Lala.. it not the one s oinked. It the one s for the extra s and the one for one trade s of the extras. That's the one s that take the time.
Couse , I wa s the biggest goof who onyl put a common name on my seeds last year. Thsi year I gonan do better. Ya right, well gonan try anyways heheheheh.
Oh and for all you nervous newbies, her e anothe r one of my great escapes in collecting seed. So nobody need to be shy or embarrased or worry abotu mistakes. NOBODY make s mor eof them than me. heheheh
This I calle d my pockets runneth over and alesson in ot how to collect seed s for thos e of you new to seed collecting.
" My Pockets Runneth Over
I hope everybody had a lovely day. I thought I would share mine with you and maybe you would share some of your tree adventures.
Mine started out that way. I woke up and had two cups of coffee and was ready to take on the day. Then I realized, oh geez, it was daylight savign time and I forgot to turn my clock head.
It's a good thing I am an early bird and one of those people who panics if I am not on time or a little bit early. I start racing aroudn like a fool getting me ready, gathering everything up I would need for class, and making me two more cups of coffee for the journey to school.
I hop in the car only to realize I forgot to get gas. Fudge!!!!!!!! The nearest gas-station is a half hour away. All the way there I am thinking about what I need to do today and guess I zoned out somewhere alogn the way, and I missed my turn. Back tracking and hoping against hope that I can make it to the station , I drive slow. Now I don't know if it is true for sure our not, but I head somewhere, sometime, from somebody that the slower you go the less gas you will use. So slow, I went, much to the disatisfaction of the cars behind me. Won't tell ya about all the weird looks and horn honkign I got. I pulle d the sunvisor down in the dark, hoping to hide my embarrassement. I need to get update d on hand gestures cuz I saw some this morning I sure didn't know.
Now when I get in the car, I have a stick shift. I hold one cup of coffe e in my hand while I drive and the other to-go cup I keep in my lap. By the time I get to the gas station the first cup is done, and I have the s econd for the rest of the trip, which lasts me til I hit the parkign lot.
Now, I so busy watching the fuel gauge way down in the red, when I spot the gas station, I whip my poor little antique of a car in there and open the door and jump out. As I stand up fully, I suddendly have this wet feeling running down my legs. Dang. I forgot about the cup of coffee in my lap. I'm soaked, my car seat is soaked, and my cup laying on the ground. I chewing myself out for being such a fool, and hea d in to pay for my gas. Figures, the line is long with everybody else gettign mornign coffee and sausage biscuits to go. There I stand for ten minute s in my coffee /sugar coated jeans lookign for all the world like I wet my pants. My rump is soaked.
Bout this time, I ready to say the heck with it, miss class and head home, but nope not gonan do it, cuz I on a seed mission for somebody and I gonna collect their tree seeds before they all gone.
I get to the parkign lot, only to discover I let all my change at home in my other pants pockets. Which means I also can't go to the BBQ hous e and get me another cup of coffee to drink. Now those folks who know me , know I do not function with out my coffee. Anythign less than about 20 cups a day and I am having major withdrawl symptoms. I'm not a happy camper by this time, so off to class I go, only to fidn the professor has some throat problems and can't speak and class is cancelled. Ok, I not happy that I made over a thre e hour drive for nothing, but then remembered the tree seeds, so the day not all lost.
I starting hiking for about a half hour and by sure was nice. The Magnolias, Red Buds, Dogwoods and Cherries were all in bloom from the warm spell and even saw a line of Bradford Pears. That looke d beautiful after such dull winter colors. On the way I spot a Sweet Shrub bush. Cool!!!!!! I am envisioning more butterfly food. I gotta have them. About this time, I realized that I left home without my baggie s to collect seed with and have no purse, no bookbag, nothing with me. No way was I gonna leave and not get these seed, becaus e I knew by the time I got back tommorrow they would probably be gone.
Today of all days, I have the tight jeans on. I start cramming seed pods into my pockets anyways. Now my pockets are only so deep and yes I was being a pig. I wasn't gonan leave until I coudl get as many of them in my pockets as I could. I am now not only walkign around with wet pants I have my backside and front pockets makign me look like deformed creature from all the funky bulges. Hey, I don't care, let folks stare. I got me some seeds!!!!!! : ) Oh Happy Day!!!!!!!
