FAQs & Guidelines

The Frequently Asked Questions are a combination of rules and guidelines to make sure that everyone who participates enjoys this site which has been set up for people to voluntarily swap plants with each other, at no cost and for no commercial gain.

The small print stuff
By using the websiteand Google group, you are agreeing to these guidelines and rules. No-one associated with running Chorlton Plant can be held responsible for anything that goes wrong with a swap or any damage or injury to people or property linked to swaps (eg anything from dead plants to Little Shop of Horrors style developments). Any plants or other items swapped are not seen or in any way approved by anyone involved in running Chorlton Plant Swap (by the way, we're all volunteers). Users of Chorlton Plant Swap use the website and Google group at their own risk.

Asking for something
You can ask for a plant or seeds in the Google group. You might have a specific plant in mind that you name or you might be looking for a plant to fulfil a particular need. For instance, something to provide ground cover in a shady spot or a climber for your trellis or something the slugs won't eat (this is Chorlton...).

When someone offers you what you're looking for, offer them something in return. Don't panic too much about like for like, keep it simple. Please follow through with taking up any offers that come your way or get in touch to say you can't. Specific instructions for doing so are written within the Google group itself.

Offering something
You can offer surplus plants, ones you've propagated for swapping or things you don't want anymore. If you've taken cuttings, please make sure they are properly rooted before offering them. Similarly, please make sure any seeds being offered are not out-of-date and have been stored somewhere cool and dry.

If you are offering something, you can also specify that you would like something general or specific in return. Keep it simple. Specific instructions for making offers are written within the forum itself.

Once a swap's been made
To prevent disappointment, once something's been taken or received this should be noted within the Google group. It's always nice for others to see what activity there's been, so if you're not too busy tending to the new arrivals, do go online to share news of your exchange. Thanks!

Do you have to offer to receive? Can you give without receiving?
It's up to you! The idea is we're all helping each other out. But some of us have a ton of plants and others are just starting out so it's good to help each other out.

Doing the swap
Please make arrangements to do swaps directly via email rather than giving your details on the Google group. This is partly to make sure personal details (eg phone number, address) are not left in a public place. It’s up to you whether you want to swap email addresses/phone numbers/addresses. Some people meet somewhere public (eg Unicorn!), some go to each others' houses, some leave a plant labelled with the collector's name outside their house. It's up to you.

State of plants
Whilst not aiming to present Chelsea Flower Show specimens, please make sure that plants you offer are in a decent-ish state, ie not half dead with disease or malnutrition or full of bugs. Cuttings should be well rooted. Seeds should be within their use-by date, having been recently collected or stored in a cool and dry environment.

Commercial business, spamming etc
The website and Google group have not been set up for commercial use. All items must be exchanged free of charge. Commercial sellers may place paid advertisements. Please email chorltonplantswap@googlemail.com for more information.
Spamming is not allowed and anyone doing so will have their account cut.

Non-plant items
We generally stick to plants but you can ask for or offer other garden related items if you like. Remember other items can be given away or requested on websites like Freecycle and Realcycle. Google them. Items deemed inappropriate may be removed by the moderators.

Last but not least: Be nice!
You might find that you don’t have the same ideas about gardening and other related matters as other people. Please keep all discussions polite and correspond as though you were talking to people in real life, with other people listening.

Correspondence to chorltonplantswap@googlemail.com

© Copyright Chorlton Plant Swap.