PLANT & SEED SWAP. ( within Australia only )

Yes, Jen, and if you see someone talking in a thread about a plant, don't be shy about asking for some. I do it all the time. Usually you DMail someone with your address and they will post you something at no charge, and you return the favour to them or someone else by doing the same thing at some stage, but most of us are happy to send stuff with no strings attached and nothing required in return! (Unless its a huge bulk lot that costs upwards of around $20 postage or something)
Sue

Yes everyone on here is pretty generous and we all get along in a fairly relaxed manner. I would advise you to USE the trade tracker and trade list facilities here on DG as it is much easier to keep track of what you have promised to people that way - especially if you have to wait for plants to grow on for someone. Postage can be a pain - if it is a lot one way and not the other it is not unreasonable to get some reimbursement, but so far we have mostly been paying postage on the parcels we send out and leaving it at that. I always try to keep my trades even but some people out there keep sending me unsolicited care parcels (yes, you KNOW who you are) which keeps me hopping thinking of plants to reciprocate with! I know there have been occasional bad feelings over trading in some of the US centred forums but so far our little Aussie group has gotten on superbly well, and really; with the cost of plants nowadays, to get four or five new varieties in the mail just by spending $7 to post of some of your surplus to someone who will appreciate it has got to be the bargain of the millennium!

Feel free to check out both my Journal and my Trade List (You can reach them by clicking on my username in blue next to this post) so you can see how it is done, if you need any further encouragement.

TTFN, KK.

By the way, this sticky is getting very long. I have been thinking about asking admin to "de-sticky" it and starting a new one. Can all of you D-MAIL me with your opinions. I would like to propose that we do what the writers group does in the new thread, so it doesn't get so big to load. Every Australian member who wants to trade has One post, and One post only on the sticky trading thread. No chat, and no replying on the thread will be allowed. When you run out of something or want to announce a new trade item to the group you edit the post you have originally made. It will be MUCH more convenient for a member to read 30 or 40 posts, knowing that the information is being kept current than to wade through 160+ while wondering what is still available!

The other alternative would be to just de-sticky this thread and start a new one but we will surely have the problem again - possibly even more quickly as our trading partners grow in number.

Please let me know what you think before the 7th of March so I can take a poll of the answers and report back before I approach admin.

Ciao, KK.

Great idea KK Yes this is wayyyy long now and when it started we did not know how to do it ...I think we all have a fair idea of whats what now and if we don't, we can go ask in the second thread...perhaps while we are at it if we open a thread for questions and answers on trading/ gifting or whatever we call it for the new folk and for suggestions on easier ways to pack things etc ... and while I am on the subject I just want to say how proud I am that we just "give" to each other here on the Australian thread, after reading some of the stuff that we read in the other forums on the subject, I think the folk here are just wonderful :) so yes go for it KK.
chrissy

I agree the method KK describes is the way to go, though I am breaking all those rules right now. You will need to start the thread with an outline of how it works then police it. I for one, vote for Sue having some admin rights in the Ozi forum for these kind of reasons. She seems to be the longest serving member & one of the most gregarious. Nothing against you at all KK, but if you are amongst the writers you will have your hands full already.

This message was edited Feb 25, 2008 3:47 PM

oh no no no! I'm not the police, and actually relatively new! I think thats why we don't see Ginger around much, we're all a bit casual in the way we conduct ourselves. But I know from experience that if you're on dial up or have a slow modem, then it takes forever to scroll down through a thread, so shorter threads are the way to go, and everyone is welcome to start new ones. You've tried it haven't you Ian? Easy eh?
That way, the important topics stay at the top and the others get lost along the way unless you want to add. I love KKs idea of editing the post. I hadn't actually thought of that, so KK has the bigger brain!LOL. (and seniority. LOL)
Sue
But if you vote for me, I promise to be a good leader and nag lots! *evil laugh* A-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-haaaaaaa!

Well I don't mean you have to be a forum Nazi but its just an idea. If KK has the time & wants to follow it up, then great. Her idea is good. I know I'd be flat out trying to keep up, but thats probably just my natural slackness.

Hello all. I have been working in the garden today as the weather was mild and very enjoyable with no wind.
I have cut back all my Shasta daisies and have to move them as they have grown into each other. I have lots of bits to give to anyone who would like some of the most gorgeous white garden flowers. There are single, double and shaggy but as they are all intergrown you will have to take pot luck.
Shastas are one of the loveliest of all white plants and bloom through summer. Mine grow to around 1 1/2 metres so need to be in a bed of their own or towards the back of beds. I have mine along one of the rose gardens where they compliment the bright rose colors. They will grow lush with water, but I rarely water mine except for really hot days. They do spread so you will have plenty . They are not invasive as they just keep putting out side shoots to spread To get rid of or move them just dig up the clump. There are no horrible creeping underground shoots They die back about now and there is new growth already.
Dmail me if you would like some . Happy gardening, Jean.