I finally get to the tree I came to gather seed from and start gathering it up, only to realize I got handfuls of seed and no place to put it. I look to my feet and realize d that I was in such a hurry this mornign I forgot socks. Socks do work in a pinch for seed carrying. Can't use my shoe s cuz I got sandels on.
Then the brilliant idea hits me, I'll just go to where I know a restroom is and grab some paper towel. Double Fudge!!!!!!! The darn paper holder is jammed and no amount tryign to wiggle my fingers or beat and the crank is gonan give me some paper. Then I get the brilliant idea to us e toliet paper. I grab me a little bit and head back to the tree. Quickly I discovered that the few little square s I got is not gonna hold the amount of seed I want to collect, nor can I fold it so that the seed I do have doesn't fall out. Back to the bathroom I hike. This time I decided to borrow the whole roll. Figured, I used what I need and then carry the rest back and wash my hands.
I get back to the tree and unroll some of the toliet paper on the ground. I trie d to make it overlap enough so that I would have a square of some sorts. I get busy collecting seed and so happy that I gonna make somebodys day with these. I gather what I figure good amount for them bit for me. I fold my catch up and pick up the rest of the tp roll and stuff it under my arm while I busy makign sure that I got all the corners tucke d in on my package and I not losing any seeds. About this time I trip over one of them nasty ground vines with the teetth that bites your ankles when your not looking. I yelp and down I go, my whole concern is not to lose all thes e tiny seeds I just gathered. I land on the package and it trying to come apart. Whew!!!! The seed s are safe.
I secure it. Check out the teeth marks ringing my ankle from the vine and look for the tp roll to pick up. As if I hadn't had enough embarrasment for today, there goe s the tp rolling down the hill I on and heading for the boggy area. Here I go lookign the fool chasing it not realizing that other folks is watchign me til I hear chuckles and snickers coming from left field. Great, because in my mind I suddenly imagine the Charmin toliet paper bears commercial and just knew thes e folks thought that I was trying to do it like the bears do it in the woods and ha d lost my tp. With my wet pant legs it sure wasn't looking too good. I debated whethe r to try and explain or ignore. Figure d they probably wouldn't beliv e me so forgot them and concentrated on getttign the tp back.
I go to step and reach for the roll only to discover that it pure bog muck under the leaves I standing on. I now have mud and ooze and who know s what other icky critters all between my toes. EWWWWWWWW.. Gross!!!!!!!! YUCK!!!!!! And too boot, yy sloshing has just now put the tp in a position where it sucke d up the rest of the mud. Just great.
I hike. back to bathroom determined to return the roll. I get there and the roll isn't lookign all nice and clean anymore. It ain't lookign to cool period, but ther e wa s one little section that looke d white still , so I put it on the back of the toliet. White side sticking out. Hopefully if somebody needs it they will realiz e that it just mud and not used and recycled til I can replace it with a new roll tommorrow. No way was I gonna go into the grocery store and buy some more. My dignity has taken all the beatign it can for today.
I am happy to report I finally got the seeds home. Of course I still can't sit comfortably yet on the chair. I sitting half on half off. Seems I forgot all them seed pods I cramme d in my back pockets when I went to sit in the car. If you've ever seen Sweet Shrub pods ya know why I now nursing bruises in some tender spots.
Anybody wanna share some highlight s of their tree experiences???? "
CLOSED: Can you Oink? Can you say SUUUUU_EEEEEEEEIIIIIIII?
If I can tell something I did but it had nothing to do with the Piggy Frenzy but it did with mailing a tropical plant arranged swap. It did not hit me till there was something funny on the movie my Son and I was watching that night. hehehehe Then my sides were splitting from laughing. hehe
ROFLOL! I nearly wet my own pants, laughing so hard at the all too familiar images you painted, Star!
Here are a couple of articles I wrote to encourage seed addicts collectors...
Seed Snatchin': The Art and Sport of Collecting Seeds http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/248/
Shake down your plants for free seed: an introduction to collecting seeds http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/1749/
Sorry Star, you are the QUEEN! I guess I assumed that if everybody did their own 'shopping' there would be no need for the extras; hence no need for you to do the extra work. But you are generous beyond belief with your time and your help. You are truly a doll.
(I have a few stories like that one too. One of these days when I'm not pressed for time I'll share some of my not-so-glorious adventures too.)
