"Best Seeds" I think is highly opinionated. I do put seeds on my list that I have a lot of and won't mind trading. If I do want to trade something and I have what that person wants and its not on my trade list, I will email the person to work out the trade.

I am more inclined to trade with someone if they have a trade list. I do check the "Rate and Review," before most trades.

I would say my best seeds don't make it to my list for awhile.I believe everyone has their personal stash not listed.Its usually awhile before I add mine to my list.I do use them for seed bonus's and if someone is looking for something I'll use them then to.I do trade with people whom don't list seeds on their page if they offer something I would like.I don't always check the rate/review forum as there are lots of great traders not listed for some reason.Myself I don't have lots of reviews but I have been on GW since sometime in the 90's.Actually theres not many people here if any from when I first started trading on GW...Debbie

i started only putting seeds i grow on my list, because them i can vouch for, the others i can't, as i don't know what certain seeds look like yet, and i have gotten chaff in the mail. so now i only do my seeds. and i use the "trades" as bonuses, if i know it has seeds in it, and it comes from trustworthy traders.
i wish we did have a place on the forum where we could list people we thought were great traders. i know i'd have to add quite a few who i trade with when i'm on a roll!! LOL ***ding ding Idea****

Yes and no. -On the yes side, for trading purposes, I try to collect and list seeds from plants in my garden that I think people are going to really want to trade for, and some of them are quite rare. (Aren't I lucky to live 20 minutes from Annie's Annuals!) My 'secret seeds' are my personal sowing stash, and those come from trading, commercial sources or from limited quantities I've collected from friends' gardens. Those don't go on my trade list until I'm done sowing them.

Most of my trades this year have been either due to me responding to a post or from cold calls. The cold calls have fallen into 2 camps; either folks who are pretty certain they have something I really want or from people who smell funny. (I ignore the latter.)

I've had better trades this year than in previous years where I posted a "looking for post" on the exchange. -The last time I did that, I found the number of responses overwhelming, and I ended up trading for a number of things I didn't really want.

Hi Les,
I often see people looking for unusual seed and have a very nondescript seed list. I don't respond. Not everything needs to be listed, but offer something. I see the same thing on the Plant exchange. People want unusual named plants and offer items like yellow daylilies and purple coneflower for trade, lol.
I have a pretty long trade list of most everything I have. I do have special marked next to a few because I was having trouble with people wanting hard to obtain seed or expensive for their run of the mill seed. I do have things in small quantities that I don't list.
I like to save those items for when it is on someone's wish list(Everyone should make a wish list!) For example, I had a seed that Susanc listed on her wish list, and I didn't have enough for a whole trade, but enough for her to get a plant or two going. With my unusual tomatoes, some I only have one or two trades of so I don't post them. I want them to go to where they are really wanted. I think I have enough odd tomatoes listed that people would get the gist of my sentence to please ask if they are looking for a particular variety.
If someone is brand new, I can understand the no trade list.I try to help them out with it if I can. If they've been around awhile, I find it odd. Though a few traders do have lists that they email, but are not on their page, and they have been good traders.
I've also had great cold call trades, but like Susanc I am cautious of those traders. I find no harm in requesting they send first.
Remy

Hello there, Remy!

Just wanted to let you know that every single one of the Canary Bird Vine seeds you gave me as a bonus germinated, and I have 6 healthy vigorous plants I will be setting out next week. (-:

hey Remy!! my prim rose died :'(( i guess i dont know how to take care of it, to wet??
hi Susan!! you know even though the castor beans i got from ya floated they germinated just fine!! ummmm through the winter!! it was crazy!!! then one fateful cold day i forgot to water them and well ya know!! they died!!
BUT guess what?? i have so many things going!! its amazing!! i have no idea wht they are but they are going!! LOL ummmm the sun kinda faded all of my markings. LOL on the winter sowing jugs LOL but i am still a very happy camper!! i do know i'm gonna be asking someone for some canary bird vine seeds!! :'))

No, I don't list everything, as it would make my head spin listing my 'collections'...a lot like Remy's tomatoes. I will however offer up things from my 'personal stash' to those who have it on their wish list, or who are specifically posting for it.

Some things are just 'shared', maybe as 'extras' to other folks who especially appreciate and collect them. Some folks have 'shared' from their stash...say even just 2 of a special morning glory, which thrilled me, but that another member might see as a skimpy worthless trade.
Some might see 6 tomato seeds as a worthless skimpy trade, but to an addicted tomato collector/grower, it would be a great trade, as the member is likely just wanting a plant or 2 and not 20-25 of them.
A seed trade of 10, or 20 very special poppy seeds might be looked upon as 'nothing' to some, but to those of us who love and collect them, we are thrilled to just get a plant or 2 going...thus many future seeds.

In a nutshell, I'll just say I don't list my collections for trading, but will offer them up (likely in small quantities) to other collectors, or folks who have great interest in them.

Example...I shared numerous varieties of Cosmos with a member specifically looking for a variety of them. She was sp pleased.
I recently 'traded' a good many varieties of sweet peas with a member I got addicted to them...hopefully...and so the story goes. It is all about enabling others to become addicts...for our own personal gain. If I can get someone addicted, chances are sometime later they will have something new and special to send me in a trade.

Can anyone tell I have a tomato, poppy, sweet pea, poppy, cosmos addiction?...besides a few others I won't name here.

