the plant swap guide
Your first Richmond plant swap.
A plant swap is a free gathering where you trade cuttings and extras with other plant people. No money changes hands. You leave with something new, and someone else leaves with a piece of your plant.
What happens when you walk in.
You walk in free. You wander past tables of local growers and makers, with tropical plants, rare finds, handmade pots, and plant goods.
Somewhere in the room are the swap tables. That's where you trade.
What to bring.
A cutting, a division, or a spare plant you're ready to pass on. Make sure it's healthy and pest-free.
Pot it, or wrap a cutting's cut end in a damp paper towel and tuck it in a cup or bag. A little label helps: the plant's name and how much light it likes.
Bring a tote for what you take home, and a little cash or a card in case a table catches your eye.
Nothing to trade? Come anyway.
Plenty of people show up empty-handed the first time. Browse, ask questions, and shop from the growers and makers.
Next time you'll know exactly which cutting to bring.
How a trade works.
Look for tables with an "open to trade" sign, or just ask. Show what you brought, see what they have, and swap.
Not sure what a plant needs? Ask. Somebody in the room has grown it.
Who you'll meet.
Local growers, makers, and plant people, plus volunteers who can point you to the swap tables. Some events have door prizes, and some run a paid workshop alongside the free browsing.
Kids are welcome. So are first timers.
Find the next swap.
Swaps run roughly every 6 to 8 weeks around Richmond. It's free to walk in, and you can RSVP if you'd like us to know you're coming.
questions
What people ask first.
Yes. Coming to shop, browse, or trade a cutting is free and walk-in. Selling takes a vendor table, and some events also run a ticketed workshop.
No. You can browse and shop without trading anything. If you do want to trade, bring a healthy, pest-free cutting, division, or spare plant.
Healthy, pest-free houseplants and cuttings. Aroids, hoya, succulents, cacti, peperomia, begonia, and plenty of plants nobody can quite name show up.
Roughly every 6 to 8 weeks around Richmond, VA. The events page always has the current calendar.
Yes. Apply for a vendor table. Pricing is on a sliding scale, so someone just starting out isn't priced out.
Yes. Plant lovers of every age are welcome.