OH MY STAR. I never laughed so much in my life. Tears are literally rolling down my cheeks. You just made my year! I can't stop laughing. I never in my life.....OH MY GOODNESS!!!! I wish I could have been there to see that.(maybe not, I would have rolling down the hill too and the people would have thought I was with you.) Too much to think about. You have a better day, friend.
I'd like to belly up to the trough, squealing with glee, oink oink.
Here's a visual for you. I just went to the NY state fair. I love the animal barns and especially the baby animals. In the large corner pen was momma sow and her litter of eleven piglets, I don't know how many teats a momma pig has but there was one little piggy who couldn't find a vacant teat and he was a wigglin and a squirmin and a squeezin to get his little body in there among all his littler mates. It was a real struggle but he flung himself at the pack and bounced off and got down on his belly and army crawled right under the pile and latched on. All the bystanders clapped. It was hilarious, what perseverance!
I was hapily packing my seed packs for this swap until I read that story, Star. Now I can't do anything for laughing. You are a mess. A true seed NUT fallen from that great tree. That story was so vivid, I was picturing you doing that, as I read and was crying my eyes out from all the laughter. I can't stop laughing. Those images has seared my brain permanetly. OH MY GOODNESS!!!! (your innocence to figure out the hand gestures while slowly driving in morning rush traffic, wet pants, toilet paper, rolling down the hill, trying to put the used roll back, Oh no, too much for me to bear to imagine.
Star , you are a true seed collector. I hope to follow in your footsteps and learn to be a good collector.
But you are the greatest. Charleen
Oinky Oinky, Count me in ... just let me know how this works,,, I have paper lunch bags full of seed heads ... ???? LOL ... I guess I better get to cleaning seeds .... lol
Brandy
I would love to be in this swap if I could. I am new to this and my mom (MamawK) is going to help me.
Thanks!
Carolyn
Star: We truly are not worthy (bowing in humble adoration!) You take the cake, Girl! My hat's off to you forever.
Seriously, I have posted this on the other thread but want to be sure this is the info needed on the seed packets we send:
Common name
Botanical name
Sun/shade requirements
Annual/perennial
DG name of seed provider
Year date of seed harvest
Have I missed anything? I figure with this info, the recipient can look them up in the plant files here on DG and get any additional info necessary. You shouldn't have to do all the work, for goodness sake!
Angie
This message was edited Sep 9, 2009 4:56 PM
Okay Ella, you twisted my arm, I'm in ^_^
Connie
OMG ella - you have me laughing so hard again - just remembering all the fun last year. the paquet is the best!!! i am so looking forward to the good laughs!
~chele
Ummmmm ut ohhh my seeds are already packaged and labeled. I don't have all that info. On my packs I have common and botanical name and my DG name
Room for one more? Sounds like fun and I still have lots of seeds I didn't get around to starting this year.
I made labels on my computer, business cards, then added all the information. Now I just got to Bag em and tag em. Go back
to my comp. if I need more labels. Best way I can figure out how to do it. May need a couple more yet! :0) I did it I made an oink
just need ears!
Redmule, that's what I do... print out slips from the computer to tuck inside those little plastic seed baggies.
I think seed name (preferably including botanical) and DG name are the most important pieces of info... If you have time, maybe go back through and mark with "A" or "P" for annual or perennial, but you know, that's something we can look up ourselves when we're oinking...
If I have somebody's DG name so I can ask about a seed, I don't care if all the packet says is "little purple flower"... but it is nice to have enough info that I can look up other details in PF.
Sure Ems.. Welcoem to the other newbies! Oh and for thos e newbie s who don't knwo me. I am a dyslexic typist, somedays it better adn soem days it worse , just so ya know.
We now only have 8 spot s left for newbies and then anybody afte r that anybody wantign to join will go on a waiting list , that will be used to fill spot s if anybody drops before we start.
Regular piggies from last year have automatic spots. I save d them all a spot if they want to use it. They earned their piggy slop spots at the trough. . hahahahah
I so excited. I sittign a wiggling and a squigglign in my seat just thinking about all the fun everybody gonna have. : )
roflmao!!! cant type fer laughing! starlight...how did i miss that story!!!! it shoulda be put in DG hall of fame! sure beat me pitiful escapade of climbing/falling over neighbor fence trying ta get sunflower seeds! even hers big doggie chasing me doesnot compare wit you setting example fer bears in the woods!!!!
