Saving seeds from your favorite plants and swapping them with friends is one of the best ways to share your love of gardening. Why save seeds? It can be economical, since a single flower can generate dozens or even hundreds of seeds. And it lets you keep your favorite flowers or crops growing next year.

Now is the time to harvest those open-pollinated and heirloom seeds. Remember that all heirloom plants are open-pollinated plants. As you close up your garden for the year, many of the plants have seed pods just waiting for harvest. For simple guidelines, check out the Farmer's Almanac website.

The fourth annual Seed Swap and Saving Seeds Workshop is planned for Saturday, Jan. 26 at Knox & Lincoln Counties Extension, 377 Manktown Road in Waldoboro. If a snow date is needed, it is planned for the following Saturday, Feb. 2. The program is planned for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Master Gardener Jean Vose begins the workshop with a short slide show covering the history and reasons for saving seeds.

Guidelines for swapping seeds: Please do not bring seed collected from hybrid plants, as they won't grow true to type; no GMO seed. Please do bring any special growing instructions; ex. full sun, moist soil, shade; bring perennial, annual or biannual seeds. Bring flower, herb or vegetable seeds.

This workshop is free and open to the public. Coffee, tea and light refreshments will be served.  For directions to the Extension office, visit the website https://extension.umaine.edu/knox-lincoln/directions and please park in the rear of the building.

For more information or questions about this event, call Jean Vose at 563-7564 or contact her at godslove@tidewater.net.