Special Instructions for Exchanges:
* This area is for the purpose of exchanging seeds or plants of the type covered by this forum.

* The exchanges were created to facilitate the arranging of trades of plants and seeds between members. Please do not use them to solicit donations, ask for free plants or seeds, or ask for items in exchange for postage. All requests must be in the context of arranging a trade. If you have nothing to offer at this time, please wait until you do.
If you do not have anything to trade at this time, you are however welcome to respond to the many generous 'offers' of seeds for postage. These can be found by looking for posts that say seeds are available for sase, sasbe, beap, free, newbies, etc. Some posts will state that they are looking for trades, but will also consider sending seeds for postage.

* All exchanges are restricted to users from a particular country, region or state. If it isn't indicated otherwise, the exchange is restricted to residents of the U.S. To find an exchange for your location, check the exchange index.
Click here for the Exchange Index. There is also a link to the Other Exchanges at the top of page one here on The Seed Exchange.

* Each post must have a type of trade, subject and a message.
Seeds for postage offers are also permitted, ie BEAP, SASBE, SASE, free, etc

* Trading is done at user's discretion. Garden Web has no control or responsibility over trades arranged here. Keep in mind some traders may let you down, so it might be wise to keep your initial trade with someone limited to smaller items.
Before arranging a trade, you may want to check for reviews on the member at The Rate and Review Forum. To search the forum for the member's review, use the Search box found just below the list of threads on the main forum page (page 1).

* Messages addressed to or meant for particular users should be sent via email and are not allowed in the exchanges.
If for some reason you are not able to reach a member, ie emails are bouncing, emails are not being responded to, or you have lost the member's email address and they have no email link, you can make a post looking for the member on the Conversation side of the forum. A link to (off topic) Conversations can be found at the top of the list of threads here on the main page (page 1) on the Discussion (Exchange) side. Often other members will be experiencing the same problems, or can share what information they have about the members whereabouts....ie sickness, family emergency, on vacation, computer problems, etc.

* If you have trouble with another person coming through with their end of a trade, you must deal with it privately. It is the consensus of the forum users that this type of thing be kept out of our forums. Any public accusation in this forum, or elsewhere at GardenWeb, will result in the accuser being banned.

* To avoid problems when shipping across borders and some state lines, it is best to ship plants bare-rooted and to label the container as such. It is up to the users involved to determine what is legal and what is not.

* This forum is for the purpose of exchanging material, there should be no need to mention money in any postings. If money is mentioned, the posting will be considered an advertisement and the poster will be banned.

* Trading of patented material is unlawful and is strictly forbidden.

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Once this thread slips from the top of page one, everyone is cordially invited to help at keeping it bumped back up to the top of the page.

Thank you.

There will later be some discussion for additional information being added to the last 4 items on the Special Instructions.

Be watching for them and your input it welcomed.

I forgot to mention in the original post above, that the print in black is the original wording of the Garden Web Special Instructions. The print in red are additional explanations added after a brief discussion with other members. We hope they help at explaining the original instructions, and make them a little friendlier to those who are new to the forum.

All comments and suggestions are welcome in clarifying the original instructions or the additional comments that have been added so far.

Other informative links.
An explanation of and requirements of an sase/sasbe/beap, or other seeds for postage offers.

Existing costs for (BE) Bubble envelopes

Do you have an email link on your Member Page so you can easily be reached?
If not, please see addressing newbie and newer member issues for complete instructions. It also explains how to put your garden zone (if known) in the one box provided for the garden zone, so it will be shown on your Member Page and will automatically be shown whenever you post.

Existing Newbie question and answer thread!:)

You are additionally welcome to start a new thread on the (Off=Topic) Conversation side of the Seed Exchange.

Sue

Blessings,
Angela

What is a seed virgin?
A seed virgin in one who is new to collecting seeds. The member then starts collecting by means of harvesting seeds themselves, buying, and/or trading.

What is a seed addict?
A seed addict is one who has advanced beyond casual seed collecting and has become addicted to snatching seeds wherever they might be found, cannot pass a seed rack without checking it out, and faithfully reads all seed threads here.

More here on addiction....Know you're addicted to Seed Exchange-s...when......so beware!

What is an enabler?
An enabler is one who preys on a seed virgin, in the hopes of getting them addicted. The more enablers there are, the more seed virgins we can get addicted.

Then comes the need for an intervention
I need an intervention

Once you become addicted and have acquired quite a stash of seeds you will need to find a way that works for you to get them organized.
organizing your seeds
and
How do you organize your seeds?!

Sue

Everyone is cordially invited to be a 'bumper'

Sue is right when she says this will benefit all of us,so in the best interest of everyone,this baby should stay at the top of page one!

Welcome newbies...beware there is a seed pusher on every corner here!...lol..

I hope you will join in the fun of the Exchange by either trading or replying to some of the many seeds for postage offers, once you get your Member Page email link set up so you can be reached.

bump..........

