Specialty Gardening: Cottage Gardening: Cottage Garden Seed Swap & Chat #44, 1 by bluespiral

bluespiral wrote:
We came from here - http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1051144/

Star had asked us to start new Piggy threads for her once they reached about 200 posts, since this is precious time for her to spend with her son visiting from Iraq - http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=7212922 . Well, we ain't up to 200 posts yet, but I'm jumping the gun here since I'm hoping these pointers will help newbies at the top of a thread until Star gets the main threads up later.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=7216524 - When the Piggy Swap opens around 6:00 pm (-ish) tonight, there will be two threads:
-- List Thread - here is where, in just one post for yourself, you list your haves and wants, and make any changes as the swap progresses - this is not for chat or oinking. Here is an example of how we posted our haves & wishes last year - http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=5784734 . In addition, it would be nice to add a link to a picture or to the PlantFiles page for each plant for which you are listing seeds. Some use google to find this, and others use this - http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/adv_search.php?Search=Click... . You can cut and paste the web address of the picture and/or PlantFiles page to each entry on your list.
-- Chat Thread - here is where you chat and discuss your wishes and promises and what's going on in your life and the kitchen sink - we hope to keep all chat on the Chat Thread and not on the List Thread.

Always back up your requests/promises with dmails. Oink for requests/promises on the chat thread, too - what's a piggy swap without oinking? Having said that, not everyone can keep up with the chat thread, so it is okay to request & promise only by dmail, too. But if ya don't get onto the chat thread and share a few oinks, the Big Piggy in the Sky is gonna come down in years to come, and like that ghost in Scrooge, he will remind you of friendships missed and silly fun poofed.

Everyone can ask for whatever they want - you can ask for more than you plan to give - this swap is a chance for folks to spread the wealth around and share extra garden seed, commercial seed left over from sowing, trades, etc. Having said that, if you have a little of something very special, go ahead and make a trade for something special with that, too. The swap works both ways. Using each others' wish and want lists is a way to both find good homes for extra seed, as well as to trade for seed you think is special.

Old seed is okay, but not too old. Here are a couple of sources for some seed viability -
http://www.hillgardens.com/seed_longevity.htm
http://www.jlhudsonseeds.net/ - In the catalog section, some of the seed entries give estimated seed viability
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=7220517 - ya never know

Put name of seed & your DG moniker on your seed baggies. It's also nice to indicate or estimate how many seeds, date either when harvested or received, and color and height. Common names are okay, but it you can, using the botanic name is best because it takes the guess-work out of figuring out what the seed is - there can be oodles of different common names for one plant, but only one botanic name per plant. PlantFiles can help out here - http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/adv_search.php?Search=Click... . Thanks for the reminder, LeBug - http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=7230135

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Baggy Issues? -

1) What to do if seed not properly dried out -
-------- #1 put warning on baggy so recipient can know to dry them out; make your own baggie out of paper -#2 http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=7219649
-------- home-made baggie out of coffee-filter cones - http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=7219775
-------- glassine bags - http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=7219824
-------- some put dry rice kernels in baggy with the seeds to absorb extra moisture - http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=7219826

2) Dust-like seed that sticks to sides of baggy
------- Ella's foil trick - scroll down to about paragraph 7 or 8 - http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=7219715
------- I like to use wax paper - fold in half; then turn 90 degrees and fold in thirds; then fold top twice. I use a nail file to get between the outer two sides and use that as a pocket for very fine seeds. Tape with masking tape, because it's tacky enuf to stick things together, but still easy to take off and put back on again. http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=7220100

3) local Michael's Crafts or WallyWorld or internet out of baggies? Here are some alternative suggestions -
-------- Go to our bag man (lol, Neil, couldn't resist) - http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=7220347
-------- See sections 1 & 2
-------- cut up a sandwich bag and tape it up - http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=7219964
-------- Recycle paper with very easy origami packets - http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=7220082

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If you don't have very many seeds, but would like to add to what you can share with other piggies, here are some suggested sources:

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=7229947

a few others -
JL Hudson - http://www.jlhudsonseeds.net/ - has seeds both as packet and as bulk - the bulk seeds are an excellent source of seeds relative to what they cost

Value Seeds - http://www.valueseeds.com/ - very inexpensive outlet seeds from T&M

OR! If ya have tons of one kind of seed, try trading some of it on the Seed Trading forum and then come back here to trade greater variety - http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=7213440

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Hopefully a bunch of us Elder Piggies will check in from time to time to answer questions, and Star will get to devote her attention to her son visiting from Iraq.




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