CLOSED: Seeds for a little boy

I get so much in the mail so often, my son always gets dissapointed that nothing in the mail is for him. His Oma and Meemaw have pitched in- sending him cards and stickers in the mail, but I had an idea- why not trade my seeds for something he likes so he can get seeds in the mail, too? I have a large trade list (mostly tropicals) and he would like a "big old sunflower that is yellow", other types of sunflowers or sunflower like plants, purple zinnias or "a cactus with a purple flower." I have no idea if the last thing exists, but I thought it was pretty cute. I would also be interested in any good vendors that you know of with sunflower seeds for purchase (they've already taken the seeds off the shelves down here.) We have plenty of room for tons of sunflower types, and you would make a little boy very happy! Thanks, looking forward to trading.

Hi there f4f!

I don't have sunflowers, because they don't grow for me (!) and no purple zinnias. I do have a variety of rudbeckias (which are certainly 'sunflower-like') and a purple echinacea, and I would be happy to send seeds to your son when they are done flowering and set seed. Now, I don't know about cacti with purple flowers (although I think a large number of cacti DO have purple flowers), but what I DO have are seeds from a Lewisii cotyledon that has ALMOST purple flowers (and looks a lot like a cactus) AND seeds from an unknown plant (I THINK a type of Euphorbia) that I collected in Ethiopia this Spring and which most definitely has purple flowers. These will be the first seeds from this young plant, and I don't know if they will germinate (or even if they might need cold treatment), but if they don't work, I'd also be happy to send him a stem cutting when the plant is a bit bigger; it roots very easily in water. I also think I have a couple of baby lavenders out in the garden (and you can't get more purple!).

Let me know if any of these are of interest. If so, send me your son's mailing address.

Oh, how about Swiss stamps? I usually have a bunch of those from the office.

Cheers,
Potagere

I have some Sunflower seed left from this season that I never planted. I would be happy to send and put a smile on his face.

Hi Potagere and Donna. Thanks for your responses! Well, I think the Echinacea is a great idea- he's liked those pictures when we were browsing at the seed racks earlier this year. Wow, that Lewisii is beautiful, but will it grow here in this climate? The seeds from the Ethiopan Euphorbia sound fantastic, and I have some experience with starting Euphorbia seeds. And the sunflowers are most welcome! I will Dmail you both!!!!!

fauna4flora,

Let me see what I can find. I probably won't be able to send for a couple of weeks, but I'd love to help a little boy fall in love more and more with growing things. It is healthy for him and his future.

April

I have mammoth sunflower and other kinds of sunflowers too. I also have purple zinnia and yellow zinnias. I will Dmail you if you are interested in trading. What a fantastic idea!

Thanks guys! Sounds great, and if it is spread out that is even better for him. Lilli- all that sounds wonderful, and remember guys I am willing to trade my seeds for this- it's like you have said, this is my way of keeping him involved in loving living things and the earth.

By the way, we saw the movie Wall-E last night. The lessons in that were great- the one thing I will say is that a plant played a critical role in the plot.

I will Dmail you!

fauna4flora - How old is your son?

He is five. He is very good already at transplanting fragile seedlings and often helps me in the yard.

I have a 7 year old step-daughter and I was think they might be interested in pin pal type thing, but it sounds like he's a bit young still.

Yes, he is. Great idea, though!

Maybe let me know when he starts writing sentences.

I have a nice NOID epiphyllum that belonged to my great aunt, so it's at least...oh, thirty? years old, but it is a cactus with a brilliant magenta bloom in spring.

Celene, what a splendid offer. And I love that it is a family heirloom. What can I send you in return?

Zhinu, I got an idea from Potagere based on a lovely story he told me. We can send your daughter a little treasure from FL- a fossilized conch shell perhaps? Maybe the penpal relationship will come later.

Sage collects rocks, would he be interested in one? Her great obsessions are rocks, cats and frogs. Though if I let her she would collect bugs too. I draw the line at collecting living things until she can learn how to raise them.

