CLOSED: Is your tradelist up-to-date?

I've looked at many tradelists, but always wonder how up-to-date they are. I also have noticed that when you pull up a particular seed or plant, that there might be 20 or more on the wanted list and that many or more on the have to trade or for SASE list. Maybe the ones that have that seed or plant on their wanted list don't have anything to trade (like me) and aren't sure if the ones for SASE are really current or not. It's almost as if no one checks each other's lists.

mine is up to date only to the point that I took out what I dont have anymore, dont have a whole lot to trade right now so when I get more Ill update it.

Dravencat, that's what I meant. I just wonder how many are actually doing that though. There are SO many, I don't expect them ALL to be up-to-date, but I was just wondering if most of them are. I guess what I'm going by is that a lot of the seeds are dated clear back to 2001. It kind of makes one wonder.

Ive wondered that myself, but figure if you can email and ask they will let you know and very possibly have newer seeds too.

Mine isn't up to date. Every once in a while, I'll pop in and delete, move or edit something but it's not too often.

Sometimes the dates don't necessarily indicate if someone hasn't updated their list, if there are a mixture of dates used it could well be up to date but if all are running at 2001, it's a safe bet they haven't been in for a long while.

I try to keep mine pretty up to date. this time of year I get a little bogged down since I'm between whats left over from last year and whats been collected from this year, but by fall or early winter when I have harvested all my new seeds I will generally update and toss out the old seeds or offer them for SASE.

I try to go through mine about once a month. Wish everyone did. I recently wrote to a dozen people about different seeds; only 1 had any.

Just put a new one on that is S.A.S.E. (or Trade), if you're interested.

That's a pretty good indication that a lot of them are old. Thanks dstartz, I'll check out your tradelist.

I usually update mine each season as I am collecting. If I get requests for ones I'm out of then I do remove them or change them to "Will Have".

I think my harvesting occurs later in the season than some of you. I really can't completely update my list until around November or later, since I have to dry, sift, and package seed. I usually list '6' as the number of packets I have, knowing full well I have much more. That way, I don't have to keep track. I package up more from my ziplocks as the packets run low.

I have lots of older seed that I use on a regular basis. Most are very viable. Sometimes I think the belief that all seed must be 'fresh' does seed trading an injustice. If properly collected, packaged, and stored, most seeds are viable for many years. Most all my seeds are available for SASE, and I seldom ask for the SASE, so there is nothing to lose, really. My trade list gives the date, so it's up to the recipient.

My biggest problem with trades and tradelists is the lack of information. If someone wants to trade seeds with me, I check out their tradelist, and often the listings are pretty broad... such as 'pinks'. There are so many dianthus in the world, which one might it be? Annual, biennial, perennial? Some seeds are offered that don't exist... such as tarragon, Johnson's Blue Geranium, etc.

I've decided to spend some time this winter sorting through my big (really big) tote of seeds and sharing these seeds before they truly are no longer viable. Many are out of my zoning, and many are not labeled specifically. For most, that's not a problem, but since I grow some of these plants to sell, I like to know in advance what I'm going to get.