Last year during lockdown, many of us found a new love of gardening; pottering in the garden became the new going out! It was great to see an abundance of photos across social media, from prize winning tomatoes to towering sunflowers, the gardening bug was well and truly sown and is expected to grow even bigger this year.
It’s at this time of year when we begin to think about what we would like to grow and see later in the summer. Whether using window boxes, pots, borders, or vegetable patches, now is the right time to put a little planning into what you’d like and to get those seeds planted. With that in mind we want to encourage seed swapping by using the Wild about Sharing boxes launched last year. The project has grown across Frome since the first box was installed, with sharing boxes in the parks and some streets have even come together with their neighbours to build their own, sharing all sorts of useful resources over the last six months, ultimately reducing waste, and supporting neighbourhoods in helping each other.
Alongside the sharing boxes, Caroline Wajsblum, Organiser of the Frome Potato Day and Seed Swap says: “Although COVID-19 may be providing us with some extra challenges this year, Spring is definitely not cancelled! Personally, I’m massively looking forward to getting out in the garden again!! Unfortunately the physical Frome Potato Day and Seed Swap event is cancelled this year, but a COVID-19 safe alternative is being organised.
“You will be able to find out about the new plans for the non contact community seed swap via the Sustainable Frome website and Incredible Edible Frome Facebook page from the 28th February. We hope to bring you some exciting online workshops and will also be sharing the contact information of the wonderful stalls and community groups asap so that you can arrange home delivery of plants and seeds and find out about activities planned for this spring.”
To help with Caroline’s activities, the Town Rangers will also be setting up space next to the sharing box in Victoria Park to allow residents to donate and drop off any seeds, saplings, just sprouted plants in preparation for the seed swap. Maybe you have some seeds harvested from last year or you’ve already germinated one too many and have leftovers that someone could make use of?
Cllr Richard Ackroyd explained: “It’s the perfect time of year to start thinking about what to grow this year. It is possible to grow quite a lot even in a small space, old car tyres make a great planter for potatoes and window boxes are perfect for lettuce, so swapping seeds is a great way to get started. You can even make seed pots out of newspaper and pop them on the windowsill to start to grow”.
If you can provide support or time to volunteer over the first two weeks of March to help with the seed swap do contact the Incredible Edible Frome Facebook page, incredibleediblefrome@gmail.com or 07857437608.
The Wild about Sharing donation table will be set up soon so that you can pop your own spare seeds out, keep an eye out on Frome Town Council’s Facebook page for details. Alternatively you might like to put a sharing table up in your street for seedlings and excess seeds, please contact Hannah, FTC’s Community Development Officer, via email hstopford@frometowncouncil.gov.uk if you would like some help to do this in your street.