Hoy, people - WHERE ARE YOUR D-MAILS - I've only had about 4 responses and I'm sick and tired of using up mu bandwidth loading this enormous thread

KK.

Hi Guys,

A few Q's on my creeping vine one of my friends from here gave me in a parcel.

I need to know the ID and how to care for it as in: F/Sun, Shade, or both?

Debi

KK,I see no need for a sticky trading thread at all..if someone wants/has a trade etc why not start a new post for each one.(unless of course one wants/has many trades but even then this can be carried further between respondents through dmail..I can't see this forum being overloaded by trading threads anyway..JMO
BTW I totally agree in regards to this thread being shifted...it is far too long!!

This message was edited May 1, 2008 3:26 PM

Hello again, my friend,

I have an interesting question for you.

It might be an individual choice??????

I always thought you had to try to keep the swaps or buying plants that you get, you should try to keep them fresh as possible.Until they reach their destination?

Well, I bought two plants and they look thirsty and a little shrived. They were send to me with VERY dry roots.

If I send a pkg, I wrap it into wet newsparer and then a plastic bag, to keep it fresh as long as possible.

Is there aright way or a wrong way to send plants in the mail???

Thanks my friends,

Debi

Sending bare rooted plants reduces the chance of sending soil disease, weed seed & pests. Its unusual to get a plant in soil really. I don't think I ever have. Usually wet newspaper is involved or something equivalent but it depends on what it is. You don't want to rot the roots either. The main thing is to keep them away from sunlight.
I tend to use moist paper but not sealed in plastic so it won't evaporate & cool. Wet at my end, dry at the other is healthy I reckon.
I am useless at packaging though & my labelling needs work. I notice the girls here are opposite. Neat, careful & thoughtful decribes how Judy, Chrissy, Shelley & Jacq all do it. They could give you the best advice that way.

Hello GranvilleSouth,

Thanks for answering my question.

I have sent plants, no soil, but kept moist. I understand about the yukky little critters we don't want.

So, it is a few reasons, depends on the plant as to wether you send it moist or not and to make sure there is no little critter's???

Thanks again my friend,
Debi
Zone B

Sorry I forgot to ask, are these little scale critters at the base of this plant?

They look like bugs alright. What type of plant is it?
I'm not particularly experienced at sending plants & have only learned from trying different things & seeing what other ppl do. Its just common sense that cactus will survive a longer trip wihout soil than say, a tea tree. A lot of plants like to keep their own soil too, so I guess its just a fact of life that some things can't be posted. You mainly see bulbs, rhizomes, cuttings & seeds being sent of course. Members in the US organise meets to swap potted plants & stuff. We should do the same. Up in Brisbane somewhere would be a good place to do it.

Hi again guys,

I just bought these from a nursery, through the mail.

I thought it might be scale and it upsets me that a nursery would send plants with disease.

This is the name of the plant AND nursery!

I hope treatment will fix them????????

Thanks,

Debi

OK. Here it is in the PFs ...

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/64212/

Ice Plant. I have bought plants from the same place & had no problem. The lady there was OK to me (is it Roz? Can't recall for sure). I'd mail her about it & see what she says. Have you tried removing them manually btw?

for scale my mum uses white oil. she says that sometimes it drowns them so it works but according to Don Burke you cant kill scale or mealy bugs as they go right to the roots and kill the plant from bottom upwards. He also says that he's tried every insecticide, pesticide, fungicide, chemical stuff,. methods and what not and in the end he just throws it away.

I've shaken soil off the affected plants and cleaned everything right off it and then dip it into diluted white oil in the watercan. one out of four times it works.

Lately I've kind of given up on doing that and basically throw them into the weed bin to burn in the sun. I dont throw it away or compost it... it just ages over 3 years and then you can dig a hole and bury it and it wont ever come up again.

I do sometimes use Confidor to keep the plants because I love them, and when I dont have time to clean them. But the last time I had scale was like a year or so ago so the plants have been very happy.

Unless it's a rare, unusual or very favourite plant ,put it in a plastic bag and throw it out.
I have found over many years of gardening that it just is not worthwhile trying to fix some types of pest or disease.
It can be tricky for non experts trying to treat plants and while you keep the plant, whatever it has may spread.
Sorry Deb but one sometimes has to be a bit hard in the garden.
Think of all the really lovely plants you have.
Jean.

Or send it back for a replacement.

Hi Guys,

Yes I did get in touch with the Nursery and they could not have been more nice and offered money back, no problems.

So, I believe that the Nursery is a great Nursery and wanted to help in the blink of the eye.

If I throw every plant out that has some type of disease, I would no have many plants left.
But, are you saying maybe to do that and then start again collecting?

Very Sad, but I dont want to lose all of them and how could I tell which one's that are only just being affected?????

