Me too! At last week's rate of recovery, y'all were going to get pretzels and dip on the 23rd... or maybe Domino's... LOL
Think Spring! Seed Swaps and more for Feb 23 Tea Party
I love the fact that on DG there is always someone awake at some ungodly hour! I hope you are asleep now, Critter; staying up past midnight is no way to recuperate!
I was on my way up! What on earth were you doing still awake at 2? I hope the girls weren't costing you sleep! *hugs*
I did want to apologize for the above remark though... I know this crowd would be just as happy to gather and swap seeds over pizza, or milk & oreos, or whatever... the main point is to get together... I'm the one with "winter tea party" on the brain, and I promise I'm not feeling over committed about it. I'm having fun planning!
Your right Critter this is a very understanding group. And if the time comes and you are really not up to hosting this you will let us know! I was just thinking you've been pretty busy lately, must be feeling a little better. Ric had a virus several years ago about this time and it affected his heart. He was pretty exhausted for a couple of months but in the end everything cleared up and he was back to his old self.
I was up around 2- sorry I didn't check in!
Jill- you know we can bring anything and everything. My personal feeling is you have done more than enough for this event to take a free ride from here.
Yeah, I knew you wouldn't !!!
Glad you're feeling perkier.
I just realized that the 23rd is a day after George Washington's birthday. So I plan to bring something with cherries. Still a bit of a British theme -- there was that Revolution and all that . . . .
I found a chicken salad recipe with dried cherries in it (on an old tea party recipe thread)... it also involves tarragon and almonds.
Whoops, what are we doing, talking food on the seed and plant thread!
:-)
I am printing label slips this morning. Lots and lots of label slips.
Critter: How do you have so much seed? I have a lot of seed packets, but not so much of any one kind. That's why, notwithstanding your admonitions, I may just bring my seed box and if anyone wants any, see if I have enough. I have an excel spreadsheet that lists what I have.
I haven't collected much seed at all -- maybe that is how you have tons.
Yes, most of the "tons" comes from seed that I've collected... I participated in a couple of big swaps and sent in lots of extras. I only really needed/wanted relatively few seeds in return, but I knew I'd be able to pass extras along at this swap and when sending out other seeds for SASBE. Some of the trade packets I've received are really generous, with more than enough to share. Also, people sometimes toss in "bonus" seeds with trades, and a lot of times I can't use them, but I try to pass them along. After a couple of years of active trading, it all adds up! :-)
Hey, you all! I feel all forgotten! No one has wondered where I went to.......just because I have not been part of all this seed frenzy.....
Been reading all this and wondering.........about all this "seed mania" stuff. Thought the main idea was to just get together and socialize, sip tea and chat. Seeds were incidental!
Critter! That is what you kept telling everyone! What have you turned this into???? You were the one saying no one has to bring seeds or anything...just come and have a good time. I know! I know!!! When someone mentions "SEEDS"--you can't help it.....:o)
I have a question/comment on seeds that are collected from one's own Garden. I always feel that they are not, somehow, "good enough", or equal in quality, to trade. Like--how can anyone guarantee germination of seeds we collected in a paper cup and dried them for X days on top of the fridge?
Like---they CANNOT be as good as the packaged ones from Burpee or any other company. Then again--WHY NOT? Jill, you, of all people, are the "QUEEN" of seeds--collected or otherwise. Do you ever have trepidations about offering them to people who hope to have this or that awesome plant grow and bloom in THEIR gardens from YOUR seeds? How much feedback do you get?
Every time I send cuttings or seeds to someone, I ask them to let me know in a year or so how the plants did. I think, in all the years I have been on DG, 3 people have done that.
So much for getting feedback! That whole idea is a pipe dream! They are pressed to remember who sent them what in 2 weeks! A year????? Ha!
I guess I am just too conscientious about all the seeds I offer to others. Anyone else feel this way?
And--YES! Of course I will be bringing seeds to your Tea! Right now, I am limiting my seed generosity to people of another Thread. You all, pretty much, already know what I have. The only different ones I gathered myself from last year were Brent's perennial Salvia (just about a 1/2 tsp. worth) and my blue Angelonias I bought and grew. I sure love that plant! What longevity it has in the Garden! These I did not list on my "haves". Not enough to offer.
I almost dread to announce all the seeds I have (just for postage) to the "general public" on the Seed Trading Forum! Mamma Mia!!!! Been through that all before! It is NOT pretty.....:o( The greed is repulsive!
Gita
PS. Did any of you know that the stamp for the second ounce on a letter has been reduced to 17 cents from the 24 cents it was?
Did you also know that if your bubble envelope is LESS than 3/4" thick, it can go for 58 cents? NOT $1.13. So--pop some of the bubbles....it will get hand-cancelled anyway! Only if it is more than that--it is considered a "small parcel" and will cost you the $1.13.
Hey! A penny saved is a penny earned......
So, pack your little baggies in there as flat as you can. I taped all mine to an index card--as flat as i could. Didn't want them all to shift and create a bulge.
Ciao!
