I am in La Crosse lol-I have only traded with friends. Wouldn't late Spring be a good time?

I agree. Late Spring is a good time. Would you and your friends like to consider doing a swap this Spring? Can have it at my house (Genoa) if you want. What kind of plants do you all grow? What are you looking for?

Anyone interested in seed swaps or round robins? SB

SB: Your offer is intriguing. I would be interested in it all. (And I Have to get my friend Elvis involved;; she's really into seed trading):)

For seeds: I have Giant Nicotiana, shasta daisy, malva (pink and white), lots of poppies (single and peony). There's more but mostly I grow plants and haven't saved too much seed. I will start my 3rd year of winter sowing after Christmas.

Glad to meet 'ya.

Hi- it's your nosey neighbor.... again!
We in MN are planning our second annual Winter Blues Seed Swap where we meet in January some time and swap seeds or other garden related stuff, look at pictures and books, and eat and drink and enjoy each others company! It is a great way to meet the faces that belong to the GW names- and think about warmer- greener days to come!
It is a wonderful get together for our long drawn-out winters that I think you may enjoy adding your own to your Wisconsin "Swap" calander!
Julie

Hi All!

I'm in Madison, and would love to participate in any swaps! Let me know, I travel most anywhere.

Jen

Hey Denise! I didn't spot this forum till yesterday, and my eyes popped! It's about time--there are really a lot of us Wisconsinites on GW. A centrally located swap or a swap in an area folks are interested in visiting--like Eagle River, LOL, would be great.

I am in the SE corner and would be interested in some swaps.
Susan

Me too, if this times out right for me. I'll be around in mid to late May.

I'm about to move to Kenosha.

So glad you folks are here!

Happy New Year to all.

Sandy Hill

I would be interested in some swaps, too!

Sandy Hill - I live in Pleasant Prairie, which is, well, Kenosha! Welcome to the area, you will love it! Wisconsin is a great state.

Sandy

Hi SandyHill. Moving from z8 to z5!! Better get some long underwear! LOL Welcome to the area............SB :)

Thanks y'all.
So many "Sandy" people in this neck of the woods... I feel at home even now...LOL

Long underwear, check. In fact I grew up in NH, zone 4, about an hour from Canada, so I know the drill. I'm going to miss days like today here, lots of sun & close to 60, but I will NOT miss the salt laden, gale winds twice a week, or the long hot summer. Zone 8 is nice, but coastal growing has its own stress. I was struck by the great trees in WI. Down here they blow over before they get that tall.

I do see a greenhouse in my future.

Plant Swaps..........

1. I will be in SE Wisconsin on the weekend of May 20\21 for the Herb Fair. Would anyone be interested in hosting a plant swap in that area?

2. SW WI.....I can host a plant swap on Saturday, May 27th or Sunday, May 28th. I live just south of La Crosse, WI.

This is how it works: you bring your plants, seeds, gardening stuff to trade. Be sure the items are labeled so people know what they are. Bring boxes or something to hold your new "babies". You all could post here before the swap to say what you are planning to bring.

Any thoughts on this? SB

Hi SandiB,
I would consider a trip down in spring. Of course the kids are in so darn many activities that I can never promise, depends on the date I guess. My old garden club in Dodgeville/Mineral point has a wonderful plant sale (It's either the 2nd or 3rd weekend in May on a Sat am). Great plants, large variety, very very cheap. Us northerners would love to hit two things at once. When you pick a date, please lmk and even if I end up not being able to come I can e-mail those people and also my pals for the Lancaster/Fennimore clup and maybe get some more people for you swap. Thanks for organizing this, I know things like this can be very time consuming.
Catrina

If there is enough interest, I would be pleased to host a plant swap on Saturday, May 27th, 1pm. This is Memorial Day weekend. This is a lovely drive along the Mississippi, too!

At other swaps, I have received some amazing plants.

Anyone else?

20-21 May SE sounds good to me.

