How-To?: Seeds for Plants Trades

I find it awkward to arrange a trade when one trader has seeds (34 cents postage) and the other has plants ($3.50-3.95 priority mail).

Of course the joy of sharing new plants is the main thing, but economy does enter into it.

Can anyone offer advice?

My advice would be to only trade plants for plants, and seeds for seeds, but ultimately it's up to the two traders.

I don't think I'd ever trade plants for seeds, unless the seeds were REALLY special.

Dave

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I have traded seeds for plants on more than several occasions. It just all depends on how you look at it.
Enjoy trading and have fun.

i for one would not be offended if the trader who is sending a plant for seeds asked me to help pay for the postage cost.

i have sent plants for seeds before, and have received plants for seeds also without compensation.

I like to share various things in my garden. I've often sent out plants and seeds for no return as well as trading. I also sell on occcasion and have often accepted trades in kind that way even if I've not really needed them, simply because I've chatted to people and found they have a huge interest in plants but can't afford to travel to find the more unusual.

I do say though that I like to see that the people I'm sending my 'special' seeds and plants have actually bothered to find out about them. If I feel its just for a border filler then they can have some of my more 'normal' seeds. I am always happy to provide information on all of the seeds/plants I send out, I don't expect people to be an expert (I know I'm not) LOL.

If you decide you want to trade only then have an idea of what you are looking for in trade, if you are willing to consider anything then say so at the outset, most seed/plant lists have at least one or two suprise finds in them.

This year a very kind disabled lady (incredibly keen gardener) wrote to me to say how well her seeds from last year were doing and sent me 10 packets in thanks and then sent a cheque for an order. Cast your bread on the water it will return a thousand fold.

Hi Paris,
Usually I trade seeds for seeds, plants for plants..the way I see it fairly concerning shipping expenses. Recently, though, someone contacted me about wanting some mimosa seedlings, which they weren't able to find in their area. They had bamboo, which I was looking for on my plant-want list, so they asked if we could do a plant trade. It happens that the mimosa seedlings are quite fraigile to ship and the trader would be better off getting seeds and germinating them, which is very easy to do. I left it in the hands of the other person as to what they'd like to do. If they do want my seeds for their bamboo, in all fairness I'd also send them back the difference in postage that they'd put out..so it's sort of like a SASE both ways.
Trish

I have been fortunate to have traders willing to trade some cuttings for my seeds. One instance in particular, I offered to send postage to make up the difference, but the other trader declined, as the starts were small and sturdy enough to slip into a padded envelope.

If it had been a full-sized priority box I would have expected to send them postage for the difference, unless I was offering some really rare and valuable seeds.

Bottom line: your creativity plus a healthy sense of what's fair will result in good trades.