When she bought her house on West Boulevard in 2004, Betty Wagner faced a yard that had seen years of neglect.

Since then, it's been ripped up, replanted and whipped back into shape, partially with the help of the Rapid City Garden Club's annual plant share.

The event, which took place last month, has allowed Wagner, who is the president of the club, and other local gardening enthusiasts to exchange plants, seeds and advice for a fraction of the cost.

"I always get some nice things," Wagner said. "I bring house plants and some outdoor plants and I always get something I can use for my yard."

At the exchange, people who brought plants to swap were allowed to pick out four free plants, or people could buy coupons for plants for a $1 donation. There were house plants, outdoor plants, seeds, gardening materials and plenty of advice to be had.

"We wanted everyone to have a selection of something," she said.

Buying plants from local gardeners is a chance to buy more mature plants for a lot less money, she said.

"A lot of people don't have the space to start seeds indoors," Wagner said. "Some people just don't have the money and they want some nicer plants And you can spend $100 in the blink of an eye (at a nursery) and not have a lot to show for it."

While the garden club's plant share event is over, it's never too early to start prepping your plants and seeds for swaps next spring or with friends anytime.

To keep seeds in good condition, Rick Abrahamson of the Pennington County Extension Office recommends storing them in a cool, dry location. Most seeds keep best between 40 and 50 degrees and need to be kept in a sealed container to keep moisture out. Abrahamson recommends keeping them in the refrigerator's crisper in a sealed jar.

While seed and plant swaps can be a cost-saver, Abrahamson warned that the quality of the plant may not be as high as ones bought from a seed company.

"Your seeds typically, especially at the seed swaps, are not going to be true to variety," he said, because the genetics will be altered. "Somebody has harvested the seed from the plant, but it's not going to be the same as the parent plant."

There is a bit of a risk that the seeds won't grow, he said. However, properly cared for and stored, seeds can last for four or five years.

Tips for starting

a plant from seed

y Start the seed early in an indoor container, such as a flat or pot. If you use a flat, you can pick out the healthiest plants to transplant into a pot or garden.

y Seeds should be planted about a third of the width of the seed deep, generally. Some seeds must be planted closer to the surface in order to absorb enough light.

y Make sure your soil is moist, but not waterlogged.

y Know what temperature your seeds grow best at. Some seeds require warmer temperatures and thrive best under lights or in a sunny window. Others need a cooler location to germinate.

y Find out if your seed needs any special treatment, such as scarification (scratching the seed coat) or stratification (a treatment that mimics a more natural growth environment).

y If you aren't concerned about extending the growing season of your plant, most seeds will grow well in the ground and do not require being started indoors.

Source: Rick Abrahamson, Pennington County Extension Office

Contact Savannah Cummings at 394-8426 or savannah.cummings@rapidcityjournal.com