Sandy are you in Genoa on Highway 35, I am right down the road in Lynxville!

Bill

LOL Hey there again. Bill, check out the RR thread. I just posted there, wondering if you were from Lynxville. I guess so! Such a lovely drive. It's nice to have a few people on this side of the state to garden with, too. :)
Yup, I live in Genoa.

So....what do you do in your garden? Are you on the bluff or by the River?...................SB

Sandi: I just love the bluffs, I am right on the top of Highway E on the bluff. Just a side note, I love the way they pronounce some of the cities names in our area. G know ah! That kills me.

I had to do some soil improvement; I have solid heavy clay. The farmers by me grow very nice corn on it, but my tiller cannot get through this dense material. So I trucked some topsoil from another part of my yard and added a dump truck load of manure. Now I can break the soil up to plant. You cannot dig up the soil with a shovel; youÂll break the handle.

I like veggies, raise potato, hot peppers, toms, and the usual stuff.

Now this year I am going to plant lots of flowering plants for the wildlife and my personal enjoyment. I would rather watch the birds than TV. I am going to try and sprout the sunflowers I feed the birds. If I can than I am planting a 50 lb. bag of them. If they donÂt eat them all, IÂll dry them in the pole barn and feed them over the winter.

Hey there, I got your email. If you like how we say Ge NO a, try New BER lin or o CON omowoc. I love how they say that on national TV--- O con OM owoc!! Too funny. :)

We, too, have heavy clay. (the farmers inform me that the clay is an advantage-- when it rains, all the soil sticks to the bluff.) I started working it with a pick axe, but then I decided to go the Ruth Stout way and build above the soil. Manure is definitely the way to go. Breaks down nicely and grows amazing plants!

I just bought a bag of striped sunflowers seeds. Planning to grow them enmasse.

If you are in the area the 4th weekend in May, think about joining a plant swap at my house. If I get enough people interested, I will host the plant swap. SB :)

Hi, Sandi. I'm trying to find Genoa on the map. A clue?

Constance.

LOL, Elvis, you're cracking me up! :) Go to La Crosse. Turn south on Hy 35, follow the river. Drive 20 miles, through Stoddard and to Genoa. It is a lovely little Italian fishing village. Don't forget to stop on by! :) SB

I know this is not the greatest subject to bring up, but my mom is buried in the Genoa cemetery-now THAT is hard to find!!! It used to scare me when I was a kid. I did notice that there is wild geranium growing all over up there-very pretty....

Hey Sandi,
Elvis has started talk of a northern swap. How bout you bring a group up and we'll bring a group down?
Cat

Where would you like to meet? SB

Actually I was thinking of 2 different swaps, different dates, but meeting is an intreguing idea too. I'm thinking somewhere like Madison, you know in the middle. Or, I know this would be hard to plan and would probably take more than one day, but what about a garden round robin. Caravan around the state. I know, probably dreaming.
Catrina

Have you all thought about meeting at a park, centrally located? Maybe near the Dells?

I went to a swap last year in Caledonia which met in a park. We met at the gazebo, set out our boxes of plants and started collecting with other boxes\bags that we brought. ............SB

I'd like to see this happen too. For us Northerners, how about North Central Wisconsin---Wausau maybe?

Yes, of course north central WI would be good for several of us. Madison isn't centrally located state-wise. Let's see--what is central? When I look at a map of the state, I'm seeing Stevens Point...or Wausau.

Any thoughts? This would be a hike for folks without good interstate highway access. For example, 35 miles of country driving and Periwinkle and I are on the depressway; then it's a piece of cake. But! If you don't have easy access to 51, 35, 45, 29, etc. the drive can get long.

Con.