I think she would love to get things in the mail, right now she just gets the occasional letter from her mother.

Ooooooh. rocks. You just struck paydirt! He loves rocks, and we don't have too many around here except some limestone- not like at all like the quantity and array I grew up with in Pennsylvania. I will Dmail you.

Sounds good :o)

Fauna,

He may like Himalayan balsam. It's seed pods explode when touched. Most children love this.....

I'd love to send them to your son! Just send me d-mail if you think he'll like it!

Tuinkabouter, that is a GREAT idea! I still grow those plants because of pleasant memories of popping seed pods. Which I still do. LOL

Well, good idea, but I am going to pass. We have enough exploding seed pods here already!

f4f - gotcha covered - sent a dmail

On the sun flower seeds those are easy. The ones I use in my bird feeder come up all the time. I guess he actually wants to recieve a letter? LOL. I have sun flowers that are just about ripe, I could send a whole flower with seeds in it or would seeds just do it?

I love Zinnias and Sunflowers. I have some of seeds I can share with your little boy. I will be more than happy to send you some. Send me a D-mail and I will put them in the mail for him on friday.

Here is a purple one but unfortunately it came in a mix packet.

Gardenia, I have some of those short fence too. Are yours plastics? I had to put them up to keep my husband from mowing over my clemantis when he mowed the grass.

The Purple Prince Zinnia seeds I'm sending you should be really pretty (from the photo). I wouldn't know as the deer ate my buds a few nights ago! Aaarrrrggghhh!!! I got to see one of my pink zinnia-cactus before they ate that one too, but they haven't touch the yellow ones, at the mailbox, yet. Hmmm.

The seed packet said "intense, rosy purple, large flowers". You can see the pictures under plant file.

Here is a picture of the pink zinnia-cactus. I would have offered these seeds but I cannot find them anywhere in my house! It is driving me nuts as I don't remember putting down all the zinnia-cactus seeds....


This message was edited Jul 15, 2008 10:16 PM

Chantell- you are ever such a sweetheart. TY, and please let me know when one of those grandbabies start expressing your genes.

CareHHI- LOL! Yes, he would definitely like to receive a letter. Great idea about the bird seed, though. I keep the feeder stocked for my woodpeckers and cardinals!

Gardenia- we have some purple on the way, but the more the merrier. We have plenty of room for more zinnnias, and he can plant them next to mommy's.

Lilli....actually cactus flowered zinnias were something on my list as I was supposed to receive seed from a member who may still find the time to fulfill the promised trade. LMK if you find them.

All of you, thank you- and please let me know what I can do for you. He got his first seed packet today and it was very special- much more than expected. Will privately Dmail you guys pictures in the future.

Guys, I am going to flag this thread as closed, although we can continue discussion and trade offers are still welcome. I don't want him to get overwhelmed although he may take a continued interest; it's hard to say with this age! I'll be including him in my own shopping henceforth...... I am so grateful for all of you who have reached out to us, and it is a good segway into other lessons in life for a little boy. Suffice it to say that he is good at finding that little "orange one" that is Rhode Island on his globe now, and he knows what a "Europe" is. The globe has been special to him for a while as my DH travels so much (mostly central and south America), so now we are expanding much more.

I'v said it before.....DG folks are the best!

Hi Lilimerci,

Yes, they are plastic and I use mine to keep the dogs out of that area.

Fauna4flora,

I also have some marigold and daisy seeds if you want any let me know. I don't want anything in return as long as your lil boy gets his flowers and he is happy that is enough for me. Glad I could help!

As long as it is not African marigold. I myself am dissapointed with those. They take forever to flower and take up so much space. Even I got bored! My father always had a vegetable garden, but my grandmother loved marigolds and coleus in addition to her own vegetable garden, too. She collected her own seeds every year and made a point to show me how to that also. Year after year- never fail. Got to love that.

You know, that just gave me an idea.................so many "why didn't I think of that before?"