Sue

LOl Sue...if that member you are talking about is me,of course I am addicted! The SP's are a pleasure to grow and so very easy to get along with! :)
I do things similar to Sue and a couple others,the special seeds stay in my stash until I find someone that really wants them. I agree with Sue,a small amount of a seed I am really wanting is more than enough for me,I think once into trading alot of people feel that way.Who needs 50 seeds to get one plant?I figure if I want alot of something,I can do several trades for it or wait out the seed harvest,thats all part of the fun, right?

yes agirl,

You were the sweet pea person I was enabling...and it worked too, or added to an already started obsession with them, didn't it?

LMAO

Sue

i put whatever i have extra on my list. im new to the GW n my list is small but that dont mean i dont have seeds, i have lots of seeds not listed. i dont list them cause i dont have enough for a good trade or cause im planting them in my own garden lol if i see someone wants what i dont have listed, ill let them know i have a few.

i had tons of seeds to trade before my dog n cat wars, hubs brought home a stray who went after the cats like crazy. lol she's getting use to them now, thank goodness!!! lol, i collected what i could off the table, floor n every were else. n will re-plant this year. theres also lots of cat hair mixed in them lol another reason not to trade them off, ill have a better list this fall:)
i also have tons of mg seeds but didnt put them on my list after reading the warning of the mg person LOL

i agree with the wish/wants list!! even if you dont have much on you have list a wish/want list is more helpful when tradeing. or sharing when tradeing:)
i wont answer a post that says HAVE such n such make me a offer..... n theres nothing on their list, how are we to know what all they have or dont have or want or dont want?

LMAO at Chrizty's dog n cat wars

Sue

Well, I have a problem as I cant type for long at a time, so NO not even half of my seeds are on the list..and then I had them all come in all around the same time..so now that I am sowing some..the ones that are left overs I will have my daughter add to my list. If I see someone is posting for something, I will also look at their want list..and offer to make a larger trade, or just offer the seeds I have that are on their list.

I have a hard time keeping up with the list, so If someone has something I am looking for, I ask them to look at my list, and try and add some seeds in the email that I have on their want list.

A few months ago I sent out over 500 packs of seeds..I feel that if I get back just a few seeds of something I REALLY want..it is worth it.

I have had a lot of people tell me they keep a stash of seeds not listed, to use for trades they see they might really want..

I think if I have something, I am always willing to share..and I have always been careful not to ask for a rare group of seeds, and offer real common seeds back..if I know I dont have a good offer, Ill ask if they will accept plant tags, or something I think might be worth the more "rare" seed.

Susanc,
Wonderful!!

Medo,
Not so wonderful, lol. They like it on the drier side. You may have killed them with kindness. We will try again on the next trade, ok : )

Chrizty,
I've had my dogs do things to my seeds too! I never leave the seeds I'm getting together for a trade out anymore. I've had the dogs knock seeds off the table and chew on seed pkts. It is so embarrassing to have to write an email to someone telling them the dog chewed the seed. I once actually mailed the chewed pkt. as proof with a note, lol. I did send extra seeds to make up for it, and the trader was happy thankfully.

Flwrs,
I think when people have a difficulty like you do, a little note at the top of the trade page helps. I've seen it before with people different medical conditions. Then people know you do have more than what is listed, and don't think you are a scammer.
I just checked your page, you have lots listed! That is way more than enough. I think we are more talking when people have a list of like 10 nondescript very basic seeds. I remember a trade list of someone that had a small basic list. Then on their wants they actually wrote they wanted named cultivars only. That cracked me up!
Remy

Remy,
You said exactly what I was thinking when I asked the question. "I think we are more talking when people have a list of like 10 nondescript very basic seeds. I remember a trade list of someone that had a small basic list. Then on their wants they actually wrote they wanted named cultivars only. That cracked me up!"
I really do have all my seeds on my list when it is updated but I rarely update it because it is a pain to do so. I don't trade like I would like because I can't post or respond to a post because my list is not updated.
Through the responses here I think that I willupdate my list with Catagory headlines such as;
Heuchera 'several named varieties'
That would allow me to run out of one or two types and still have an up to date list. Thanks ever so much for all of your comments, Les

This time of year, the "best seeds" go in THE GROUND! lol!

They make me MORE seeds which Ill trade in the fall.

:)
This year, Im going to sow those kewl seeds I snag instead of trading them.

Hi Les, long time...hope you are doing well.

If I am actively trading, I do post all my seeds that I can although I have to say it is hard sometimes to keep up to date. Also if I only have a few of something I might not list. Right now I'm not actively trading due to having more seeds & plants than a sane person needs LOL and lots of time constraints, so my list is not updated.

I don't like to trade with people who don't have tradelists - I don't respond to those who have no trade list ... you are left open wondering what in the world to offer to them and feeling it won't be good enough.

yes, see i don't see why ya have to have a trade of like 20 seeds, never really understood that, but i was more than willing being a newbie, but now that i sowed a crapload of seeds, and all of them came up, i'm like WHAT?? do ya need 20 seeds for??? ok to trade with right?? LOL we are gonna have sooooo many seeds this year its too pathetic!! i'm so telling the truth, there is absolutely no way i'm gonna list all them babies!! that would take me forever! LOL at least that's my thoughts now.

LOL remy ive had seedpacks my dog chewed on n my cat too lol i got catnip from a swap last year n the cat tore open the envy n got the catnip seed pk. *crazy critters lol* i still have no idea why the dog was chewing on the pks, ive learned to put them up now lol
ive been making seed pks already. the sooner i can get them pk up the safer!
i think ill do the 25 seed pks n maybe some 10 or 5 seed pks , that way i could share or trade with the ones i have few of. i know theres a few seeds i'd be happy getting atleast just 10 or 5 of.