Again everyone...please be sure and have your email link set up on your Member Page before starting a thread or replying to one.

If you are the OP (original poster, ie one who starts the thread) you might want to check the box to get follow-ups emailed to you. It saves having to watch the forum so much, and often members will reply to a thread days, weeks, or even months later.

Don't forget the (off topic) Conversation side of the Seed Exchange. Lots of fun and good info found there.

If you do not have anything to trade at this time, you are welcome to respond to the many generous 'offers' of seeds for postage. These can be found by looking for posts that say seeds are available for sase, sasbe, beap, free, newbies, etc. Some posts will state that they are looking for trades, but will also consider sending seeds for postage. Most require that you send the offering member a bubble envelope, along with enough postage stamps for it to be returned with seeds, an address label, and a note with your Garden Web name and what seeds you were requesting. Various offers have various requirements.

If you do not have anything to trade at this time, you are welcome to respond to the many generous 'offers' of seeds for postage. These can be found by looking for posts that say seeds are available for sase, sasbe, beap, free, newbies, etc. Some posts will state that they are looking for trades, but will also consider sending seeds for postage. Most require that you send the offering member a bubble envelope, along with enough postage stamps for it to be returned with seeds, an address label, and a note with your Garden Web name and what seeds you were requesting. Various offers have various requirements.

To the top. Lets try and keep it in the top half of page one so it will best be noticed by all who are new to the Exchange

Back to the top 1/2 on page 1.

Did anyone notice the recent new announcement under the What's New on GardenWeb

It says...Planning your garden? Check out our Seed & Plant Exchanges!

I imagine that maybe accounts for the recent influx of some newbies...don't you.

Yay! More enabling to do as there are more folks to get addicted

Did I say, Bumpers are welcome to assist in keeping the Special Instructions up in the top 1/2 of page 1?

Thanks to all the bumpers.

Thanks for bumping and Welcome to GW and The Seed Exchange.

I look forward to you hopefully getting your Member Page email link set up along with a location in your profile, and actively participating on the Exchange.

Sue

All members are cordially invited to assist in keeping this bumped up so the newbies can best see it.

I see someone new to the board must have missed seeing them...and they also don't have an email link, so there is no way to reach them.

littlemidget, there is no way that you can delete a post, but I wouldn't worry about it really.

You can contact GW and request a post be pulled via the Contact Us link found at the bottom of any GW page.

Sue

Attention Newbies! Do you have an email link on your member page so that you can be reached?

About 50% of the newbies don't have an email link, thus they cannot be reached whenever they make a post.

Please see addressing newbie and newer member issues for complete instructions on getting your email link set up so you can easily be contacted.

Newbies...Do 'you' have an email link on your Member Page so you can be easily reached?

Just check out the many seeds for postage offers. Look for those that say sasbe, BEAP, newbies, seeds for postage, etc.

If you set up a trade, please mail your end of things, ok, if there is some reason that you can't send out your package, just e mail the other person involved & explaine, but please eventually mail your end of the trade. Lieing & making up stories just gets you ignored by the community.

Please, once the trade is established, don't relate things like.......

"There is only one seed for that plant". " Sorry but i only have just a few seeds from trades to give you". " Oh & by the way, that flower you wanted is actually a diffrent flower" ( but i mailed you the seeds ).

Please try to be Realistic & Honest anything less is just lame.

Please do not send seeds in packets made of things that are not workable for planting. It is very easy to make small envelopes out of paper, i do it all the time & can educate anyone on how to do it. Wrapping the seeds up in a corse texture paper towel is not acceptable, lil plastic bags are good, but the envelopes made of scrap paper work wery well, and are free & decompose well.

Sue...sending it back to the top 1/2 of page one.

Just wondering,....Thanks

The instructions are at the top of the forum...To create the best user experience, please keep all reviews for a particular member in one thread and before posting a new thread, use the forum's search feature to see if one has already been started.
It does not say it, but in order to just get the search results for that forum alone, you should use the searchbox found just below the list of threads there on page 1. The other 2 searchboxes on the page will bring up all posts made by the member on the entire site.

hth.

Sue

That is not a good idea. If you do that, then they will go as parcels and will not go through the machines....minimum cost for a Parcel is then $1.17. It 'could' be returned to the sender for additional postage, or it could have postage due on it when it is received.

If they are in bubblies they are well protected...minimum cost 83 cents if under 1 OZ with the contentss taped in place so they will not shift and make the bubble over 3/4" thick.

Mailing costs for Bubble Envelopes (BE)

Check out the many generous 'offers' of seeds for postage. Look for such things as SASBE, Newbie, free, BEAP, etc. Most offers require that you mail the offering member a Bubble Envelope and postage, along with an address label, your GW member name, and a list of agreed upon seeds.

