HAVE: My 2 cents Worth!!

Nice box of plants, And your right, Goods things/trades happen here Quite Often! Much Much more to the good then bad!

There are several reasons for me backing out of plant trades. Loosing $150. is a big one, another is time. I spend a lot of time looking for plants I like and just don't find that many. When I do find something, it is only one plant and shipping one plant to get one plant is not worth the time or money. I am a 30 minute round trip to the PO and it is in the opposite direction of most of my work. To make it worthwhile to me, I need to make large trades. I am in construction and it has been slim pickings of late and when the work comes in I get on it. I started a trade last Fall and it did not end until this week and I was late getting their plants shipped. That bothers some people and I understand that.

Last year someone wanted some of my Brugs and by the time I said whoa, she was asking for 2 to 3 plants/cuttings of every Brug I have ( close to 100 ) for a box of Monkey Grass and a few Crocus, excuse me. Lately I answered a post for Raspberries and said I had Brugs to trade but it would be a few days before I would have time to see what I have and get them shipped. She says great and said she shipped on the 7th of this month. No plants yet and I am glad I didn't ship hers.

I will not stop trading all together but I am leery. One problem is a lot of people want many of the plants I have but do not have plants I would want. Also, I live in Texas and by the time Spring is sprung in the north it is hot and dry here and not a good time to be shipping or planting new plants. I have never made a haves and want list because I do not want people D-mailing me at times when I am so busy. I have been through the total list of people who have Gingers to trade and very few have ones I do not and if so, only one. Why aren't there more Ginger lovers out there?

Very Understood...
Ken I would definitely make the WANT LIST. Seriously it is worth it to do that. You would be surprised how much this helps you get the plants you are looking for. I recently had someone contact me about a very rare seed I wanted. This person isn't a subscriber and lives in Another Country. But he sent the seeds and then I sent mine. He had no idea that I even had the species he was looking for (I don't have it listed). But he asked...All I can do is hope and trust they are the species I traded for. I am waiting patiently for them to germinate. Having the want list up there is very beneficial.

And as far as your HAVE list - Just simply Say NO. I have had dmails requesting some seeds (rare). I just keep it moving..No is the Answer.

I come in contact with A Lot of Gingers and probably plants you like..I pass them by. I don't like them. I recently got a rare plant for $1.00 that is Highly wanted around here. I don't want it but if I know you did. I pick them up when I go out. You know what I mean??

Ken, I have the same problem you do. My garden needs are rather specific now and most people don't have what I want. And like you, I won't bother packing and shipping for just one plant. I can usually buy the plant cheaper and easier.

And I'm hesitant these days to even tell people they don't have what I'm looking for. A few then say, "Well, can I trade for postage?" You wouldn't believe how many people chew me out and call me selfish because I won't pack it all up for postage. I send out lots of freebies, gifts, and "for postage" plants and seeds. But it's MY choice to do it when I want to do it. If I said yes to everyone who asked, I'd have to work full time just to pack and ship freebies. And like everyone else, I want to acquire something new for my gardens too. I guess that makes me selfish...

There are ginger loves out here!
I would love to have some gingers and tried to get some from someone wanting to trade. I did not any plants the person was interested in. I even offered to paint a birdhouse gourd for them, but they were not interested. so I'm back to wishing for a ginger or two.

Butterfly chaser....I don't think that makes you selfish one bit. When someone asks if you would do it for postage...it is our option to say NO...there should be no repercussions for having declined.

Ken....I would also recommend doing the want list....just for the reason Kim gave....many times others have the opportunity to get things on the cheap (for whatever reason) and if they knew someone would want it....I know I would get it and see the person happy over having gotten it. JMO

Kenboy, I don't know if this would work for you, because I don't know if you live in a much populated area or near a craigslist city, but this is my solution and substitute for trading:
As I divide plants in my garden, I pot them up, and when I have lots of plants and varieties (maybe twice, in spring and later in the summer), I post on craigslist under farm & garden, and hold a cheap perennial sale. I do sell them very cheaply, but it adds up, and I have lots of really nice and also very appreciative customers. I consider the proceeds to be my plant money, and have a great time perusing mail order and local nurseries for the plants I want to buy with the proceeds. That way I get exactly what I want without having to go broke over it. And I have a growing email list of customers to notify of plant sales. It's definitely a lot of work, but it's work that I don't mind doing.

