Ohtli
“path” in Nahuatl
For thousands of years, Indigenous peoples of the Americas bred the wild ancestors of corn, tomatoes, potatoes, squash, cocoa, chili peppers, avocado, vanilla, and many others into the crops that we love and depend on today. They and other ancient farming communities did it through observation, selection, and cooperation. Ohtli is dedicated to continue and enhance this tradition by putting community driven growing and genetic discovery back in the hands of growers and consumers.
Better Together
It started with a garden and a garden journal — and the realization that one grower’s journal has little value in isolation. But if growers worked together, shared what they observed, and opened up their gardens to each other, that collective knowledge would be far more valuable for everyone.
If you collect interesting plants, keep notes on what works, or save seed — you're already doing this work. Ohtli is a place to do it together, so that what you learn in your garden helps someone across town or across the country. We see this as the path that connects us to the plants we grow and the people who grew them before us.
How to Get Started
Register your plants
Register new entities: add what you’re already growing or browse the marketplace to find new plants and seeds from fellow growers.
Grow & observe
Contribute to your entity journals and add traits and trait scores. Note what stands out — flavor, vigor, disease resistance, bloom time. Your observations matter.
Exchange with other growers
Create listings and exchange seeds, plants, cuttings, fruit, and more with others on the marketplace.
Create something new
Collect unique varieties and cross them. Introduce new genetics for others to try and grow
Grow with Your Community
Gardening doesn’t have to be solitary. Ohtli connects you with growers in your area who share your curiosity — people to swap plants with, learn from, and build something together.
Connect with your community
Connect with growers in your area through local clubs. Share what’s thriving, swap tips, and discover what your neighbors are growing.
Meet up & exchange
Clubs host plant swaps, garden tours, and tastings. Trade cuttings with the grower down the street or find rare varieties from across town.
Grow together
When growers collaborate, everyone’s garden gets better. Pool knowledge, share seeds from your best plants, and build something together that no one could alone.