When I receive e-mails from non-GW members with requests, my first e-mail response is to politely suggest that they join the GW. Perhaps your inquiry will reveal more information about your potential trader. With most trades I like to know who I am corresponding with which includes their GW biography and GW trade list.

Chervil2

A non-gardenweb person can ask about a trade. I don't mean someone just hanging around looking without being a member. If someone googles an item, and it is on your trade page, they can link to you. Like earlier I was trying to find a web site with good info on Glaskin's Perpetual Rhubarb because I have little seedlings, and my trade page was not that far down the google list.
Now, as far a trade goes, I've had some very good seed trades from unknown people. But a seed trade gone bad you're only out a little bit. I've never done a plant trade with an unknown person. You could always ask that they send first.
Remy

Well, here is a really strange one.

I got an email via GW about a trade. Their email wasn't blocked so I wrote back and we are trading.

BUT...when I do a member search, their name doesn't come up.
I then did a search to see if they had any posts, which they did. I was then able to click on their name and go to their member page.

Soooo. go figure.

I suggested them contacting GW to report the technical snaffu problem.

Has anyone else ever seen this b4?

Sue

I've noticed that the search functions usually don't work on gardenweb.

Did you figure out this mystery? I got an email recently from someone and it says "This email originated from Gardenweb" and it has their Gardenweb name but the person doesn't exist. I tried the search function, the member list and google but nothing comes up. How could they send a message through Gardenweb if they're not really there? I hate to be rude but if I reply to the email, that person would have my email address so I'm leery

I never did trade with that person or could find their GW member page. We had everything all set (address and all). I waited to get their package first (since the ground was still frozen in Ohio at the time)but I never heard back. So I really didn't worry over the whole afair and traded with another person who had a nice variety of plants.

Hope that helps!
Hollyhocks

Well I don't know about that since I just became a member today. But its hard to get started in the trading. What kind of plant are people looking for. I just bought my house it was built in 1919 and I dont know what I have if anything. But if not what would everyone suggest in getting started if I just went to the local garden center and just buy stuff and hope that people will want it??

Hi James, before you start to buy plants look around your area and see what kinds of natives you have available. If you live by the woods and have some woodland plants a lot of people would like to have those. Trees that others may not have access to, wait and see what pops up too. You never know what an old house like that will have to surprise you with. If you don't know what the different plants are there is a forum on GW called Name That Plant. There are so many people over there that can guess it in no time. If they don't know they will look it up or help you to.
Good luck!

Nancy

James,

Folks look for all kinds of plants..perennials, annuals, shrubs, rooted starts or cuttings, rooted roses or cuttings, cannas, tropicals, houseplants, native things...tulips. crocus, daffodils, glads, dahlias,...you name it and some of us will want it all.

I've even been known to list things I don't have...but my best friend and neighbor has it...and I'm welcome to it.

Occasionally there are plant starts for postage on the trade page.

Another way to go, is to start many things from seeds. There are a few offers for 'free' seeds at the seed exchange...the receiver is to send a bubble envelope and return postage for it.

You might want to go and edit your member information to include your state...I like to know right off the bat if the trader is in my state or near, as opposed to being clear across the country, due to postage costs.

I see you have hostas on your want list...when I divide and move mine might you like starts of them for postage? If so, email me and we will go from there.

In the meantime, build a wish list...and I may have other things to move and divide that I could include as well.

Sue

I've found you can't search for members on this daggone forum. You'll have MUCH better luck going to Google and putting in their GW name and the word "gardenweb" in Google's search and you'll find them!

At the bottom of the forum page, there is a link "Member Services", click there and you will get a list of options. One of those options is "search for members". this will give you their member page/trade list page.

You can also use the search feature on the forum page (about halfway down). This gives the postings from that member....but does not ever include (why, I still don't understand) any postings in the Exchange forums, but the other "conversation" forums seem to work.

google will cover the exchange forums, at least the ones that are old enough to have been picked up there :)

Hope this helps some.
Tina

James, some of us more experienced gardeners have full gardens, so we trade for non-plant items, like movies, crafts, birdhouses, books, anything we can use in our lives. So if you don't have plants to trade, see what non-plant items you might have to swap. Put them on your trade list.

I love trading for useful non-plant items. I just don't have room for more plants right now. Chemocurl came to visit me a couple of years ago, and she brought me my favorite garden tool--a brand new Fiskars unbreakable, lifetime guaranteed, all metal shovel. She got it cheap at an auction just for me, with the tags still on it. And I can pry an oak tree outta the ground with it and not break it! LOL

Also, if you haven't already, check your local Freecycle.org group. They're springing up all over the place. It's a group where people just give away stuff--no trading, buying or selling. It must be free, no strings attached. I give away lots of plants on Freecyle. And once a non-gardener gave me a nice Rubbermaid composter on wheels that was in the backyard when she moved into her home.

Good luck to you, James.

NancyAnn

James, may I suggest sending the money orders you promise for the plants that people send you. Several weeks and still waiting - you've conveniently dropped off the face of the earth. Not a good start.