wind up bringing anything back homeÂthat I brought!) Whatever you get, you can always pot it up into bigger pots if necessary to keep it until you move into your new home! June isnÂt that far away!

Why donÂt you post your strawberries and possible rhubarb seedlings over on the picture thread. IÂm SURE somebody will be interested in the strawberries. They always seem to go!

And everybody else! Check out the swap Picture Thread where people are starting to post what they hope to bring (with or without pictures!), and if you see something you know for sure you want, let the person/people know, and theyÂll mark it for you.

So far, including "guests," IÂm showing 28 people who hope to come!

Skybird

P.S. Charlene, just to let you know, IÂm bringing name tags, sign in sheets, and the "numbers" again!

Here is a link that might be useful: Picture Thread to go with the Swap Thread!

Gonna bump this up again since weÂre heading into the home stretch!

If youÂre seeing this for the first time and would like to come, let us know immediately. If your actual email address isnÂt public on your bio page, PM it to Charline or me so we have a way to contact you.

If you know what youÂre bringing (or hope to be bringing) and havenÂt done so yet, please go to the Spring Swap Picture thread and let us know what you might have.

If you havenÂt yet, go to the picture thread and see if thereÂs anything youÂd like to have reserved for youÂand let the person whoÂs bringing it know that youÂd like to have it.

The weather prediction for Saturday, as of now, is for temps in the mid 70's! We have been SO lucky at past swaps, so letÂs all keep our fingers crossed that theyÂre right and we have another beautiful day.

See you all soon,
Skybird

Here is a link that might be useful: Picture thread to go with swap thread!

I'm back online!!!!! I contacted admin again this morning and I don't know what I did differently but deleted old files, history, cookies, etc. (again) but this time it worked!

I'll go to the other threads too.

Can't wait til Saturday!

Charlene

Waaaahhhh. I don't get to go after all, I have to go out to the airport at 2. I will miss getting to meet everyone who wasn't at the fall swap. Have fun for me and post lots so I can pretend I was there :-)

Dafy/Jen

Any chance you can head down to Castle Rock after you go out to the airport?

We'll miss you, Dafy,
Skybird

No because about an hour after I get back, I need to pick up my 15-year-old who is helping a friend with her hair for prom. My roomie didn't bother to check the calendar when she booked her flight, she just knew to schedule it for sometime in the afternoon since I work nights. I can't get too mad, she's going to Oklahoma to help get my other mom sorted and packed to move into an assisted living facility, which is more important. :-)

Hi Dafy,

Is there anything thatÂs been posted that youÂd like us to hold for you so you could pick it/them up sometime? IÂd be glad to bring them homeÂyou know where I liveÂor IÂm sure Charlene wouldnÂt mind hanging onto some things for you to pick up if youÂd rather go that wayÂI think you might be closer to her than me. If you want to drive up hereÂwhen IÂm home and not sleep walkingÂI could show you my garden in spring, or if you came when IÂm on a trip, I could tell you where I put themÂand you could still tour the yard by yourself!

WeÂre running out of time, so let me knowÂemail a listÂif thereÂs something you want.

WeÂll be looking for you at the Fall Swap!
Skybird

Dafy/Jen, I'll be going to the swap and would be happy to transport plants back to you. We live so close that there's no reason you should do without! (Yes, I'm being an enabler) Seriously, it would be a pleasure!

Conace/Connie

Thanks for thinking of me :-) Skybird, I finally had a chance to send you an email if there are any leftovers.

Connie we love enablers :-)

I had a wonderful time today -- sorry I couldn't stay longer! I would have loved to take home a few more plants... But my loss is someone else's gain.

The food was great, the company was great, and the plants were great! Thank you, everyone, for your generosity.

I hope to see everyone again at the fall swap. And I hope I won't be so tightly scheduled, so that I won't be so stressed out.