What's your best tip(s) for plant/seed trading?

Occasionally, well-intentioned threads come up with great tips and hints for new traders, but they always seem to fade away after a while.

One DG member came up with some tips for newbies in the discussion on rating traders, and it got me thinking that this is the start of another season of trading - and what better time could there be to provide some advice and etiquette for would-be traders? So I volunteered to compile a trading primer, and Dave took me up on my offer.

Unless Dave changes his mind, the primer will be linked from the trade-tracker feature, and everyone who uses that WONDERFUL feature (hint, hint) will have access to the primer at their fingertips.

So, please post your best tip(s) for seed and/or plant trading. It might be something you wish you'd known when you started out, or something that really bugs you about trades you've received. It might be a great hint for packaging material, or maybe you have a question about some aspect of trading.....post 'em here, and I'll do my best to compile everything into a useable primer.
Terry/Go_Vols


P.S. - If anyone would like to help me edit this document, please e-mail me and I'll put you on a distribution list to receive drafts and give feedback; my goal is to have no more than three drafts - 1st, 2nd, and final.

Removed by member request

Just a quick note: It will be linked to from several places, including the top of the "Seed Trading" and "Plant Trading" forums, as well as the Trade Lists and the Trade-Tracker. We'll give it a lot of coverage to ensure that everybody gets a chance to see it.

Dave

I loved a tip that Poojer gave in another thread:

"...only trade seeds that I had already made into packets. I could see how many I had and I couldn't get into trouble with over trading."

What an excellent tip this is. I had to learn this rule the hard way myself, and today it's my number 1 rule.

Dave

Great, Dave! MzM, thanks for getting us started. Now, c'mon everybody, let's have those tips ;0)

You can send them to me via e-mail if you'd prefer to not post publicly, or post them here if you feel comfortable doing that.

Take the time to fix a little sheet of some kind that states what your are trading and for what.ALso include you name and adress and email..... and your user name on here I need to add that to my note card I made on word and print out a bunch. Then all you have to do is add what your trading and for what. Keep good records...... I keep a notebook but I also have folders in my email I have one for trades, one for sase , one for waiting on info and one for sent when I mail the trade I move that email to my sent folder... I also print out the email at the time I mail it and write the date mailed on it and when I get my trade in return note that. All that wouldn't be necessary if If you use the trade tracker Dave has on here I just can't get in the habit of using it I have my way and it works good....I am going to try to start using it more Dave I promise. lol Also try to check what the weather is like where your mailing to it might be mild where you are but 100 where your sending it if its plants this could be deadly..... And I guess one of my biggest things is PLEASE let the person that sent you the trade know that you got it. I worry about a trade until I know the person has received it and if something happens you can't send when promised then let the other person know... But the biggest thing is to have fun and make some great new friends and follow the golden rule do unto others as you would have them do unto you.....

Mystic - very good points - thanks!!!!

I'll put in a plug for Dave's TradeTracker - if you can discipline yourself to use it, it automates so many trading tasks for us - provides an e-mail you can print that shows what you're sending, and what you're expecting back in return; sends an e-mail letting the other person know their seeds/plants arrived, etc. Plus it keeps track of your trades so you can see who you owe something to, who owes you, and what's completed.

I do appreciate that everyone has their own way of doing things; I'm just glad I discovered DG and the tradetracker when I first started out, so it's the method I'm most comfortable with.

Other comments/suggestions? With everyone's help, this will be such a big help to new traders, as well as a great tool for those of us who are still learning the finer points of trading!

don't post to trade seeds that you just got out of the garden today:) I see it all the time 'elsewhere'. They aren't dry. Be patient and give them time.

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.........

Don't offer to trade seeds that you don't have yet. In other words, if your seeds are still on the plant, they're not ready to be offered. A lot of things can happen to cause you to lose a crop of seeds: birds, bugs, bad weather, etc. If you make up your seeds into packs before you offer them you'll be able to tell at a glance how many trades you can make.

Try to mail promptly......out of sight is out of mind. It's so easy for real life to distract us and we can forget about the seeds. If you can't mail promptly (48 to 72 hrs seems about average with most traders......this is a matter of personal judgement) let the other trader know that you can only mail on the weekend, or on next Tuesday your day off, or whatever works best for you.