LMAO ... you all are a trip ... lol ... I think I'm going to enjoy this swap ... lol
What if you don't have the botanical names ... Or can't find the botanical name? I have a few that I know what kind of flower it is .... example ... its a hibiscus ... but the actual type ... I'm unsure of ... I know there is the rose mallow, the sinese, the kenaf and and and ...
I'll try to get as much info on the labels as possible... :D
I can handle most of the labeling part ... :D I bought a label maker program a few years back for like 9.99 at office depot ... They still have it ... like above I do the business card labels also. :D
Jaxtiger ... I rememeber that episode with the sunflowers and the fence and all of that ... LOL ...
Brandy
HEY!! I'm here! Is there room??? I'm in the middle of moving, but I'd love to join in if there's still room!!
Edited to add: one thing I remember as being quite helpful (if you've got room on the seed packet) is to add how it should be germinated (no light, on top of soil, winter sow, etc.)
This message was edited Sep 9, 2009 10:12 PM
I have a newbie (Oink) question-
How many seeds do you put in a pack on average? I know it will depend upon the size of the seed, and rarity of the seed. But when I trade I always question if I'm sending enough or too much, so I always error on the side of sending extra. I'd rather have someone delighted than disappointed, as I have been there myself on the receiving end of 2-3 seeds in a packet, rather than 20-50.
So for those of you who did this last year, how many seeds per packet on average did you include?
Thanks!
Herbspirit- Patricia
Star, I take it back..I don't care how far it is..I want to come help..as long as you promise to tell me more stories like that one LOL..That was totally hilarious! You are a born storyteller and that's the biggest compliment anyone can get, let me tell you!
One of my dearest friends is also a born storyteller..I don't know how many times she's had me crying from laughter..but hers tend to be a little on the bawdy side, shall we say?? :)
This is going to be fun!!
Brandy, Hibiscus is one where knowing the species is important for me, because that tells me if it will be hardy here... you can generally figure out whether you have H, moscheutos (swamp hib), H. syriacus (rose of sharon), H. rosa-sinensis (tropical hib) etc by checking PF -- just enter the common name & search for a match. Or at least try to figure out whether it's a tropical one or not and mark the packet accordingly. It's not just being snooty or something... there are practical reasons for using botanical names. :-)
I haven't read the entire thread yet but if there is still room for a newbie, please count me in.
thanks,
d
Patricia, typically I pack at least 25-50 seeds per pack for common or prolific seed producers, for large, and unusual seed I typically package 5-10 seeds per pack, and make a note of it on my list. For tiny seeds like Poppies or Foxglove, I use a measuring spoon to divvy them out- 1/4 teaspoon of Poppy seeds is likely to be over 100 seeds.
To find out what I have, I type the common name into the comp. and usually it will give the botanical name. When i ordeed seed from Thompson & Morgan, they sent me a seed sowing guide and it gives all the infor. needed and a bit more. I leave i here in my mess on comp. desk and when i need an ans. I just look it up.
Also got my DG address book here to know what i have already sent to whom, I'm sort of unorganized organized. Hope this helps.
oink oink oink
Was going to say it depends on the size of the seed as to how much I send, but someone else has already thrown that in and said it much better than I.
Angie
My problem always seems to be the common name...LOL Like my surprise this morning and two other times. I have purchased and traded for LINUM FLAVUM. They bloom every color but yellow. I asked the person are you sure this is Linum Flavum..she said Oh yes Gold Flax! Well yeah..the seeds were golden but the flowers bloomed Blue this morning (kinda disappointing) waited 12 weeks to see those yellow blooms. Back to the drawing board. Looks like I might have to order from JL Hudson. If they bloom Red or Blue it's going to be a problem...LOL
**Pokes my head in**
HEY ROBYN..... good to see you still hanging around around the trough.
Terese
oK ... I'll get things figured out with the different seeds and the ones I can't find a common or botanical name for I'll ask ... WE have time right? When do the seeds need to be in by again? Dec?
I have a bad habit of putting 50 to 100 seeds in packets especially of types I have a lot of ... :D So, I guess I need to put the qty amount of the different seeds in the packet on my list next to their names ...