This is the SWAP thread, and anybody who wants to obsess about seeds can do it here. But anybody who just wants to come to the party and chat and have a good time and not bother with seeds can certainly do so!
I've had good germination myself on almost all the seeds I've saved... occasionally something will fail to grow out "true," and I generally try to contact folks who got the seed via post or Dmail. I think I have about the same error/non-germination rate with commercial seeds, so actually, no, I don't have any feeling like the seeds I share are less "worthy" than seeds people buy. And I usually try to send more than I'm getting in a swap, which I figure helps make up for any potential disappointments. If a seed is older, or I have any doubts about it in terms of cross-pollination etc., I make sure that I'm very clear about it.
Gita, that's 1/4 inch thick for BE's to be considered envelopes rather than small parcels... and lumpy or uneven envelopes can get charged the higher rate, as you noted. An empty BE measures about 1/4 inch thick, so if you're sending more than a few packets, you're probably going to end up paying the $1.13. See http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm100/postage.htm
I submitted an article with some guidelines on responding to seed for postage offers... it's on the schedule for Feb. 21. If you wait to post your offers after that, maybe it'll be helpful? It covers what to include in a SASBE as well as some helpful etiquette tips...
Gita
I like your post. I think I would be scared to give up seeds if I ever grew any. LOL I have been reading the forums for 10 days. I do not understand the round robin stuff, and I do not know what SASBE means. It is scary watching all of it, but fun too. It is also hard when you do not have anything to trade.
I was also reading about the labels and everything else.. I like this forums.. It seems people are nice and it is a good place to chat and learn.
I thank all of you all for adopting me and letting me play so soon. In my Neapolitan world I would have been tossed out asking so many questions and been screamed out by now, and there is NO way I would have been asked to a tea party.
You all are very nice and I just wanted to say thank you. I also found that my lilac bush should give off seeds sooner or later and if it does you all can have first dibs because it is so pretty. (Jill it is purple)
Oh and BTW Gita I hope all is well since you were gone for a few days, I do not know people’s posting schedules, but I hope all is well.
Sorry, Jenn, not trying to be mysterious! It's a Self Addressed Stamped Bubble Envelope. There's lots of good info on trading in the Trading Primer (see the link at the top of the Seed Trading or Plant Trading forums).
I posted those lists to get people excited, not intimidated, so I hope they didn't have the wrong effect! :-) Since I have so many seeds already to start inside and winter sow this year, there's not a lot that I "need" although you can tell from my Park's order that I'm still easily tempted. So most of the seeds on that list are simply extras that I'm hoping somebody will be able to take & use.
Jenn,
SASBE means---Self-- Addressed--Stamped--Bubble---Envelope.
SASE--means Self-addressed-Stamped--Envelope.
"Round Robin" just means people getting together at someone's house and exchanging stuff--seeds--cuttings--books--whatever. It is give and take. Or--just "give" or just "take".
"Labels" is all about properly labeling the seed packets you bring so people will know what it is. HOW you make the labels is up to you. You can hand-write them or print them out (after typing them), or put sticky labels on the small packets, etc.
In my way of thinking--too much extra $$ is spent someone mailing ME the SASBE and then ME mailing the seeds back to them in that. I just send them the seeds in the bubble envelope, or regular envelope and ask them to reimburse me the postage (stamps or money) after they receive it. This kind of cuts out the "middle mailing" expense. So far--I have never been left un-reimbursed.
Jenn--DG is a wonderfully accepting site. You don't need to be "adopted"--just jump right in! Like--you would be in a hot-tub with a bunch of friends.
This holds true for all 300 some Forums. How many others have you ventured on? Please do! Try to find something to connect to and you will be welcomed with open arms.
Take tour--see what all is available! Check out all the extras!
Glad to have you here, Gita
Jill--we cross-poster......
Better to have TWO answers than none!
Oh Jill I was talking about the other forums not this one... This one has a different feel. I am helping. I am bringing a rain barrel, food, and I am not sure what else.
I love the fact you have taken me under your wing!
Oh, and you know I owe you big time for finding and hauling that rain barrel up here for me!
I'm just hoping that there isn't somebody else who was lurking and thinking that they couldn't possibly participate because all they had was a bag of zinnia seeds... LOL, do you know that's what I had the first year I joined DG and started trading? I sent zinnia seeds out by the fistful (with plenty of chaff, LOL), and I got such a generous variety of seeds in return from people with established gardens. :-)
So if you're lurking -- post! Join us! Jump in the "hot tub" (love Gita's friendly image)! And mark Feb. 23 on your calendar... the more, the merrier. :-)
Gita- I'm not forgetting you. We have a lunch to do. If we don't hear from noobiegardener over the weekend. we'll have to assume she hasn't recovered and go ourselves. I'll dmail specifics.
jill- looks like I have some seeds from the Amaranthus lividus you swapped last year.
Sally... Cool! That's a neat plant. I managed to get a few seeds from a couple of plants that happened to volunteer by the deck, but I don't have many extras. I love the burgundy foliage!