Do you have a dispute over a trade, something didn't work out and you feel stung? Occasionally it happens to all of us. Keep it private, don't post a name on the board.

If the seeds didn't arrive it's good etiquette to write a friendly reminder email, keep the tone light and upbeat:

"I want you to know that I didn't receive your seeds from our recent trade, looks like the post office another trade ;-(

Let me know when you resend so I can keep an eye out for your letter. I'll email you to let you know they arrived. Thanks!
(you can add)
PS…It's okay if you don't have anymore of those seeds, I'd be happy to let you send me a "surprise" pack of seeds instead as that's always fun too."

I never send out more than one reminder email. If the trader on the other end is having hard times I don't want to interfere. Sending multiple emails may simply create more tension than someone under stress can cope with. I put the trade on the "back burner" and don't fret over it. If the seeds arrive then that's great, but if they don't then I'm okay with that too as generous traders always make up the difference in overwhelming amounts.

Send your seeds padded (I use bubblewrap) so they don't get crushed in the mail. The PO charges 45¢ for a padded letter under one ounce that is more than a 1/4" thick. If it's over an ounce make it 55¢ (rate increase soon). Include your name and email address with every trade you send out. If some communication is needed the email address is right at hand. Put your return address on the envelope.

Don't use metered postage on a SASE, it's got to be real stamps on SASEs. When you send a SASE you should include a note or write on the SASE flap the seeds you are requesting, include your email address too. I send along a printout of the email with the providers address, it's got my email address on it and all the info is there. The provider is filling many, many SASEs and including the names of the seeds you're requesting is necessary. It makes it easy for the provider. You get your SASE filled correctly and mailed
back to you promptly.

I acknowledge receipt of a trade (this is your choice to do or not). When the other trader's seeds arrive I will email the trader a short note to say "thanks, seeds arrived".

You need to make up a personal system for keeping track of trades. I print out the "address email" of a trade and keep it in a pocket folder on my desk. I save that email to a folder in my inbox that I made and named "seed trades". When seeds come to my house, I pull the senders printout from my pocket folder and go to my inbox. I open up the corresponding email in "seed trades" and hit the reply button....."thanks for trading, your seeds came". At this point the trade is now concluded and my responsibilities are fulfilled.

Hi All,
I think rule number one should be to remember that there is a real live person on the other end. Some are inexperienced and some make mistakes. Things come up and sometimes people are late or even disappear for a time. Don't get upset if you don't hear from them. Maybe it does only take a minute to let someone know you are unable to send things right away, but if there are twenty people to write to, it may seem overwhelming or maybe they just do not have twenty minutes. Just my thoughts. All the other things mentioned here are also very important. I do find it very helpful to have things pre-packaged and I also use a business card template to make notes to send in pkgs, with all my info as well as what I am sending and what I expect.
Michele

I haven't sent any seeds or plants, but I'd gladly edit for grammar, spelling, and those sorts of things. Besides, I might learn something reading it. :)

Email me if you're still looking for help
Jennifer

Hi my friend,
I find that many cuttings that have to travel any distance arrive too dried out to be of any use to the person who receives them. Since they don't have the advantage of having roots to absorb the moisture it is difficult to absorb any water when they are just wrapped with damp paper towels. I have tried using pill bottles with wet cotton wrapped around the bases and with seran wrap covering the bottle and the top area of the bottle snugged really tightly with a twistum tie. People have told me that they have arrived in great shape. I was in a wholesale florist yesterday and bought the little florist water holding tubes for 15 cents each. I am going to try using those and also snugging the seran at the top of that to prevent any leaking. If this doesn't make sense, email me. I find it hard to describe what I am doing.

Most of my sase's that were returned w/seeds DID NOT have a return addy or at least initials on there.I would receive an envelope and wondered each time where and whom it came from UNTIL I'd go to my notes and check who was supposed to send what!A couple did have some very good info on bulbs or seeds and were signed.One mistake on my part,I had not noted one of the trades,so when seeds came in ,I had to retrack it to sent e-mails re that type of seed.I am not on the trade -tracker list yet,just file here at home.And with one trader ,I did have to write 2x to verify arrival of my plants....Jane

Good tips, everyone! Keep them coming!!!!

