How It Works
Sow Revolution helps you swap spare seeds with other growers. This guide walks you through it one step at a time. Tap any picture to see a bigger version.
1. Create your account
Tap Start Swapping in the menu, or sign up here. Fill in your name, a username and your email address, then choose a password.
Your username is what other growers see. If you have a referral code from a friend, add it here.
2. Get started
Your dashboard has a Get Started checklist. Work through it from top to bottom:
- Verify your email. We send you a link, just tap it.
- Set your country. We use it to show you suitable swaps, keep within customs rules and help stop plant diseases spreading across borders.
- Add your seeds.
- Swipe on some seeds.
- Make your first swap.
3. Add your seeds
Go to My Seeds and tap Add Seeds.
The only thing you have to fill in is the variety. Start typing its name, for example "Cupani", and pick it from the list. If it is not there, tap Create.
Everything else is optional, but the more you tell people, the more likely they are to want to swap:
- Images: up to 4 photos of your seeds or plants. Without one, we show a stock photo.
- Quantity: how many seeds you have. Choose Approx. if it's an estimate.
- Source: where they came from: Freebie, Home Saved or Shop Bought.
- Saved date: when you collected or bought them.
- Expiry date: the "sow by" date, if there is one.
- Notes: anything else, such as colour, taste or how well they grew for you.
When you are done, tap Create.
4. Reading a seed card
Every seed is shown as a card. The small icons tell you what we know about it:
| Icon | What it means |
|---|---|
| 86 | Exactly 86 seeds |
| 300 | Approx 300 seeds |
| Freebie | |
| Home Saved | |
| Shop Bought | |
| A stock photo. The owner has not added their own picture yet. | |
| F1 | An F1 hybrid |
Scroll down below the card to see more details about the seeds.
5. Join a group
Groups let you swap with people you know, such as your allotment, gardening club or friends.
Open Groups from the menu and find your group. Tap Join. Some groups are private. For those, the organiser will give you a group code. Type it in and tap Join.
6. Discover seeds
Tap Discover to see seeds from other growers.
- Heart means "Yes please, I would like these".
- Cross means "No thanks".
Tap the buttons, or drag the card right for yes and left for no.
7. Use filters
Tap Filters at the top of Discover to narrow things down. If you have joined a group, choose it under My Groups to see only seeds from its members.
You can also filter by category (flowers, fruit and veg, herbs) and by species, such as Tomato.
Filters stay on until you tap Clear Filters. If you run out of seeds to see, try clearing them.
8. It's a match!
When you like someone's seeds and they like yours, it's a match. A message pops up. Tap See Match to open the swap.
You can find all your swaps later under My Swaps. When something new happens, such as a match or a message, the bell icon at the top of the page shows it, and we send you an email too.
9. Notifications
We let you know when you get a match, a message, or an update on a swap. You can choose how.
To change them, open the menu (on a computer, click your profile picture at the top) and choose Notifications.
- Website: shows under the bell icon when you are using Sow Revolution.
- Email: sends it to your inbox, so you won't miss anything when you are away.
You can turn each one on or off for each type of notification, such as matches, messages or feedback.
By default, emails come as a summary twice a day, at 8am and 8pm. You can change the times and frequencies in your notification settings.
You can also sign up to our newsletter on the same page.
10. The stages of a swap
Every swap shows a coloured label so you know where it is up to:
- You have a match. Either of you can propose a swap or decline it. You have 24 hours.
- One of you has suggested how to swap. The other agrees, or suggests the other way. Chat opens now.
- You have both agreed. If swapping by mail, you can now see each other's address.
- Seeds are on their way.
- Both of you have received your seeds. Time to leave feedback.
If nobody responds in time, the swap is marked Expired. If someone says no, it is marked Declined. Either way, your seeds go back into the mix for other growers to discover. If someone else has already liked them, you may get a new match straight away.
11. By mail or in person
Tap Propose Swap and choose how you would like to swap:
- By mail: you post the seeds to each other. Your address stays private until you have both agreed.
- In person: you meet up. Perfect for swapping with people you already know, or at your allotment site.
The other grower then taps Agree to Swap. If they would prefer the other way, they can suggest it instead. To arrange the details, tap the chat button at the top of the swap.
12. Send your seeds
Once you have posted your seeds, tap Dispatch Seeds to let the other grower know they are on their way.
Their address is shown on the swap once you have both agreed.
Proof of posting is optional, but we recommend it. A photo of your postage receipt helps if a parcel goes missing.
13. Receive seeds
When the seeds arrive, open the swap and tap Mark All as Received. If something is missing, tap Some seeds missing? instead.
If you swapped in person, you both tap Mark as exchanged after meeting.
14. Leave feedback
Once the swap is complete, tap Leave Feedback. Give stars for communication, quality and delivery, and add a comment if you like.
Your feedback appears once the other grower has left theirs, or after 2 weeks.
15. Free vs Plus Membership
Sow Revolution is free to use, with 100 swipes a month.
Plus Membership gives you unlimited swipes and extra features, and helps keep Sow Revolution running.
Compare plans16. Light or dark mode
Tap the sun or moon in the menu to switch between light and dark mode. Dark mode can be more comfortable in low light, and light mode is usually easier to read in bright light.
17. Need help?
Have a look at our FAQs, or get in touch. We are happy to help.