If anyone has anything on the must do's or would helps to help me get organized ... its deeply appreciated :D
ThANK YOU all :D
Brandy
Brandy.. Now ther e some seed s you may not be abel to find a common or scientific name for. Them ya just mark for example.
Turnip ( 10 seeds) trade
or like
Pansy unknown color ( 20 seeds) commercial
And the number of seed sis not set in stoen eithe r for thos e of you that are newbies. Like Maybe three peopel oink for the same seed and ya really.. really want it. Well whover has it on thei rtrad elist may ask if it ok for everybody to split it. That has been doen many tiems before. Then ya just splti up yoru pack and make new labels. : )
Welcome in Guams Orbit.
Waves to Dryad! Welcoem back Roybn.
I don't want 50 or a 1/4 of a teaspoon of seed. If planted properly it only takes one to get you started. If you like it then you can save your own seed and make more plants. I have bought many seed packets for $3.95 or such and counted out less than 15 seeds. Maybe you'll get fewer seeds but you'll get nicer or unusual ones. I usually package up 3 Hyacinth vine seeds to a package. The reason being that I leave before most of the seeds are developed enough to harvest. So they are in limited supply. If you can't accept that, then speak up now so I won't include my rare and short supply seeds.
I pretty much figure people send what they have... if they've harvested a lot of seed, packets will probably be fatter. This is more of a "seed sharing" than a "seed swapping" event. I don't think anybody is too concerned with swapping seeds 1 for 1 here. :-)
When it comes to something like turnips or snap beans, though, I like to send enough for at least a 10 foot row.
Are we including any veggies? I was seeding a bunch of different tomatoes for bruschetta the other day, using a strainer over a dish to catch the good juice. When I was done, I looked at that strainer full of seeds and said what the heck.. tossed it into a glass with some juice to ferment. They're all heirloom varieties, all delicious in the extreme -- pinks, reds, oxhearts, Yellow Brandywine, Mr. Stripey, and Black Russian -- and I figured I could call it "Carnival Bruschetta Mix" LOL. If not for this swap, I figured it would be a good thing to include in "newbie" packets.
Sounds great to me. This way the one planting could try more varietys.
Star- how have you survived all the seed gathering all this time? I would give anything to spend one day with you on an adventure of gathering seeds. I know I would never be the same. Got to LOVE the seeds that come from you because what you go through to get them. You are such a blessing.
Your tomato seeds sounds like a winner to me. I planted 'Tiny Tim', 'Atkinson's', and a wild cherry from last year's swap, and they have produced very well.
Here is a picture of one of my Tomato beds. Unfortunately, I didn't realize how big and bush the plants would get. But heck, I am thrilled to get the big pretty bushes. The tomatoes that I planted elsewhere have been producing lots of pretty red tomatoes. This is the first year in my life that I have been able to grow a tomato plant that didn't look all scraggly. One of my little life goals was to grow a tomato plant and actually get to eat a homegrown ripe tomato!
Huge plants & no tomatoes probably means a lot of nitrogen in the soil... happened to us one year when we made a little raised bed behind the townhouse and filled it with good soil & compost!
I'm glad the Wild Cherry is doing well for you. It will mostly likely reseed, so look for volunteers in its vicinity next spring. I must have managed to pull all mine by mistake this year, so I'll actually have to start a few from seed for next year!
Critter is right. You put what ya have and what ya want in a seed packet. Alot of things I onyl have three seeds in each packets.
If ya got alot ya cna giv e alot if ya don't ya don't.
It is all about sharing, not a one for one trade. It a chanc eot clean everythign out ya want to get rid of bring in ne w stuff to try. Maybe it grow s fo rya or if ya iek me maybe ya kill it, but it just a rousing good time of all who join to share loving with other Dg'ers seed they have grown or gotten and their loves of plants and flowers and veggies and shrubs and such.
Like I just about soem of the new 2010 seeds and ther e wil only be 3-5 seeds in each packet cuz they wa s expensive, but I want to share with folks and this way when I kill mine off and I can oink and beg and danc ein the muddle puddle s next year begging for some of their s back. LOL
Dang Lynn. That a monster mater plant. : ) Good Job.
mekos... heheheheheh I been saving stories just for the swap and for when we get past the mad dash rush and chatting on the cottage gardenign forum. Belive me. oen day with me and ya would be runnign for the saftey of your own garden. LOL
oink oink am I to late to rut around with you all?
Sounds like fun..