Want to be known as a bad trader real fast?

All you have to do is post on the boards for new trades while there are folks still emailing you about the old ones you haven't completed yet.

It's a simple concept, but a pitfall for many because they think "well, I'll just get it all done this weekend". Unfortunately, this is the usual beginning of the end for an over-extended trader because life ALWAYS gets in the way.

If you are behind on your trades DO NOT make new trades until you are COMPLETELY caught up.

Poojer

The above ones are really good points! I'd like to add:
*Label your plants! Put the name of the plant on the packaged plant, especially if you are sending a variety of plants to someone new. It's hard to sort out unmarked plants.
*label the seeds you are sending. I put a sticker on the seed packs with the name of the seed. If you can include the Latin name, all the better..but include some name on what you send.
*If you can send sowing info or planting info, do so..or at least direct the person to where they can find it.
*when sending plants, add some filler like newspaper to keep the plants from flopping around and breaking in the box. I like to tape the smaller plants to the bottom of the box(use the tape over the tin foil part) so they don't get knocked around.
*keep yourself organized and develop a system for responding to emails, sending out seeds/plants and keeping notes/email addresses, etc.. I don't use the trade tracker here and my best friend is a pad and pencil next to the computer.
*Don't put seeds loose inside the actual mailing envelope. You'd be surprised how many escape through the open slits and it's really bad etiquette anyway.
*Please use some protective wrap when sending seeds!!!!! I use the pink foam insulation wrap from Home Depot. It comes in a huge roll and lasts for a long time and it's inexpensive($5.00). If you don't use anything, it signals to me that you're not serious about what you're doing, unless you're a newbie and didn't know yet.
*expect that not all trades will come through. Real people have real problems sometimes in their lives. If you are someone who can't keep up your end of a trade, PLEASE just email the trader to say just that..simply "I can't send". Please don't ignore emails..it's not fair to the person who did send you something. If you're on the other end, drop it if they can't complete their end...you're garden will be filled from the generosity of those who can send things.
*if you aren't sure about how to collect seeds from a plant, find out. Don't assume the seed is where you want it to be. Know it for sure. There's nothing like getting petals and chaff with not a hint of seed to be found.
*Reasonably clean your seeds for trade or specify if you are sending pods, flower heads, etc.. to your trader.
*If you are retrading someone else's seeds (which I personally don't do), remember that they may not be labeled correctly/gathered correctly, fertile/etc.
*Please don't ask for seeds which you have no clue about. Find out if it will grow in your zone, especially if you are asking for SASE.
*be specific for what you are trading..how many, etc..
*let your trader know the trade has arrived. After all, some work went into sending your package, so let them know it's arrived :)
*trading is a wonderful opportunity to share each other's gardens. If you want exact germination or other things, store-bought may be the route. Keep good records, good etiquette, fairness and a sense of adventure...and your garden will prosper from trading with other garden folks :)
Trish

Dicentra has added some absolutely marvelous advice! I like the info about the plant labeling. When I was a new trader I was also a new gardener and "mystery" plants always drove me bonkers. It's nice to know from the start what a plant is so I can site it correctly.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

It's poor ettiquette to ask for an "uneven trade".

Let's say that GardenerJane has posted a list with ten types of seeds for trade. OverallJim sends GardenerJane an email wanting to trade for the whole list. He offers just a pack of marigolds and a pack of zinnias in exchange. This can be interpreted as greed.

Another example would be Jim trading his marigolds and zinnias for just two packs of Jane's seeds, this is even and fair, but in the last email he asks that before Jane packs up his seeds if she would mind adding a few extras if she has them. This irks Jane as she usually includes a suprise bonus pack or two, Jim's last minute request makes her feel uncomfortable and somewhat taken advantage of. Jane is nice and sends along the usual bonus that she sends with all her trades, but she'll never trade with Jim again.

