Drop off or pick up unwanted plants for free at new plant exchange in Coral Springs

Coral Springs, Florida – A couple of months ago, the volunteer at Garden Club of Coral Springs, Carol Johnson, saw something on Facebook where residents in a community went to a place and dropped off their unwanted plants or picked up someone’s unwanted plants.

So she pitched the idea to the garden club, and now it’s a reality.

Residents in Coral Springs, Parkland, and other cities can visit the Plant Exchange at 2915 Sportsplex Drive and drop off or pick up unwanted plants starting this week.

It’s all free in a makeshift wooden unit that can hold 30-50 plants. “It was an idea and now it’s ready to go,” she said.

According to Johnson, there’s also an educational component to the Plant Exchange. Those who drop off or pick up plants can get a flyer, bound to the unit, that explains what is and isn’t a native Florida plant.

“It will bring people together when they realize this is available,” said Jeri Decker, president of the garden club, which has about 50 members.

According to Decker, the garden club raised $100 to build the unit and one of its members constructed it.

There were four small potted plants at the Plant Exchange on Wednesday, which is in front of the Rotary Community Garden of Coral Springs.

Johnson expects many residents will pick up and drop off plants. She and a few other garden volunteers will monitor the Plant Exchange to make sure the area is clean and plants are watered and kept up.

According to Johnson, she got the idea for the Plant Exchange from Jacksonville where it’s been up and running for some time. She hopes to one day have a Plant Exchange at a Coral Springs park or two so more residents are involved in growing plants. “I’d like to put a couple of these up,” Johnson said.

To showcase the Plant Exchange, the Garden Club of Coral Springs will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony there on Thursday, Aug. 11, at 11 a.m.