Debi
P.S. If there is anybody that can ID this cacti, I would just die! I have spent days and many sites and still cannot name it?????????

Hi all. I am completely new to this thread, so forgive me if I come across as being a bit green(no pun intended), but I am looking to purchase some oriental poppy seeds if anyone has some to spare please.

Hi. Have you tried the ID forum or the cactus one? There is a bloke called Xenomorph if you can find him who is very good with cacti.
Here is the DG trade list for the poppies ....

http://davesgarden.com/community/trading/search.php?search_text=PFPID:633

This is a Tasmanian company that sells them by mail order ...

http://www.southernharvest.com.au/index.php?page=6&offset=78

Here is an ebay power seller specialising in poppies. They are in the US but will probably ship to you ...

http://stores.ebay.com.au/One-Stop-Poppy-Shop

Sorry I can't help with seed directly. I only have Icelandic & Dorothy poppies.

Ian

PS My dog has been eating all my bunya nuts. She really loves them & even dug up a heap I had planted. Ate every last nut. Anyone heard of dogs doing this?

This message was edited Jun 2, 2008 4:48 AM

Does anyone have a few seeds of the YELLOW flowering variety of Poinciana?

I may be able to get some but I'll have to let you know. A bloke is about to send me some seeds from Madagascar & he has different types of poincianas & caesalpinias (dwarf poincianas). I'll message & find out.

Hi Helebores, try posting in the Aussie trades thread at the top of Australian Gardening forum. You don't have to trade, but can offer to purchase. Most people will give it to you for free though! Unfortunately, I can't keep them going here. Must be the climate. Good luck.
Hi MargaretK. I also have a friend who has promised me some from Darwin. You are probly already aware that we cannot send from N.S.W to W.A due to quarantine. There are a few W.A's (Crow eaters) on this site though. Why do they call W.A's Crow eaters?
Good luck with sourcing your seeds.
Hi Ian
Sue

Hey Sue. The term really refers to western australians who ate crows in the early days. They even called them Mount Barker pheasants. ;) Somehow it would up connected to south australians.
No luck with the delonix Margaret. I can only get caesalpinias which are a dwarf poincinana. Good luck in your hunt.
Ian

Thanks for trying, Sue and Ian. I appreciate it. Margaret

G,day Deb. for your cactus id check Opuntia subulata.
Bob.

Here is a pic of a young plant i borrowed from ebay

Thanks Spec,

I am very grateful.

Debi

Hi Deb, just cruising through to the end of the postings and have to agree , your cactus does appear to be Opuntia subulata. sometimes used as a grafting stock. usually flowers only when tall.Lois

Hi All,
Here is a good picture of the true Austrocylindropuntia subulata. Note the huge fleshy leaves! They are the biggest and most persistent in the whole group of Opuntias and related plants. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/44333/ . I have also commented on this plant on another thread. Check the last post on the thread here: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/851661/ .

Ciao, KK.

Edited to add: Ccan we please keep off this thread and use the new one for trades - it is way too long!

This message was edited Jul 16, 2008 7:27 AM

Hey Guys,

Does anyone have one of these?

I really would like to get this plant again.

"Amaranthus Tricolor"

Debi

Hi there try rarexoticseeds in Canada they are very good todeal with andmy have iseed fot it..i am looking for any cuttings of brugmansia to swap for seed ihave around 10 varieties including the brugmansia sanguinea Red any offers out there i am new to the forum and havent a clue how to pst a thread,i hope this week to get it sorted!!

Danielle, I've sent you a DMail... look right up the top where it says ....

Look for the swap thread up the top ...this is an old thread. We now have a sticky up the top that stays there for swaps ...post what you have and what you want into that one.
No chit chat in the sticky or Sue will chase us with a stick! ^_^
Use your Dmail for the chit chat and swap discussions.
Don't forget to go into your swaps to update the info ...just click onto edit to go in and change and add to your post ...lots more to add in the coming growing season ....have fun everyone!

here it is for any lurkers just click onto this
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/842701/


This message was edited Jul 19, 2009 8:36 AM

Hi i am after Brugmansia cuttings i haves seed i can swap including the Brugmansia Sanguinea Red.,Arborea White angels Trumpet seed including Black Currant Swirl, and Double Triple Frilled Yellow.,Single large perfumed White,etcmy swap willbe 10 seed for 2different cuttings if that is possible....i amtrying to start a collection of brugs ihave loveld themsince i wassmall...ihavehad one of the members,has offered me some cuttings ,thanks mya ,iam so gratefull i cant wait to see the cuttings...... i can swap Bromeliads pups for rooted cuttings.....i havemany many different varieties of them ....i have specialised in them but am trying to cut work down ,due to ill health and brugs seem not so labour intensive as the broms.....thanks and happy gardening....

hi any one have any mirablis jalapo seeds i have pink ,but would other colors as well.