Have you ever been to a plant swap party? I have. And let me tell ya’, this kind of event has quickly shot up to the top of my “socializing I can handle as an introvert” list.
Let me count the reasons why plant swapping events are worth it:
- You know, for sure, that you have something in common with the other people in attendance;
- You’re very likely to meet people who are passionate (about plants);
- So the conversation will flow easily (usually about plants);
- People are generous (with plants);
- People are curious (about plants);
And somewhat unexpectedly, you’re very likely to meet some humble people. Because let’s face it, you just can’t be a cocky and arrogant human when you know you’ve killed your fair share of houseplants. Plant people aren’t afraid to admit their mistakes, and that’s a refreshing topic we can bond over.
However, my favorite thing about plant swaps, by far, is the satisfying sense of fairness. Unlike some social media plant swap groups where there are regulars that just seem to have their finger hovering over the refresh tab and sweep every single plant offered, at plant swaps you get what you give.
This well-orchestrated dance is made possible by event organizers who work hard to make sure the swap is a success. So let me bring you behind the scenes of organizing a successful plant swap with Fabrizia.
Fabrizia is a fellow plant-lover and the founder of Youplant Amsterdam. Here are her tips and tricks on how to add the finishing touches to a successful plant party.
Hi, Fabrizia. How did you come up with the idea of organizing a plant swap?
I had the idea of organizing a plant swap party three years ago. I was chatting with one of my dearest friends here in the Netherlands about how we were a bit tired of our office jobs. We were both looking for a bit of creativity.
We started to think about what we had in common, and a love of plants was one of our hobbies. If I remember well, I put an ad on Nextdoor (an app that helps you connect to your neighbors) asking if someone wanted to give away some plants, or if they needed a plant sitter when they were going on holiday. I got a lot of replies.
I remember going around Amsterdam on my bike collecting cuttings and plants from people. So I started to research and discovered that plant swap parties were quite famous in the US and in Germany but not so much here. We started reading about how to organize one and started looking for a location. The entire concept came out day by day.
How does a plant swap work, in a nutshell?
It is quite easy: you bring one or more plants, plant accessories (pots, planters, scissors, hangers) or cuttings (the most popular ones) and you can exchange them with the other event participants.
If you bring one item, you get one back. If you bring three items, you can get three back, and so on.
What’s the most important thing to keep in mind if you’re attending a plant swap?
I would say that you know what you bring, but you never know what you are going to get! I saw people bringing very small cuttings and leaving with huge ones … and vice versa.
Are there any plants that are super popular at plant swaps?
There are some plants that are easier to propagate and swap. I think last time we had a lot of small spider plants, Tradescantia zebrina and Pilea peperomioides (or pancake plant). It also depends on who is attending the party. If there are real plant lovers, they look for particular ones. If there are beginners, they will look for whatever looks easy to maintain.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone planning to organize their first plant swap?
Just come to mine. Joking aside, I think you need to do a lot of advertising.
More people = more plants = more fun.
Are there any challenges when organizing a swap?
My biggest challenge at the moment is Covid-19. I already had to cancel two events because of the number of cases going up and last-minute anti-covid measures.
The last one was particularly painful to cancel (actually, it was only postponed) because I sold a lot of tickets, put together amazing sponsors and there was a lot of excitement in the Instagram world.
In normal (corona-free) times, it is important to understand what kind of swap you want to organize. Who is your target audience and what do you want to give as a service to the people attending?
For me, it is important to have plant lovers meet, but also spoil them a bit. Usually the ticket price is affordable (also accessible to students) and you can get a drink, a goodie bag and the chance to win nice prizes in a final raffle.
In general, I think that organizing an event can always be challenging; but for me, it is the best part.
Where can people find you online?
Look for Youplant Amsterdam and you can find me both on Facebook and Instagram. At the moment, I don’t have a website or a blog. Maybe in the future that would be a nice addition.
Thank you so much for your time, Fabrizia!
Photos via Youplant Amsterdam.
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