(I don't know if you saw her post in the prayer forum, but our noobie has developed shingles in addition to the flu and is feeling miserable... we need to cheer her up!)
You know, it's funny Sally should mention that burgundy Amaranthus... I've been doing labels today... and I was just trying to look that one up. I grew it from seed (trade) labeled "tall burgundy amaranthus," and then I found a catalog entry that seemed to match, calling it A. lividus... but from info I'm seeing now, I think it might actually be some form of A. cruentus. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1381/
Don't you love me for these mystery plants, Sally? First "Not Chocolate Daisy" (which we now know is Heliopsis helianthoides var. scabra), and now this! At least I'm sure it's an amaranth. !
Critter, critter, critter... I even saved the plastic six pack chunk so I had the name you wrote on it... That one looks pretty. With the drought, mine only grew toabout a foot, 6-8 feet will be cool, better prepare for that!!
How about this one, for a certain College Parkian gardener?
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/77169/
ps, thanks for the heads up
Hey sally, that plant's got my name all over it. snort.
You know... I think that is in the lot beside my house.... the burgundy amaraths... I will look this summer
I know! Sally is probably the one who is as obsessed as I can get sometimes about having my plants all labeled and getting the names right... and she keeps getting my mystery plants! I swear, Sally, I do know the correct names of most of what I've handed you... with luck, that's the only other "maybe" ID! Never trust a catalog to get a scientific name right.
Wrightie made a funny...chuckle, chuckle!!! ;-)
Jill - managed to get the last 2 packs of little baggies at the Wdbg Wally World...will check mine this wked.
Praise Be ... someone actually gets me. :~)
Thanks, Chantell! With that, I think I'm pretty well set for the moment since I managed to stop by there last night & scored 8 packs... good thing we went through the self checkout; the last time I bought half a dozen packs the cashier gave me a funny look like she thought I might be trafficking in illegal product...
It seems to me I've come across other "wrightii" species... does that mean something in latin, or was there a famous naturalist named Wright?
Was there an architect named Lloyd Wright???? Not sure....
???Frank Lloyd Wright?????
This message was edited Jan 25, 2008 11:35 PM
Frank Lloyd Wright ... and then there were those brothers who liked to fly
Ha! wrightie! We are both smart!!!!!
Frank Lloyd Wright, yes indeed. Worth Googling... But I don't think he described any new species of plants.
sigh ... it was a joke
I know that! But really, I'm wondering about all those "wrightii" plants out there... it seems to me I've seen more than one that "had your name all over it!" ;-)
house plants...
There's this guy:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Wright_%28botanist%29
This message was edited Jan 25, 2008 10:49 PM
SNORT
Here I am: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Wright_(botanist)
darn it, it didn't post the right page ...
Quoting:
William Wright (botanist)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other persons named William Wright, see William Wright (disambiguation).
William Wright was a Scottish physician and botanist, born in march 1735 in Crieff in the Scottish Perthshire and deceded the 19 September 1819 in Edinburgh.
He studied at the University of Edinburgh and got a medical physician title in St Andrews. He learnt surgery in Falkirk in Scotland.
He embarked as a navy surgeon in 1760. He became Dr Gray's assistant in Jamaica in 1764. He stayed on the island until 1777. In 1778, he became a Royal Society fellow, was member to numerous societies as the Linnean Society of London (he became associated member in 1807), the Wernerian Natural History Society (was a founder member in 1808), the London Royal School of Medicine (that he led in 1801).
He enrolled in the British Navy in 1779 and was captured by the French.
He returned to Jamaica in 1782 and became the following year, the Chief-physician of the colony. He came back to Edinburgh in 1785. He joined an expedition lead by Sir Ralph Abercromby (1734-1801) from 1796 to 1798 exploring the Caribbean.
He published numerous medecine articles and collected in Jamaica an important collection in natural history. Notably, he described more than 750 plant species.
William Roxburgh (1759-1815) dedicated him the Wrightea gender of the Palmae family. Dawson Turner (1775-1858) dedicated the Fucus wrightii species (now Gracilaria wrightii) of the Gracilariaceae family.
[edit]Source
Ray Desmond (1994). Dictionary of British and Irish Botanists and Horticulturists includins Plant Collectors, Flower Painters and Garden Designers. Taylor & Francis and The Natural History Museum (Londres).
Categories: 1735 births | 1819 deaths | Botanists | British botanists | British doctors | Alumni of the University of Edinburgh | Alumni of the London Hospital Medical College
This message was edited Jan 25, 2008 10:54 PM
Heh Heh, I also studied botany at the Univ. of Edinburgh ... well, two classes in botany anyway.
Double snort.....
*whew* Now I can go to sleep...
Claypa! are you going to come party with us?
I'd like to but I don't know if I can yet.
Here's a pic of a FLW house. I've spent a lot of time there working and visiting. It's no Fallingwater, but the roof has leaked in the past! I can walk around this house okay but very tall people hit their heads a lot, it's weird.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=2577455
This message was edited Jan 26, 2008 9:58 AM