Annual Exchange Event
THE EVENT is scheduled for Saturday February 8th 2025 10:30am
Arrive if wanting and able to help with setup arrive a little earlier.
I have quickly modified the old exchange event page for this June event. So there will be some typeos
IF interested in being notified for future events, fill out our contact us form lower on this page.
Registration only page <- Click here>
On Saturday Feb 8th 2025 we will be having our annual Scion wood exchange event.
The Event day in 2025
This will be done differently than our prior scion wood / grafting events and different from any other CRFG Chapter in the past. You are encouraged to bring anything garden-related from cuttings to seeds to unneeded pots, books, tools, and make them available to others. We ask that on items in short supply take minimal, so others can also get something.
We will be giving some 2.75 gallon pots per person. We will also have some white food grade buckets (originally held frosting) with lids from 2 gallon to 3 gallon size. Limited to one per group. While supplies last. Great for storing – food stuffs, pet food, legos , toys, whatever you want.
Register for Saturday’s event at: https://southoccrfg.org/exchange-event/
Five nursery-type pots 2.5 gallon size (they have no holes in them. remember to drill at least 5 holes on them to be used for plants.)
We recommend bringing some used grocery bags to use to put stuff in. If you have extras of those bring them as well.
We will have a number of Seed packets to give out.. Every person attending can get one packet of Each of the many varieties of Organic vegetable seeds.
We have received some other stuff and expect to receive additional stuff.
Scion wood / cuttings can be dropped off at Frank’s Lake Forest address prior to the day of the event or on the day of the event as early as 9:30am AT the Farm Food Lab in Irvine.
As people let us know what cuttings they will be able to bring, we will be able to make a list on this website so people will know ahead of time what to expect.
On cuttings of fruit related plants, we would prefer labeled known varieties vs unknown varieties (unless they are not usually named like cape gooseberries).
Fill out the registration page (Below) with the Scion wood / Cuttings planning to bring. (do not forget to click SUBMIT)
Event location – some people reported, it can be difficult to find with mapping software since the park is so large. So… We drove from different directions to the location while recording a video of how to get there. We will be posting them on our website soon to aid everyone.
Schedule
9:30 -10:30am Dropping off of Scion wood
10:30 we will be making scion wood available to members of the South OC chapter
10:40 am Other chapters and the public who have brought items to the exchange will be able to get cuttings / other stuff.
10:40 am everyone else.
11:00 , we will have a brief description of how to graft avocado seedlings.
11:10 we will have participants graft cuttings onto avocado seedlings that we will be supplying. There will be mentor grafters going around to answer questions and to critique the grafting methods. Our goal is to increase hands-on knowledge by members of grafting to the public. There is a $5 charge for the avocado seedlings in 1 gallon pots, and $10 for avocado seedlings in 3 gallon pots. We spent the last year or 2 planting and growing the avocado seedlings for these events.
We are getting better at explaining and demonstrating grafting. We will be showing and explaining grafting, then participants will wrap their own avocado cuttings with parafilm, we will cut the cutting and the root stock (we cannot have someone handle a knife on the great park grounds { can we say insurance})
and the participants will attach and wrap their graft and will be checked by us.
Prior to the event we HAVE made videos describing possible issues to expect when grafting, this way more people are prepared ahead of time and make better use of the instructions. If you or someone you know is good at grafting or even another different method of propagating plants and want to speak or answer questions at the event, let us know. The link to the Videos is HERE
Plants or cuttings NOT to bring- NO Citrus or Curry plants due to a plant disease in California. There is a citrus Quarantine due to a disease that kills citrus trees. No plants under a current ACTIVE patent – Expired patents are OK.- see our list of past and current Patented plants list by clicking here
Grafting mentors get something special.
We expect a large turnout at the event.
A vendor selling Olla Pots (for water-wise uses), as well as parafilm for sell by the South OC Chapter for your scions at a low cost of $3 for five feet!
We will be releasing more information as the time approaches to people who have registered, we recommend you put it on your calendar. It will be a great time to meet other people interested in gardening.
If you are looking for bulk soil, checkout this bulk reseller of soil.
http://www.aguinagagreen.com/ready-to-plant-mixes.html Special D mix
Location is Orange County Great Park Farm + Food Lab, 8000 Great Park Blvd, Irvine, CA 92618
Help Us promote the event by mentioning on social media. We have also made minimalist flyers to save on paper. Print, and cut into strips and give out. The PDF document is Here
Videos made showing driving to the location. (Click here)
This Free Event is open to the public. Registration recommended fill out below and click submit
https://southoccrfg.org/exchange-event/
It was a great event with Costco and Orange Farm Supply having Tables / Booths setup
At The 2023 event Everyone who asked got some 3 gallon black nursery pots and one of them filled with Great Special D mix soil from Aguinaga Green. They also got a white food grade buckets with lid. 
Everything flowed smoothly
Signup If interested in being notified of future events. – fill out applicable places, and click submit.
Things people have stated they will be bringing.
List will change / expand / retract as date approaches and more information arrives
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