Another no-no would be if GardenerJane posted her list of seeds for TRADE ONLY. OverallJim posts that he has nothing to exchange but would like to send a SASE for her seeds. (Jane is not sure what the psychology is with this...is Jim being greedy, or has he been caught up in over-enthusiasm and has forgotten that her post is for trades only?) GardenerJane sends a polite reply that the seeds are for trade at this time and that later on in the season if she has extras she'll post them for SASE on the board.

There are lots of generous traders on these forums. Greed is unnecessary and showing it can be a very big turn-off to future trades. People's own writings reveal a lot about their personal character. If I see greed in a post either to myself or someone else I will probably never initiate a trade with that individual.

Poojer

Good points, Dicentra and Poojer! One situation that Poojer's list also brings to mind is when gardeners want to "trade up".

For example, let's say GardenerJane offers some rare seeds for trade. When OverallJim (love those names, BTW) sees GardenerJane's list, his eyes light up because he is really wanting some of those rare plants in his garden. But he's still a new gardener, and his seedbox is filled with the "garden standards", which GardenerJane probably already has in her garden.

Can some of you "GardenerJanes" (more experienced gardeners) give OverallJim some advice in this situation?

And, too - maybe some tips for how GardenerJane can politely handle requests from newbies who aren't aware that they are asking for an uneven trade.

I am POSITIVE that I've been "OverallJim" in the past; I was fortunate enough to meet some very gracious "GardenerJanes" who shared their treasures with me. Looking back, I'm sure there are some things I could have done differently.

If you make your own seed packages, with paper an sticky tape, please make sure you fold over the paper edges twice so the seeds do not get all stuck to the sticky tape.
I have had an amazing amount of seeds sent to me in bits of paper just folded in half and stuck around the 3 sides with sticky tape. The little seeds - just gravitate to the sticky tape and are useless from then on.

Label all seed packages with common name (Latin name is wonderful if you know it) and growing instructions if possible. I have received mystery seeds - no name on the seed package - and no idea who sent them, most frustrating.

Also PLEASE include your email address, as well as you mailing address, so you can be told your seeds have arrived and thanked.

I am so new at this, My first real trade will be happening next week. What I ask of a trade is hopefully they understand that I am trying to learn and please be patient with the billion emails I send. Answer my questions to the best of your ability, because I am trying to get my plants out in the best condition possible. Tell me when I do something wrong so that I can rectify the situation, and send out replacements. If I know what I did wrong, I won't do it next time. I will never view it as criticism, only a willingness to help me to learn. So I appreciate all of your help. Because this is where I have gotten most of my info from. I thank you all for taking the time to write all this up. Because you are really and truly helping others.
Holly

someone might have said this already but ....

when trading bare root cuttings and plants wrap them in wet tissue or newspaper soaked with water that contains a root promoter. if the plants are gonna be in the post for a few days they should start rooting while in transit.

for small cuttings and delicate/large seeds send them in a camera film box.

Mark

Mark, those are both very good ideas, especially using film canisters (as long as the seeds are dry) - I had some large seeds that a poor trader sent twice, and both times they were crushed. I didn't have the heart to ask for a third attempt.....
Thanks!!!!

Keep those ideas coming, everyone!!!!

Mark, you gave me an idea. What about old pill bottles? They would work like film canisters wouldn't they?

Runew, I think they would....those are both good ideas for protecting those larger, fragile seeds as they go through the mail system. Thanks!

My post office has got so fussy they won't take envelopes with bubble wrap etc in them....Unless they are the bubble envelopes..... I can slide them thur if I put them in the box outside........ but I have found that the bubble envelopes that you get your trades in, after they have been used so much you can't resend in them that if you cut them the same as the envelope and use them for your seeds the PO will take that...... go figure....!

Mark, when you say root promoter, do you mean a rooting powder, like Rootone?

Mystic, what a good idea to recycle those envelopes, even when they're beyond going back through the mail one more time. (I know I started getting serious about saving those brown paper envelopes with bubble wrap inside, once I began seed trading.)

