Exotic seed swap anyone?

That is extemely generous offer and put me on your list please John I only want maybee 5 canna and 5 Brugs and I have some Penesetum Velosum and some Purple ornamental Millet to giveaway and someother bibs and bobs.Will pm my address.

 

Great plan!

I have seeds for;

Datura wrightii - blooms as big as Brugmansia (and as fragrant) on a low growing (0.6m x 1m) plant that will bloom in the first year. This plant is unusual amongst the Datura group in that it grows a tuber that can be lifted and stored as you would a Dahlia, or grow as an annual.


Datura metel - grow as an annual. Very floriforous, blooms are smaller than D.wrightii but equally fragrant.

Digitalis lanata - biennial/perennial growing up to about 0.8metre.


I'll sort out the rest next week.............

 

Yes please.

Or I can send seeds that I have spare to you, and you can distribute. (Seems extra work for you, but I've never done a seed-circle before so I don't know how well the things work)

 

If I am last I get to keep anything that is left? and folk earlier on the list cannot benefit from any seeds that I add?

Sorry, not done a round-robin seed circle before, but I wonder if all-into-the-middle and back-out-again, or some variation, might be better?

 

One point to make - if the envelope doesn't go through the 5mm test slot do not skimp on the postage. If a jobsworth decided that it has the wrong stamp then the recipient has to collect and pay a fee which is dearer than the stamp (which is cheaper than a single packet of seeds anyway).

 

Count me in.

I can find a few:-

Echium russicum
Echium pininana
Leonotus nepetifolia
Baptisia australis
Nicandra physaloides
Solanum laciniatum
Mirabilis jalapa
Lepechinia hastata
Sutherlandia frutescens (prev year)
Allium Mt Everest
Fuchsia boliviana
Iochroma australis
Sonchus acaulus (prev year)
Sonchus congestus (prev year)
Brugmansia arborea

I think it is an excellent idea, also to pass on those half used packets of seed or previous year seed - they don't weigh much. Some of mine are very small quantities - so please don't be insulted.

I am happy to do what anyone else wants. But Kristen has a point. Is it not easier to just say what you have and send them directly on a first come first served basis to anyone who sends you a PM? A few second class stamps isn't going to cost much. And if you get asked by say three people you can split your seeds into three - even if it means small quantities for everyone. The number of seeds you get under the RHS scheme is often tiny - but its an excellent scheme none the less.

 

Very good point Longk I've had this happen a few times on swapshops and had to pay £1 handling charge plus whatever the excess postage is, a large letter stamp is usually needed if like me you wrap in bubble wrap or use a padded envelope as I have also had seeds crushed in the post too so totally useless.
JWK if you pm me your address I can send you some seeds but doesn't matter about putting me on the list, going on my hols for 2 weeks soon so I'd only hold up the chain, have lots to sow this year already from very kind members on here :D

 

I'm easy either way - I have enough of the seeds mentioned to supply several people.

 

Just a thought.
I'm interested but, I'm not keen on the pass it round idea.

I'm thinking along the lines of post what you have in the thread and the recipient sends you a s.a.e, for whatever they select.

Its just that I've found that sending plants can be very expensive, seeds probably less so, but if you get a few people after a seed you may have, it could run out expensive.

This way the cost is down to what you require, and not the person with the seed.

Most packets of seed I've bought this year contain minute quantities, so I dont think I will have much spare.
I'm a little bit unsure about second year seed, storage etc. can reduce germination.

I'm thinking a thread containing self saved seed each year would be more beneficial, rather than just passing on surplus from packets.

Having said all that,:D I've not got any seed available right now, but if I thought there were people looking for any plants I grow, I'd be more than willing to save seed, for next year.:D

 

Yeah, that was much what I had in mind too.

"the recipient sends you a s.a.e, for whatever they select."

1. I don't like that idea, it makes the GPO twice as much money!

2. I don't want 100 people to ask me for seeds at my cost for postage !!!

but 3. if I got 100 people sending me seeds in return it would be even-stevens.

Dunno how to broker the bit in the middle. paypal will just take a "cut"

The only idea I have had (but I don't think it is workable ... unless you can see a way?) is that the recipient "buys" an electronic stamp online (the sort with a funny barcode that you print and stick on the envelope), and sends that electronically to the sender, so no cost of the outbound sending of the S.A.E. Sender still has to provide an envelop, but I'll assume that no one will mind that cost.

The snag I perceive is that all this electronic wizardry is all very well, but if someone sends me an electronic stamp in a format I can't easily use, or I can't get to the post office in the two-days before the thing expires, or whatever, its more trouble than it is worth.

"I'm thinking a thread containing self saved seed each year would be more beneficial, rather than just passing on surplus from packets. "

Yup, I'm in that camp. I have 10 seeds of Ricinus. I probably only need 5 plants, but not sure if I'll get 100% germination ... and I could keep the spare seeds for next year. MAYBE I will get a seed harvest in the first year, and if so I'll be in the self-saved-seed category

I have self-saved-seed of Canna warscewiczii only, but I've got quite a bit

I do have some spare seed from large packets that I have bought - e.g. Coleus. and plenty of veg seed that is a year or two old that I am definitely never going to plant, and which will probably be some use to someone. Definitely not tropical though!

Tangential thought: Meet up in the Spring and swap plants - which solves the postage / fragility issue.

 

Still have .

Yellow Thai canna Phuttaa
duranta (about 6 )
orange heliconia
yellow cane palm
giant bamboo (not frost hardy)
plus in a month or 2 will have lots of spare seedling

 

Realise what your trying to do John, and hoping I've not put the mockers on it.
Maybe we could sort out something a bit permanent for the future along the lines of a GC seed swop area.
Not just exotics but all kinds.