Four sliced beets of different colors (white and yellow, red, yellow, and white) lined up.

SSE’s ADAPT program seeks community scientists

Do you enjoy gardening? Do you like growing truly unique varieties? Do you love knowing that you are contributing to a good cause like increasing biodiversity? Do you want to try something new in 2024? If you answered “yes” to any (or all) of these questions, then Seed Savers Exchange has an exciting opportunity for you: the Community Science ADAPT program.

Two young students harvest sunflower seeds from a sunflower head.

Giving

The Herman’s Garden Program: Spreading the Joy of Gardening

Each year Seed Savers Exchange donates more than 50,000 packets of seed to more than 600 gardens worldwide through the Herman’s Garden program.

Many trees with no foliage and tree guards around their trunks, in an open space of grass and blue sky

How Tos

How to Prepare Fruit Trees for Winter

It’s essential to properly prepare fruit trees for winter. Tree guards are the best method to protect your trees.

Varieties

New Seed Varieties – 2024

The latest Seed Savers Exchange catalog includes 20 new seed varieties and two new seed collections for 2024, and they promise to be popular picks of gardeners everywhere!

Recipes

Nana’s Pasta Sauce

Submitted by Nikki Riccelli-Tygard, inspired by her parents, Nicholas Domenico “Nick” Riccelli, Theresa Grace Ausilio Riccelli, and her “Nana” Rachel Scarcello Ausilio, stewards of the ‘Ausilio Thin Skin Italian’ heirloom pepper. “I fondly remember my adorable Nana spending time with my father, Nick, in the kitchen,” says Nikki.

A colorful map of the United States depicting the plant hardiness zones. Text at the top reads

Learn

USDA Releases New Plant Hardiness Zone Map

Thanks to a new map released by the USDA in mid-November—the first update to the map since 2012—many gardeners will be planting some flowers, fruits, and vegetables for the very first time this spring.

An aerial view of a backyard on a street corner, with garden beds, umbrellas, sheds, and a pond next to a house

Lifestyle

How SSE Helped Create a Large Family Garden

Bob and Shannon Gassman turned to Seed Savers Exchange for help with starting a large family garden. Over the next decade, Bob and Shannon transformed their small city property into a biodiverse paradise.

A large pile of dark, rich compost, with more large piles covered in straw in the background.

Learn

Composting at Seed Savers Exchange

Seed Savers Exchange uses compost to improve soil health, along with other methods such as rotating crops and planting cover crops.

A variety of colorful vegetables on a teal blue table.

Giving

Smart Giving Guide

Your generosity drives our mission. With every gift, you’re supporting the preservation and stewardship of rare, open-pollinated garden varieties. Join our community of innovative givers today and make an enduring impact. With Smart Giving, your generosity reaches further. Begin (or continue) your giving journey with us today.

three white squash with long goosenecks and one halved white squash on a straw surface

Recipes

White Pumpkin Pie

Lovers of unique heirloom pumpkins can thank the late Wayne Fortna of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, for the delicious, productive, and truly beautiful ‘Fortna White’ pumpkin. Seed Savers Exchange is thrilled to introduce the ‘Fortna White’ as a featured From the Collection variety in 2024.

Articles