I just sent seeds just a couple of weeks ago with no problem. I just had to fill out a little green customs form of what was in the package and that it was a "gift" and the value was "X" amount of dollars which I said was $1.

I don't trade to Canada anymore. I had a few that went through fine, but the last one - I received an empty envelope with only a form from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture that my seeds had been confiscated & some other stuff. It probably depends on the seeds, but they took all of mine - so if you do trade, just know that this can happen.

I have heard more envelopes being confiscated coming in then going out so maybe it's the US that's being more strict.
You're definitely taking a risk of losing the seeds though.
Pam

I have traded with Canada a couple of times this year with no problems. I do think there is some risk of losing the seeds though. If what you are trading for is worth the risk I would go for it. I know it only took 4 days for me to recieve the gentleman's seeds from in Canada, but it took almost 2 weeks for him to recieve my seeds. Both times I filled out the customs slips and I wrote "garden seeds" right on the slip and they got them okay. I don't think they had customs slips on the one's I recieved though.
Karen

Just remember when trading with Canada to follow the laws. Only "House" plants can be shipped to Canada. I don't think any other live plant is allowed. Any seeds are ok except for Opium Poppy (There are several names for it, but it's illegal to grow in the United States and Canada). I'm certain they will be confiscated since they are illegal. Obviously any seed used to grow illegal substanses is a no-no. I have mailed direct from the house mailbox. You can look up postage amount on the USPS web site. I haven't really had any problems. It takes a little longer, but no more than a week or two.

tcmers - this what I'm confused about. I originally was going to just put in my mailbox for pick up, before I started thinking about it (remembering Canada is actually a foreign country). If you did, then you didn't fill out any form?

I always put my mail out for pick up. I have mailed to and recieved from Canada many times with know problems.

I think the only thing you have to declare is any type of currency...I did that once. What a pain in the butt, and it cost me more to send the mail than I sent in cash. lol You can check the Canadian postal service web site for specifics, just to be safe. I have sent my last several trades from my mailbox. I think for live plants you are supposed to write on the envelope "house plants", or that could have just been a request from a trader. Either way, That's what I've done for plants. For seeds I've just sent the same as I would here. I wouldn't hesitate to put "garden seeds" or something to that effect on the outside.

Hi, wow i never knew it was so hard to trade with folks from canada i did a trade once and with no problems and i didn't fill out any slips and we both got our seeds with no problems but plants are a different story.

I think the only thing you have to declare is any type of currency...I did that once. What a pain in the butt, and it cost me more to send the mail than I sent in cash. lol You can check the Canadian postal service web site for specifics, just to be safe. I have sent my last several trades from my mailbox. I think for live plants you are supposed to write on the envelope "house plants", or that could have just been a request from a trader. Either way, That's what I've done for plants. For seeds I've just sent the same as I would here. I wouldn't hesitate to put "garden seeds" or something to that effect on the outside.

Just remember when trading with Canada to follow the laws. Only "House" plants can be shipped to Canada. I don't think any other live plant is allowed. Any seeds are ok except for Opium Poppy (There are several names for it, but it's illegal to grow in the United States and Canada). I'm certain they will be confiscated since they are illegal. Obviously any seed used to grow illegal substanses is a no-no. I have mailed direct from the house mailbox. You can look up postage amount on the USPS web site. I haven't really had any problems. It takes a little longer, but no more than a week or two.

tcmers;
I assume by opium poppy you mean papaver somniferum? Not sure my spelling is correct! I have seen lots of seed catalogs selling this and this was what I was always told was opium poppies. I know there was some gray area about it for awhile but since so many seed companies sell them, I assume it is legal to grow?
Karen

Good morning, all!

Everything I send out of this country has to have a green Customs slip on it. My P.O. won't send from my box or otherwise without it--it costs nothing extra to use the slip; I keep a supply at home with my stamps and bubblers.

I guess the individual handlers probably make the judgment call, much as they do to us in the airports. Random checks?

Just my two cents,

Con.

I got a trade from Canada recently that came through fine. The only thing is that my end didn't make it there. He never got it and I didn't hear from cutoms. So I just sent another one through the PO and filled out the cutoms label. I hope this one goes through. I don't think I'd trade again just because it's cost me two sets of seeds now and I had to pay postage twice for stuff I could find here.

I kind of agree with mrbrownthumb, I don't think I would bother unless it is for something I really want, just because it costs just a bit more postage to mail out of US, it involves a bit more work to fill out forms(although my local post office doesn't seem to require it), and there is just a bit more concern over the possiblity that they may do a random check & confiscate it. That said, I have had no problem with 2 or 3 trades I have made to Canada. Any time you trade out of country, you risk the envelope being opened. I have heard of it happening fairly often, I guess it is just a sign of the times.