Howdy neighbors-
I waned to let you know there are dates for Twin Cities metro area swaps being posted in the MN Forum- As far as I know- all are welcome!
Check it out-
Julie

Hi everyone. I am a newbie to this site, but really excited about starting wintersowing and the swaps. Sandibluffs, you mentioned an herb fair in Mequon in May. That is ten minutes from my house. Would you share more info about it. I have never heard of it. My friend used to do a large swap at her home in Cedarburg, but now just sets them out at the road for people to take as they are passing by. Another of my friends in Cedarburg planted over 20,000 evergreens on her property and lets me take seedlings if I want. I don't have much of anything right now, but am interested in the swaps. Thank you for any info on the herb fair.

The Mequon Herb Fair is held at Concordia College, Saturday before Memorial Day, 9a-12. They sell herbs, herbal products and have a wonderful kids activity section. Not as busy after 10a. Maybe I'll see you there! SB

WOW Glad to run across this site! Catrina from the north country _is that you? It's Mary from Lancaster. Long time no see. We need to do something about that!

SB _ I'm just down the road. Would love to do a swap up your way. I like the idea of two swaps. Is there a chance you would consider another date to avoid holiday traffic? I would likely come anyway but sometimes that river road can be a bear with tourists.

I enjoy visitors and the opportunity to see other gardens _so anyone in the area please keep me in mind. My primary interest is perennials, sun and shade gardening, and annuals. I have lots of stone in my garden!

hostamary, welcome to the boards! Do you have pictures of your garden?

Hi putzer_

Thank you for the welcome. I'm lacking in photos. BUT I looked at your photos. They are fabulous. VERY inspirational. What camera did you use?

Hi again,
Hi Mary! Yup it's me. I thought that might be you, I saw you on a couple of other posts. Sandy are you still thinking of doing one on Memorial day weekend. We don't have any definate plans yet, but we usually go camping that weekend. Going south could still be a possibility. Elvis, if something does take shape in the Wausau area please lmk as I don't get back to the forum as often as I'd like to. How bout the top or Rib Mt. That might be fun. Or if your making a Sam's run lmk, I'd love a visit from any of you guys.
Catrina

COOL! I just noticed that gardenweb has a WI forum! I live in Onalaska, WI, close to a bunch of you! This will be our fourth summer at our first house, so we have a lot of new gardens. I am very anxious for when our perennials are large enough to divide and share! If there is still talk of a SW swap, count me in! I could divide some of our hostas, irises need thinning out in some places, etc.

Glad I found you!

LD

Hi everyone, I am going to do the swap on Saturday, May 27th, 2pm. How does that sound to everyone? I thought about Friday, May 26th, too. Any thoughts?

If you can come, of course, you should bring ALL your garden friends with you , as well. :) SB

Hi LD-you live right up the hwy from me! Welcome to WI forum :)

Sandi, I was just thinking about you-haven't seen you on the forums lately. May 27th sounds great!

Hey there, Putzer. I have been quite busy this season. With the weather getting warmer, I am really busy!!!

I have lots of little plants that I have to transplant shortly. I will be unavailable for 2 weeks, so I hope they don't all die!!!!!!!!!

Yall be sure to post here if you can make it to the swap. TY SB

Sandi--sounds like so much fun; but it's a bit of a hike, esp. on M-day weekend. This tourist town goes nuts, and that means a LOT of folks will be on the highway, headed here...

Catrina, Wausau sounds very do-able. There should be others in central and northern WI who could come--maybe later in the summer? Rib Mt. does sound good--

Con.

Hi Sandi (and everyone else),
Rats looks like I can't make it but was so close. We have to go to Iowa for a graduation so I'll be passing by late of Fri night and then again on Monday. I'm so far behind there are plants everywhere wanting to be taken care of and or planted. There is a great private plant sale here in the wausau area this weekend. If you get off on Hwy N and go north on Rib Mt. Dr. (the shopping strip) look for Aldi's and then you should start to see her signes. I got tons of great plants at very reasonable prices. Lots of great contributing gardeners come to this sale.
Anyway about the possible trade on Rib Mt any thoughts on dates? Here's what weekends I still have open; 3rd weekend of June, 3rd weekend of July, and so far Aug is open.
Catrina