OK Some more Good Stuff Here!

I have seen people put things on their want list. Then I will offer that thing in a trade for something I may have. Then they don't want it later or don't want to trade. If ANYONE has something off my want list. I will do my best to work out a trade. I don't put Plants on my want list just because it's pretty and I click to add to my want list. I Really want that plant for a reason.

Most Importantly My plants have a Value to me! And some don't understand this. For example: I have a certain sedum on my Want list. But if someone has it and ask me to trade a corydalis, aconitum. I May Not Do It. Then they get mad. And say You want this item. But for me it's not worth trading a plant that has high value for me or hard to grow, acquire..etc etc. Ya know what I mean?

I know what you mean, Kim. Also, it's not worth the hassle, time or postage to swap just one plant usually. With Ebay and mail-order catalogs and co-ops, I'm finding it easier and cheaper to buy what I want. And too often, people just want to trade one plant. I just don't get very excited when a box arrives with just one plant in it. I love receiving a big box full of wonderful plants. But I'm too picky now that my gardens are advanced, so it's just hard to find anyone with lots of plants I can use.

Well for me..bigger trades are good. But if it's a plant I really want I will trade for 1 plant in a heartbeat! I will also buy plants in a heartbeat if I really really want it.

LOL @ "I will also buy plants in a heartbeat if I really really want it."!

Butterflychaser, I'm in the same position you are, with not much room left in my garden and very specific wants to fill them. I haven't personally had any angry responses when I wouldn't send something for postage, but I usually explain that it's a lot of work and time for me. I've also sent plants as gifts to DG friends, unrequested, but it's my choice. I guess I would be considered selfish too, if I didn't want to take the time to dig, pack and ship a plant to a stranger I've never heard of before.
I should add that I really don't care in the least what a narcissistic stranger with a huge sense of self-entitlement would think of me, and I'd be likely to tell them that if I had an angry response to a refusal to send a (free) plant for postage.

This message was edited May 23, 2010 9:35 AM

" should add that I really don't care in the least what a narcissistic stranger with a huge sense of self-entitlement would think of me, and I'd be likely to tell them that if I had an angry response to a refusal to send a (free) plant for postage. "

Exactly.....it is your choice and no one should have any response other than...ok or I understand.

Lots of good advice here. I must be the odd duck here because I prefer to trade to 1 or 2 plants. If I am doing that, then it is something I really want. I am able to stay focused on the task and get it done quickly. I do not like things to drag out.

I really do very little trading here on DG because most seem to want to do large trades and I just don't have what they want. Really most of what I have sent people has been for postage or for nothing in return and maybe they end up sending me something later. I have gotten some very nice surprises that way!

Fixin' all my dang typos! lol

This message was edited May 23, 2010 3:16 PM

Yeah...I know what you mean. I've been hit with the Large trade thing.
The bigger the box..more plants ...Higher the Postage. As far as I'm concerned. I have walked away from those type of request. I have even offered to pay my postage and still send their plant if the postage is the issue. It's usually a particular Plant that I want. Then I end up searching through a list to try to make it a bigger trade...Forget it. This usually forces me to just buy the plant and call it a day. Which usually does cost a whole lot more.

Me too. I like small, quick trades.
Pam

I too like smaller trades. And like many of you, I'm out of extra room here, so I want specific things.

I've run into some problems trying to trade plants this spring. A couple of days after I posted the specific plants, we had a death in the family. I contacted everyone who had replied and I told them that I'd be busy with family for a while, but that I would get back to them. Everyone said that was fine, take as long as I needed, and we would trade then. It took me a while to be able to get back to the trades, but I did. One member now will not reply to my emails, even though I've seen her reply to other trades here and and on another message board. If she no longer wants to trade, couldn't she just please respond and let me know? That would be fine, but at least have the courtesy to get back to me.