At one site i have traded at, there is a user trade raiting right next to the uesrname, you can see right off the bat what is up with that person. People there seem to be more inclined to make good on their trades to keep a good rating, you can click on that rating icon & see the comments from other users. This year i have had issues with several people, i never thought i would experience this here at garden web, i didn't have this problem last year & i don't know why people here think they can act like this. It is frustrating & anoying. I am going to have to set up guidelines in my posts for trading next year, maybe even not send my end till i get the seeds from others since it is such a hassel to keep e mailing to them looking for what they have offered.

That search box up at the very top of every page is sure confusing...they added it I think not long ago.

What you could do, is add a link on your Member Page, and also on your Trade List, and even in your trade post to your review thread.

I see no one has left you a rating and you have only done one yourself. I think it would be in the best interest of all of us if we would regularly make reviews for members.

We would more readily buy from an ebay seller if they had 50-100 good feedbacks as opposed to having none or just a couple. The same holds true to a degree with the trade ratings, imho.

Does anyone think this thread has gotten particularly long? Should I start a new one soon, and include some of the links that are in this one?

lmk...Thanks...Sue

I am not web site design educated but what would it take to simply add that trade rateing feature as i described above? It would be so much easier & convient & over all would keep people on their toes & honest. I mean, with just one of the people i had a problem with, there must be over 10 e mails just to sort out one trade. In another situation, i tried the plant exchange forum, gal chatted it up like she was all that, said she was sending off on a monday, i sent my end of the trade 2 days later ( i am not near a post office ), weeks go by, nothing from her, had to dig up her e mail again, bla bla bla, it just keeps happening.

Not being negative here, but it seems GW does good to keep most things up and running and there are several things that have been broken for some time...so I am not optimistic of any little new feature being added...or at least not anytime soon.

A prime example is the Special Instructions link here and also at The Plant Exchange.

There are some forums that the search function has been out for quite a while. It will give the thread results, but when you click on the thread, it will yield the WHOOPS message is not found.

There is a Suggestion Forum where you could make your suggestion. No suggestions (for new forums anyway) have been implemented in a couple of years. There has also been a suggestion to add a link to the Rate and Review Forum that was requested probably 2 years ago.

Like I have said in the past...I really feel we are just lucky to have GW in the format it is now, as opposed to being updated to the iVillage format...since GW is owned by iVillage.

Are you still hoping the trades will come through or have you given up on them? If you have given up hope, I suggest you do a review...just stating the details as best you can.

Sue

Yes, you are among friends and fellow addicts.

Don't be strangers now...hear?

Sue

From now on, i will have to have guidlines posted in my trade listings, it is a shame that serious gardeners here have to do this, i have seen others list theirs in "Red" which shows that they are fed up as well.

Al

SASBE stand for a Self Addressed Stamped Bubble Envelope.
It is not actually a sasbe though as only one envelope is used and included inside of it is the return postage, and an address label with one's return address, along with whatver the offering members asks....ie your GW name, and a not of seeds listed that are being requested, etc. The member does not send a self addressed stamped bubble envelope.

This thread explains it some...sase-sasbe is NOT a self addressed envelope-bubble or otherwise

hth.

Sue

Newbies missing this all the time now.

Fran

NEWBIES PLEASE READ

I was once in your shoes, 6 years ago to be exact, and I didn't know what in the world I was doing either. I sat here for 2 days trying to figure out how to send a bubble envelope for SASBE.

Then I remembered what my grandpa used to say. "the only stupid questions, is the question not asked." That got me to send an e-mail to the member and ask.
She was so nice and explained it to me. I was off and running after that and haven't stopped yet.

Since you love starting plants from seeds. why not check out the wintersowing forum. That will really get you hooked on seeds and sowing seeds.

Fran

Hey Sue, funny post. As if you aren't one of those enablers too.

Fran

Hey Sue, funny post. As if you aren't one of those enablers too.

Fran

I think I got the bubbler down FINALLY, took me only an hour in the post office lol.

The wintersowing forum that sounds like a good one, right up my alley. I would prefer to deal with seed rather than plants. Though I have a few beuties I am trying to see if the seed will be true so for right now all I have is the plant.

I know I asked a question in the middle of a post but I am sure other newbies reading this post will hopefully see this part of the question, and hopefully get an answer and also helps bump up the post. So I wasnt asking to be rude.

hmmm...it really depends upon what you are sending bare root, and where you are located (state) and where the other member is (state), and what time of year it is, and what maybe members prefer and agree to.

That is one reason why I always encourage members to put their state location in the one box provided for the garden zone. See, I am zone 5/6 S IN

I suggest you ask on the Conversation side of the forum, and there will hopefully be several who will see it and give you their take on things. The link to (off topic) Conversations is found just above the list of threads here on page one of the Seed Exchange. I think that would be the best place to be seen, as Conversations on the Plant Exchange doesn't seem to get as much traffic.

Sue...resident busy body

bump :d

OK NEWBIES, PLEASE READ THIS POST.

FRAN