Since there is a lot of interest in environmentally friendly, cost-effective ways to ensure our trades reach their destination safely, here are a few questions specific to envelopes, for all you experienced seed traders out there:

1. What are your best tips for preserving envelopes as long as possible (For example, I've heard some people use a hot iron to remove labels - does it work, and how do you do it?)

2. What are the best packaging materials? I've sent and received seeds wrapped in tissue paper, bubble wrap, thin foam insulation, etc. I've also received seeds that were placed inside a folded 8.5 x 11 sheet of typing paper. Any other suggestions for packaging materials that can be recycled from other sources, or purchased inexpensively?

3. If you have to break over and buy some bubble envelopes, where are the best places to purchase them? What size is best for average trades?

Thanks again to all who have submitted their ideas; they are all great tips!

Just to update everyone, I've created an outline to start grouping all these wonderful tips into sections. I have had gracious offers from several of you to review the drafts - if you've volunteered will be hearing from me very shortly. I'm hopeful we can have the final draft for Dave as early as late August, just in time for the busiest seed trading time.

*****PLEASE KEEP THOSE IDEAS COMING!!!!********

The trays you get meat on work great to.....cut them the same size as the enveople and they go thur the post office pretty good too..... AS for recycling the seed envelopes you get, I bought a pack of stick on white labels for 97 cents and just stick them over the stuff on the envelope and presto an new seed package. lol As for the size of the envelope the 8x5( not sure of the exact size but thats close) is great for just the normal trade... But if your sending very many seeds then you will need a bigger one. I am an ebay addict so I got my envelopes from there the ones at the Post office are to high. Hope this helps.

If I'm sending a lot of seeds (or small seedlings), I cut an ice-cream multi-pack box in half and turn it inside out, then seal it all round with brown packing tape. It's plain brown on the outside, just big enough to write the address and get the stamps on, and fits through a letter box.

I also make smaller bubble envelopes from the big ones, by cutting them in half or quarters, removing the bubble insulation from the outer edges and sealing them with glue and a hot iron. A bit fiddly, but there's no end to your imagination if you're as - what's the word? - 'frugal' as me. And yes, I'm always using a hot iron for removing all the stamps, customs labels, address labels and sticky tape from all my envelopes to re-use.

This isn't the cheapest way to go, but it's the easiest for me, and it's "cheap enough".

I buy a roll of bubble wrap from Wal-Mart for about $2. This roll gives me enough bubble wrap to do at least 50 trades, and, of course, I save any bubble wrap that comes to me in other trades. I haven't had to buy any new bubble wrap since last summer.

Envelopes: Again from Wal-Mart I bought the "#10" envelopes, business sized.

I then cut the bubble wrap to the perfect size to fit inside the envelope, then fold it and put inside. Fill with seeds, and you've got a handy dandy envelope that makes the post office, seeds, and recipient happy!

Dave

I'd just like to say for those who are new to gardening, please ask questions. Most traders are very happy to answer any questions on their list. We all get our fair share of Overalljims (and have probably been him at one time or another), just a fact of life I guess.

If you want something that you know a person has, ask directly. I spent 3 weeks and goodness knows how many emails pointing someone in the direction of a seed company that had the same seeds and detailing the care of them. Not once did he ask me for the seeds (which I would have freely given at the time), but he had no intention of buying them. I prefer a direct honest approach...after all he could have been just after my home address!

If you feel uncomfortable with any request, remember the old adage, If in doubt, do nowt. A short polite email, that you are no longer trading or soemthing else will suffice and I hope that you never have to do it. Gut feelings and instincts are there for a reason. If someone keeps emailing you asking what you are looking even though they haven't sent you a list then don't do it. They probably don't have the seeds, but will say that they have.

If sending your trades overseas, ALWAYS use a padded envelope AND wrap. I sent some to California once just in a padded evelope and the whole lot was crushed. I did replace them and now always use the two together, I sometimes even wrap the seeds and bubble wrap in a card just so it looks more full and the Post office don't try and force it through their machines. If someone sends me a large padded envelope which has been used twice, I split the evelope and use each side as a padded envelope using lost of thick brown tape.