" I assume it is legal to grow?"

Nope...It is illegal to grow in the United States, and from what I understand, Canada too. There are several "Garden Poppies" that are legal to grow here, but the one's that produce the extract that they use to make opium is illegal. The seeds are legal to have because they are used in food (Where they come from, I don't know..Maybe you have to have aspecial permit????) Frankly, I don't know if it would be legal to exchange them on a gardening site or not....I received some once, and as soon as I realized what they were I promptly flushed them so I wouldn't accidentally plant them. They are pretty, but I have lots of pretty flowers. I don't need to try and grow something that could get me in trouble. I believe papaver somniferum is the only one that is illegal, and the rest of the papavers are legal....at least that's what I read.

"I believe papaver somniferum is the only one that is illegal, and the rest of the papavers are legal....at least that's what I read."

You are probably right, I think I was confusing the peony (papaver paeoniflorum)poppies for the opium poppies! LOL! At least I heven't been growing opium poppies unknowingly!
Karen

I keep hearing conflicting advice on the whole opium poppy papaver somniferum (?spelling) thing. I just checked and Park's sells several kinds of poppy seeds--three or four with the latin name papaver somniferum then something else.

Sooo...

How can it be illegal? Is there some variety of PS that is? I am not really sure, cause it makes no sense that I can buy a pint of PS seeds to make bread and can't scatter some in my garden.

You get a lot of conflicting info about opium poppies, the largest percentage of what I have read sounds as if it is okay to grow these poppies for floral use, but the problem is when you try to manufacture opium from them. I would imagine you would need a ton of poppies to be worth doing that. Some sites say it is okay to have seeds, but not plants. Frankly, I really don't think nurseries & seed companies could sell the seeds if that is so, that just isn't right. Any legal agency with a lick of sense would nip it in the bud, before it got to the planting stage.
I have planted several different kinds in my yard that I received in trade. I don't know that any are opium poppies, several just said poppies. I'm not going to worry about it, I'm certainly not going to manufacture anything.

From what I've read, it is not illegal to grow. Lot of popular catalogs sell varieties, and there are some popular varieties that people probably don't even realize are opium poppies like 'Hens and Chicks' or 'Lauren's Grape' or even some of the double peony forms.
It seems you would have to be farming it(growing acres worth) to make heroin, so a few plants in a garden aren't going to do any harm. So I'm guessing it could be possible there are laws against farming it.

hello i recently tried two different people wanting daturas and its been weeks and no one has gotten their packages,, i got theirs but they didnt get mine,, wont be shipping any more to canada, i feel its a waste o f my money bubble wrap ,t ime,, etc.. trips to the post office,,,i dont know why customs would keep my seeds,, and not tell them or me,,? they dont have to worry about me,, again,,, i wont be doing it again, beth

Thanks for all the responses. I think after reading all these posts, I may just forget about this trade. I didn't know in the beginning that she was in Canada. I just hate to send the seeds and then they never get there. Sounds to me, whichever way I sent, seeds have a 50/50 chance of getting there or not getting there.
As far as I know, seeds haven't been mailed to me - but if so, then of course I'll send regardless - and hope for the best. But won't do another exchange to Canada.

I've done literally dozens of trades with Canada, and have never had a problem on either end of the trade. But I also never fill out a green slip for Canada, and I never large quantities of seed at any given time. I have received poppies, datura, brugmansia, and other -themed seeds from Canada as well. My experience has always been positive (whoa! I mean the trading experience; my days don't include at this point in my life, lol) and will I'm sure do it again if I see something I really have to have!
Amanda 'romando'

I'm with Romando....I've had positive experiences, and will continue to trade with Canada traders. I think the only time you have to use the green slip is if you declare something and I don't think you have to declare seeds or houseplants.

Hmmmm. I'm gonna try my next Canada trade without the green slip and see what happens. There are, occasionally, seeds that only Canadians seem to have on their tradelists--for example, veronica gentianoides.

I did send the seeds - sent them today. From my home mail box, no green form, and didn't write "seeds" on the envelope.
In other words, just as regular mail
Is the same way mine are being sent from Canada.
Will let you know the results.

After reading some of the posts I began to wonder if maybe some of the people at Customs are gardeners -confiscating seeds. LOL

Just in case anyone wants to know the end result - seeds arrived in Canada 3/24 and I received the seeds from Canada on 3/25. No problems - both of us sent as regular mail from home mail box, no customs form, didn't write seeds on the envelope.