Seedy Saturday, the annual seed swap, sale and sharing of gardening tips, is expanding to Aldergrove Community Gardens this year.

After the March 23rd event at Derek Doubleday Arboretum, 91原创 Environment Partners (LEPS) will hold a smaller version at the Aldergrove location on the following Saturday, March 30th.

Amanda Smith, LEPS agricultural program coordinator said the 91原创 event will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. while the Aldergrove event will be held the week after from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

鈥淪o it鈥檚 a shorter one,鈥� Smith summarized.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a smaller event. Mostly the Aldergrove event will be having a seed swap and also just a small workshop.鈥�

More than 100 Seedy Saturday events take place across the country, enabling local seed exchanges, and educating the public about seed saving and environmentally sustainable garden practices.

The first Seedy Saturday was held at VanDusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver in 1990.

Smith said LEPS wants to grow the event in Aldergrove, 鈥渂ecause we know that there鈥檚 a lot of people in the community that are struggling and knowledge is always a key thing in terms of growing food.鈥�

Patsy Homan, one of the coordinators on the committee for the Aldergrove gardens, would like to Seedy Saturday expand, too.

鈥淗opefully, we can do more,鈥� Homan told the 91原创 Advance Times during a Saturday, March 10 visit to the garden.

Weather is an issue, Smith cautioned.

鈥淟EPS has enough vendors that would come here to support the extra event, but we have to just plan appropriately for the weather because the Aldergrove Seedy Saturday is outdoors whereas 91原创 is indoors [in the Rotary building].鈥�

Aldergrove Community Garden is located behind the local Fraser Valley Regional Library Branch on 29th Avenue and beside the bike park at 267B Street. The community garden provides produce to help feed people in need. Each plot renter can choose to donate some of their produce to the food bank, but it is not mandatory.

Planting has already begun at the Aldergrove garden, with kale plants and garlic seen sprouting in some of the plots.

Homan expects more people will start planting as the weather improved.

鈥淲e really try to do it in March, but as you can see, it鈥檚 pretty windy and cold right now,鈥� Homan said.

鈥淪o a lot of people will start towards the end of March or April, depending on the weather.

The garden has a few vacancies, which means some people at the top of the current waiting list could get a space.

鈥淲e do have some empty plots right now,鈥� Homan said.

鈥淪ome people have moved and so what we鈥檙e doing is we鈥檙e going through our wait list, and it鈥檚 sort of first come, ,first served. What we do, is we鈥檒l match up people with the plots that we have and hopefully we鈥檒l be able to accommodate everyone.鈥�

READ ALSO: Rebuilt Aldergrove community garden plots coming this growing season

Located in the 21200 block of Fraser Highway, this year鈥檚 Seedy Saturday in the Rotary Interpretive Centre will feature a variety of vendors like the Desert Plant Society of Vancouver, The Lark鈥檚 Nest, and local seeds.

Visitors can learn about community supported agriculture with Pinsch of Soil Farm, and shop for seed needs with Roslin Tibault, Blooming Supplies, Spectrum Gardening, and the BC Eco Seed Coop.

READ ALSO: VIDEO: Bad weather couldn鈥檛 keep people away from Seedy Saturday in 91原创

From guest speakers, people can learn about dahlias from Betty Girard, rhododendrons by Michelle Selby, and a discussion about the seed swap table. There is also a garden walk with the 91原创 Field Naturalists.

Donations for the 91原创 Food Bank will be accepted at the door.

For more information about LEPS, email agriculture@leps.bc.ca, or phone 604-546-0337. You can also get updated details via the event page, by searching

For more about Aldergrove Community Gardens and applying for a garden plot, email aldergrovecommunitygardens@gmail.com.

One plot is $35 per year plus a one-time deposit of $25