Southern Exposure Seed Exchange

05/30/2026

There's still plenty to do in our zone 7a gardens! We keep planting into late spring in summer to have successions that last into fall. What's your favorite succession crop?🫘🥒🥬

Here's our planting list for zone 7a:
https://www.southernexposure.com/catalog/plantingdates.pdf

05/28/2026

Peanuts are a great addition to a home garden since they require minimal care and provide bountiful yields.🥜

If you’re looking to try something new in your garden this year, maybe it’s time to take a closer look at the potential of peanuts.👇

https://blog.southernexposure.com/2010/12/growing-peanuts-at-home/

05/27/2026

We are thrilled to announce that the Request for Proposals is now LIVE for the 2027 Organic Seed Growers Conference.

In 2027, we will have separate In-person (March 26th & 27th) and Virtual (March 30th & 31st) components, providing an interactive agenda of workshops, demonstrations, farm tours, lightning talks, art, seed swaps, affinity spaces, keynote presentations, and of course – celebration!

We welcome farmers, plant breeders, advocates, government staff, academics, and anyone with practical knowledge of organic seed systems to apply. (Note: Organic certification is not a requirement.)

2027 Conference Priorities:
- Nuts-and-bolts production sessions. (EX: seed cleaning, packing and shipping, contracting) for both beginning and advanced farmers
- Centering farmer voices
- Presenters from a diversity of agricultural backgrounds and approaches
- Meaningful inclusion of racially diverse speakers or communities (i.e. not just as administrators or subjects but as presenters and/or experts)
- Building equity and justice in organic seed work, including participatory methods for building community beyond the Conference cycle
- Interactive or audience-engaged proposals
- Presenters from the Southeast represented as experts across all tracks (seed production, plant breeding, seed stories, and advocacy & policy)

Proposals are due July 1st.

Learn more and submit yours at https://ow.ly/JKrg50Z2Yka

The Utopian Seed Project | NC Alternative Crops & Organics Program

05/27/2026

Don't forget to pinch your plants!🌼🌿

Pinching plants is quick and easy and can make a big difference in their growth habits. Learn to pinch plants successfully for better production👇

https://blog.southernexposure.com/2024/06/pinch-plants-for-better-production/

05/26/2026

Organic mulch can help block weeds, add organic matter, hold in moisture, keep the soil cool, and increase your garden’s production. But which mulch is the right choice for your garden?🍂🌾

In today's blog, we discuss different mulch options like straw, wood chips, and grass clippings and their benefits and downsides:

https://blog.southernexposure.com/2026/05/the-best-organic-mulch-for-your-garden/

05/23/2026

🌽Flint Corn vs. Dent Corn🌽

Flint corns tend to do well in wet and cold climates, they are especially common in the Northeast. They have pointed kernels in which the hard part of the kernel predominates, and they are especially good for cooking methods that involve boiling, such as polenta and johnnycakes.

Dent corns include most of the heirloom corns from the Southeast and Midwest, and as well as most modern hybrid field corns, though these hybrids have much less flavor. A dent corn kernel typically has a flinty ring around a floury center; as the kernel dries the center contracts, creating a dent in the top of the kernel. Heirloom dent corns make great cornbread, hominy, and roasting ears.

Find one for your garden: https://www.southernexposure.com/categories/dent-flint-flour-corn/

05/22/2026

Here's this week's planting list for our zone 7a gardens. Hopefully parts of the Southeast get some much-needed rain this weekend/week.🌧

Happy growing!

05/20/2026

There's a lot to love about echinacea! We grow three types of echinacea because they offer so many benefits.

🌞Echinacea is drought tolerant and thrives in poor soil.
🦋It attracts pollinators.
🐦The seeds are great for songbirds.
🌼It's a widely used medicinal herb that's great for teas.
💐Echinacea is a long-lasting cut flower.

Find our echinacea here: https://www.southernexposure.com/search/?q=echinacea

05/20/2026

Fertilizing your vegetable garden can encourage plant growth and improve your yields. Unfortunately, when used improperly, fertilizer can have negative effects on your plants, garden, and the surrounding environment. 🌱

In this blog, we’ll talk about why you may or may not want to use fertilizer in your vegetable garden and how to do so efficiently👇

https://blog.southernexposure.com/2025/05/should-i-fertilize-my-vegetable-garden/

05/18/2026

Have you been seeing drought conditions in your garden? To make the most of your water, we recommend:

🍂Using mulch.
💧Watering in the early morning or evening.
🌿Planting drought tolerant crops when possible.
💦Using soaker hoses or drip irrigation to deliver water to the roots.

More than 60 percent of the United States is experiencing drought conditions, with more than 20 percent in an extreme drought. Andrew Ellis, a climatologist at Virginia Tech said the current conditions are among the worst in decades because the combination of intensity and aerial coverage is rare. He explained why, who is most impacted, and when we can expect relief.

The cause: An atypical La Niña
According to Ellis, the La Niña condition, or cooling of the western equatorial Pacific Ocean, this past fall and winter brought the dryness across the southern tier of the United States. While dryness from the West through the southern Great Plains and into the Southeast La Niña years, Ellis noted this specific event was atypical because the Pacific Northwest remained so dry.

➡ Read more here: https://go.vt.edu/uo6An

05/16/2026

Productive gardens begin with healthy soil🌱 If you're hoping for your best garden yet, here are a few soil tips:

📝Get a soil test and amend as necessary.
🪱Make and use compost (a couple inches on each bed is ideal).
🍂Use mulch and cover crops to add organic matter during the season.
🍅Map out your plantings to keep track so you can rotate your crops next season.

What's your best soil tip?