The weather's far too cold and white to be thinking of practical allotment work this weekend but, all over the city, there are lots of allotment-related events going on.

It's seed potato time, and if you're planning to buy some, then there are at least two good places to head for, without having to go anywhere near a garden centre.

Bristol East Allotments Association has a shop, in St George's, in the pavilion on the Nicholas Lane allotment site.

An entire back room in the shop is lined with shelves of seed potatoes of standard and exotic variety, ready to go on sale to its members, as well as the general public.

I've never seen more varieties on sale anywhere, and the beauty of this scheme is that you choose how many you want of each variety, so you can mix and match without shelling out for potatoes that you don't need. While you're there, you can browse the other seed stock, and a treasure trove of other useful gardening things, all much cheaper than you'll find commercially. I also found some beautiful home grown seeds, including the black St Aldhelm heritage runner bean when I visited last weekend, and came home with my favourite sort of gardening gloves, the ones with reinforced finger tips, that they sell for just £1, so I feel set up for the spring now.

Sarah, from the Talbot Rd Allotment Association, has also been in touch to say that seed potatoes should be available from this weekend priced at about 70p per kilo. Its shop opens from 10.30am until noon on Saturdays and Sundays through spring, and sells a range of seeds, composts and sundries, as well as tea and coffee. Both of these association shops rely on you becoming a member, which costs £2 a year, and then you're free to use the shop as often as you wish. It's a great bargain.

There are also some seed swaps going on this weekend. One I know of is happening today (February 7) in Easton, and another at Windmill Hill, tomorrow (February 8). Seed swaps are a great way to meet other gardeners locally, as well as to trade surplus seeds for ones you don't have.

And if you don't have seeds to swap? Apparently, that's not a problem. The information I have says "no seeds to swap? Bring cake!" which makes it like sound a fantastic combination already.

Today's seed swap is happening between 11am and 3pm, at Easton Community Centre, while Sunday's will be based at Windmill Hill Community Centre, Vivian Street (don't head for the farm!), from 11am to 4pm. There will be veg, flower and tree seeds, and plants and fruits to buy or swap. Or make a donation for, fruit trees to order and seed potatoes, too. Both events are free, and there'll be gardening related and other interesting groups with stalls, so it's a fantastic opportunity to find everything you need, including some new gardening friends, all in the same place.