SoCo Seed Collective

05/08/2026

04/15/2026

Strawberry Rocks = Simple, Fun, and Useful

Painting rocks to look like strawberries isn’t just for fun—it’s actually a clever garden trick. Placing them in your beds before berries ripen can help deter birds, since they learn to ignore the “fake” fruit.

How to make them:

* Start with smooth, dry rocks
* Paint them red and let dry
* Add yellow seeds and green tops
* Seal if you want them to last longer

They’re easy, kid-friendly, and make great little garden markers too.

We’ll be painting strawberry rocks or any design this Saturday at Captain Avery Museum, along with other activities—stop by and bring something home.

04/13/2026

https://mailchi.mp/666f2249b736/soco-seed-collective-newsletter-april-2026

03/19/2026

03/13/2026

Some of these are virtual sessions

06/21/2025

🌱 Herbs, Community, and Shared Wisdom 🌱
We had such a beautiful time at Saturday’s seed meeting! About a dozen wonderful people gathered to share plants, stories, and knowledge. Big thanks to our guest speaker Donna from Green Haven Living for the fantastic talk on medicinal herbs — lavender, lemon balm, marshmallow, and more. The table was full of resources, homegrown herbs, and herbal starts (all of which found new homes).

We love that these events are becoming a space where people of all kinds feel welcome to learn, trade, and grow together.

Slides are available from today if you missed it! Make sure you check out Donna's website if you need a local herbalist to help you navigate the waters. (I am making an appointment!!)
greenhavenherbalist.com

🌼 New plants brought home: toothache plant, milkweed, and lemon balm (extras up for grabs if you need some!)

Join us in July as we get hands-on with fall planting prep! We’ll be making DIY seed tape — a simple, fun way to pre-space your seeds for carrots, radishes, spinach, and other fall favorites. All supplies provided, and you’ll go home with ready-to-plant seed tape and a fall planting guide for our zone. No experience needed!

📅 July 19, 10 am
📍 Plummer House, Jug Bay, Lothian
💬 Bring a friend — and your favorite garden tip or story to share!

06/08/2025

🌿 Garden-to-Table: Fresh Herb Recipe Roundup
It’s peak herb season, and our gardens are bursting with flavor! Whether you’re harvesting sprigs of rosemary or gathering handfuls of chives, now’s the perfect time to get creative in the kitchen. We’re celebrating garden-grown goodness with a roundup of simple, delicious ways to use six of the most common herbs growing in Southern Maryland gardens right now: thyme, chives, sage, rosemary, oregano, and lemon balm.

Here’s what we’re making:

🍞 Rosemary Garlic Focaccia
Rustic, fragrant, and endlessly snackable, this focaccia gets a flavor boost from fresh rosemary and minced garlic. Use it for sandwiches, soup-dipping, or as a base for garden veggie pizza.

👉 Bonus: Sprinkle with sea salt and roasted cherry tomatoes before baking for an extra summery twist.

🥔 Chive & Lemon Potato Salad
Skip the mayo and toss warm baby potatoes with olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a generous handful of chopped chives. Add a pinch of salt and cracked pepper for a bright, herby side dish.

👉 Try it with grilled veggies or cold roast chicken for a picnic-ready meal.

🍃 Thyme-Infused Honey
Warm honey gently with fresh thyme sprigs and let steep for a day or two. Drizzle over goat cheese, stir into tea, or spoon over baked fruit.

👉 Makes a sweet little homemade gift, too.

🍝 Oregano & Tomato Garden Pasta
Simmer crushed tomatoes with olive oil, garlic, and a bunch of fresh oregano. Toss with pasta and top with grated parmesan or your favorite plant-based cheese.

👉 A great use for home-canned tomatoes, too!

🦃 Crispy Sage Leaves
Fry fresh sage leaves in a little butter or oil until crispy. Sprinkle over mashed potatoes, roasted squash, or soups for a savory crunch.

👉 They also make a delicious topper for butternut ravioli.

🍋 Lemon Balm Iced Tea
Steep a handful of fresh lemon balm leaves in hot water, let cool, and pour over ice. Add honey or lemon slices if you like!

👉 Try mixing with mint or green tea for variety.

Share Your Garden Recipes!
Now it’s your turn! What are you making with your fresh herbs? We’d love to hear your favorite recipes, whether they’re family favorites, garden experiments, or flavor discoveries. Drop your go-to herb dish in the comments or tag us in your post!

🌱

05/23/2025

*Mutual Aid Alert*

The Blue Crab Community Fridge AND the Food Pantry at Twin Beaches are nearly empty. Shop those sales this weekend and help our friends and neighbors out. A great activity to do in memory of a loved one this weekend.

05/22/2025

🌿 What is companion planting? It’s the simple idea that some plants grow better together.

Certain herbs, flowers, and veggies can help each other out in the garden by attracting pollinators, deterring pests, improving soil, or giving each other a little shade or support.

Here are some great combos to try:

🍅 Tomatoes + Basil (boosts growth, repels pests)
🥕 Carrots + Onions (onions confuse carrot flies)
🫘 Beans + Corn + Squash (the “Three Sisters” — support, shade, and groundcover)
🌻 Marigolds + almost everything (repels nematodes and beetles)
🥬 Lettuce + Radishes (radishes break soil for lettuce roots)
🌽 Corn + Cucumbers (cucumbers appreciate the shade under tall corn)
🥦 Broccoli + Dill (dill attracts beneficial insects for brassicas)
🌱 Spinach + Strawberries (spinach acts as a living mulch)
🧄 Garlic + Roses (garlic repels aphids and fungal diseases)
🌶️ Peppers + Oregano (oregano helps deter aphids and spider mites)

It’s not an exact science, but it’s a helpful way to create healthier, more diverse garden beds. Do you have favorite plant pairings? Share what’s working in your garden!

05/21/2025

Looking for a fun spring activity to do with your kids? Try a garden scavenger hunt!

It’s a great way to get outside, get moving, and enjoy some fresh air together. Just grab the checklist and start looking for bugs, flowers, leaves, and other little surprises in the garden or backyard.

Sunshine and curiosity go a long way.