I forgot to add:

If you have no seeds to trade, you can offer something else if you like. Cards (thanks for trading or some such) are most welcome by some and can be home made. One lady from overseas had a few packets of seeds from me, she was a pensioner but had no seeds that I wanted at the time and couldn't afford to pay for the seeds (I was selling/trading them at the time) nor could she send postage as our stamps are different, I said she could have them for nothing. I was most surprised when a couple of weeks later a large packet of powdered soup arrived in thanks! LOL I'll never forget that kind lady for the rest of my life




This message was edited Saturday, Jul 28th 8:07 PM

Oh I think this kinda goes in with what Poojer said but if you get seeds today they are not ready to trade........ they need to dry first...... or they will mold in the packages...... sorry gv but trying to think of things that have happened to me in the past you know what they say you learn from you mistakes.....lol

My preferred way of sending cuttings (rooted or not) is to wrap them in kitchen film with water retaining gel around the root end (the sort of stuff that goes in hanging basket soil to retain moisture). It has various proprietary names SwellGel or WaterGel here in the UK. Seal the neck of the kitchen film ppackage with sticky tape, put the whole lot into a "zip lock" type freezer bag (try trapping some air inside to act as a cushion), then put it in bubble wrap envelope. Seems to work OK

On a separate point, I dropped into GW this week to find a raging debate going on about trading for cash. Those who are against say it isnt kosher (only trade seed for seed sort of thing). I have never refused a trade with anyone simply because they dont have any colateral in seeds or plants. I'm happy to do the work of collecting seed and packaging and do not refuse the offer of the odd $ bill to cover my post costs (after all, I can always use "foreign" currency for a reverse trade). There'll always be newbies looking for a start, so I hope we dont get into the same purist nonsense here.

El Tel

I'm sure that I've been Overall Jim at one time or another. I've learned a lot in a short time.

btw, Brugmansia posted a really good letter on shipping brugs and cuttings in the B & D forum, you might want to incorporate some of that.

tiG, thanks for the advice - I'll be sure to check it out!

In fact, there are probably lots of great tips and ideas buried in various threads, but as someone famous once said, "Aye, there's the rub." It's soooo hard to find all that good advice when you need it most, and it tends to get buried down in the forums after a while.

So please take a moment to give us that tip or hint that has helped you, or you wish you had known when you first began trading seeds/plants.

And if have a question about trading etiquette, post it here (or e-mail me, and I'll post for you, if you prefer), as your questions may help jog someone else's memory. A big thanks to everyone who is helping with this project - I really appreciate it!

When I first started trading seeds I made sure the recipient knew who they came from. What I do is:

1. On the back of the seed envelope i put an address label that also has my email address on it.

2. How many seeds in pack and common and latin name(if known)

3. I think i over protect my seeds! lol have rec'd many crushed seeds

4. wrap in a foam wrap i get at work for free.

5. address label on envelope and also on the inside of the envelope i write my email address, what the trade is and any other important info.
That way the person has my home address, email addy and also my alias .... I also use the same alias as my email address. That, for me seems to be easier and no one will have to put 2 or 3 names to a single person.

Do not wrap seeds in paper towels... They will come loose guaranteed and please don't use tape. As previously said, seeds will congregate to the tape.

When i do a trade, I am sitting at my puter, envelopes are close at hand and so is seed box. Right then and there I fill the envelope with what the trade is. I already have them stamped & if it's a big trade I can pretty much figure out how much postage is required.

Also, on the envelope I write HAND CANCEL please w/smiley face! Seems to work for me at my post office. And I try to always use a bright color that attracts attention.

If i think of any more, I will post them

SYR36

This message was edited Monday, Aug 20th 1:23 AM

Sis:
Some people don't have a "Clue"
Don't worry about it for every one like her there are 10 good people.

Paul

Thanks for the kindness,only was asking how others handle a situation like I experienced' Nothing to "worry as you say",not in my vocabulary'''Hopefully,there will always be more good people''Sis'

Sis, I'm not sure there's much you can do, except make a mental note to not trade with the person again, or at least not for anything you've got your heart set on. It certainly is not good trading ethics nor etiquette, and hopefully it's not the norm, but occasionally it does happen :(