The second person requested a larger trade so I sent her a longer list of things I was able to trade. In her first email back, she said that she was tempted by things on my list. But, apparently after she thought about it,they were not of equal worth in her eyes. She sent lists of things that required more in "value" in her opinion but did not tell me that until I asked for something specific on her list. I did ask for her to decide what she wanted from my list three different times during our back and forth D-mails. She would not do so. When I would pick from her list, she did not want to trade those things to me for any or all items on my list. I guess this trade was just doomed from the start. This trader then said that she no longer was interested in trading right now. And remember, she initally contacted me, so she was interested in the initial smaller trade.

This kind of thing happened to me once before. It seems that when large numbers of D-mails go back and forth before a trade is finalized, nothing seems to get done and interest dies on one side or the other.

I think the most important thing to remember in trading is COMMUNICATION. Read the D-mail and please answer any questions I might have regarding the trade - such as please let me know what you are interested in from my trade list. And, if you have specific $$$ amounts for items on your trade list, tell me, don't just send me the list and ask me to choose and then tell me you can't trade for those plants because my items aren't worth what yours are. That you want more for your plants than I provided on my trade list.

I'm thinking it might just be easier to just buy the plants that I really want now. It's too bad because trading used to be a lot of fun, and I had made some good "trading friends" in the past.

Linda

Linda,

I think I owe you an apology. I believe I am your/one of your MIA traders. I'm working on my own gardens, my neighbors gardens and a yard and greenhouse full of sale plants, in addition to chasing 7 kids and going to sports. You did write to me and it slid way down my dmail. I get a lot of mail. I just replied and also sent you an email to your email address (not DG). Sorry for dropping the ball.

Michele

Michele just emailed me privately, and I assured her that she was not one of the two I was talking about. She and I hadn't gotten very far in the trading process, and I know her time is limited. I don't know how she gets done everything she does! Thanks for responding, Michele!

Linda

Ken,
I know what you mean regarding the fact that when spring has sprung in the north, it is already hot and dry here and not a good time to be shipping and planting. I am new to DG and have found it hard to resist trading when I see plants that I would love to have.
In the future, I think I will try to trade for only plants that I really want in my garden. And, now I know that I need to work on my want list. I had just listed a few things before and hadn't really given it much thought.
Angela

I know what you mean, Angela. I was so busy looking at everyone's have list that I just hadn't given my want list much thought either. I worked on my want list the other night after reading the posts on this thread and talking with another trader.

Carpathiangirl/Maria - I think you and I just ended up trading at a great time..I was fairly new myself and it just seemed to work so well when we did. You are still one of my favorite traders and the plants are doing great. I am having such a good time looking at all my plants that I received from trades last year. I just love thinking about where they came from, what I traded for them, etc. I don't think I could ever get tired of trading because it is just so much fun for me but I do think I will focus more on getting specific plants.

Knock on wood, I've been very lucky so far.
Di

I personally know Iris & have been to her house & can attest to her beautiful yard & plants.
I sometimes dmail people for trades instant of posting(if I see where they have a plant I'm wanting) because sure as I posted on the forum asking for that plant this person would be flooded with requests wanting the plant too...I do this out of respect for the person not to be getting all kinds of unwanted requests & if this person doesn't want to trade that's ok...it doesn't hurt to ask...I have got some grade trades this way. The way I see it if you don't want to be ask why have a trade list at all?....Just my 2 cents...





This message was edited May 27, 2010 3:12 PM

christmascactus, Thankyou so much for that sweet comment!! Very much appreciated!

Christmascactus, Couldn't those peoplr D-mail you instead of posting on the forum. That's what someone did when I was looking for a certain seed

If I posted asking for a plant or seeds...yes.
but when accidentally coming across info(like plantfiles) that someone has some plant/seed that I want...I won't just pop over on the forum & ask them.

Gotcha.

Wow, this made for some really interesting reading. I have done about 40 trades, mostly seeds and have not gotton rippped of or screwed once, am I lucky or what. I always ask for feedback and leave feedback, and check out the feedback for who I am trading with, if they have none I wait to recieve their trade and then I send out my end of the bargain. Really learned a lot from this thread, thanks for starting it. Annette