SPECTACULAR 2007 COTTAGE GARDEN FRESH FALL SEED SWAP!

Hello all!

I am officially an empty nester, which means I would have room to host a Fresh Fall Cottage Garden Seed Swap this fall. I have a bumper crop of seeds that I need to clean and pack and find a home for, and there are no swaps going on now, so I thought I'd try my hand at hosting one.

Flowers - Herbs - Shrubs, but not vegetables or trees*.
It would be flowers - perennials, annuals, biennials, plus herbs, and flowering shrubs like butterfly bush, clethra, rose of sharon, roses, etc. *If you wanted, it could also include small trees, but things like acorns weigh too much, and the receiver will not probably have enough postage on the envie for acorns, nor enough room in their yard for a sweet gum, so let's say very small trees -- dogwood size or smaller.

My idea was to have a Oct 15th deadline, but it has been changed to October 31, and all seeds sent to me with a list of what you would like to receive in return. You may be as general, or as specific, as you wish, knowing that the more general you are, the more likely you are to get your wishes.

The seed packs should all be from a 2007 harvest and have the name of the plant in Latin (and English if you want), plus the color, height and also your user name. That is 4 things on each seed pack. Use Plant Files to identify your plant.

There is a limit of 10 packs per variety so I am not inundated with all the same things. If you need to send more than that, d-mail me and I'll see who else is sending that item. If it is nobody else, then I'll limit the number of packs to the number of participants.

Commercial seed must have a 2008 date on it and that will weed out the 10c packets of Covent Garden Gypsophila and Petite Marigold Mix you can buy at the Dollar General store.

The rule of thumb per pack is 10-15 large seeds, 25 medium seeds, 50 med small seeds and 100 small seeds (poppies). Assuming they are collected seeds, you might want to be a teeny bit more generous. Try to winnow and screen out as much chaff as you can, but if receiving seeds with chaff is going to bother you, then home-collected seed is probably not your thing.

You'll get your new seeds the second week of November. I'm in the address exchange, but I don't want these seeds until after October 1. If you send them too early, I'll think you didn't go to enough trouble in the picking, cleaning and sorting of them :)

Use a box or big bubble envie to send your seeds and I'll reuse that exact same envelope or box. Be sure it's big enough that I can send extra seeds back in it. Print or type my name and address really small when you send it, so I can cover it up with your label with your address on it for the return trip. When you seal your envie, it would be helpful if you didn't seal it with the adhesive that comes with it and just used some tape instead. I'm pretty sure it will make it easier to open and easier to reuse.

Send:

Your seeds with the 4 things listed (above) on each packet

A return address label or piece of paper with your name and address printed or typed on it.

The same amount of postage it took to mail your box/envie, PLUS another stamp in case there are extra seeds. I think I prefer loose postage stamps, and I know I can not use metered postage (the kind you can buy from the machines), a P.O. rule which irks me to no end..

A list of things you'd like in return with your real name, your user name and your email. I'd rather use email than DG mail because I'm afraid a person might not log onto DG to see they have mail.

I need to find out how we can do delivery confirmation without sending Priority Mail. Does anybody know? If I can figure it out, I'll want to send packages out with Delivery Confirmation, so hang tight until I figure it out.

It's starting to sound expensive, but Johnny's seeds has a $5.95 shipping and handling and Parks' has always been outrageous, I figure other seed houses will be following suit, so when you look at it that way, then this will be cheap.

I think that is all I can think of -- now, is anybody interested? If there isn't enough interest in the CG forum, I could go out to the regular seed swapping/round robin forums, but I was sort of hoping to make it an intimate swap with a whole lotta seeds! :)

Suzy

This message was edited Sep 19, 2007 10:12 AM

I forgot to say we already have 9 people:

Illoquin
Greenjay
Garden6
Caitlinsgarden
JordanKittyJo
PrimroseSue
Budbloom
DistantKin
Cat64129

Plus 5 more!
PamSue
PaganCat
Smokey_SC
Dylancgc
Maozamom

Plus Wrightie?

This is really shaping up!

Suzy

This message was edited Sep 18, 2007 5:40 PM

suzy
please add me

Do you need more than one kind of seed? If not then I am in.

Smokey

I want to join the fun please, please Please!!!

I'd like to join too.

Smokey, No problem, it'll be a good way to expand your selection for next year. Unless it's something you'd think everybody would want, limit it to 10 packs.

Dylancgc and maozamom -- Yay! Glad you both signed up!

Suzy

Thanks, I have been getting some seed ready from my harvest. I will see what I have to send and see what I would like.

I noticed there is another Peggy on this swap so I will be

PeggyP

Yes, throw me in please, Illoquin. Sorry, I posted on the wrong thread.

Unless I'm misunderstanding the guidance above, I think it is okay for me to use different seeds in my packs if I don't have enough of one seed type to make 20 packs. Does that make sense, and am I correct?

Is the October 15 date a firm deadline? I have a few types of seed drying already, but many seeds aren't harvested (or mature) yet, and I'm going to be away for the first part of October. But if I miss the swap, that's fine... I'll find plenty of other ways to share and swap seeds!

Is there a minimum number of varieties or packets for this swap, or is the idea that you'll send out X packets and get around X packets in return?

Thanks for not requiring cutsie decorated envelopes... but I'd really, really appreciate it if everybody would try to use latin as well as common names (makes it so much easier to look up in PF and know you're reading about the right plant). Also, it would be great if everybody would put their DG names on the packets, both because that's often the easiest way to get questions answered and because I like knowing where plants came from as I look around my garden!

Oh, yes! Send in different kind, by all means. But I didn't say anything about 20 packs, er, did I? Send in as many as you want total, just not more than 10 of a single kind unless you run it by me first (a lot depends on the number of participants) and I don't ant to be swimming in marigolds and have nothing to send you back except more marigolds.

Send what you have extra of and you'll get a one-for-one of a different kind.

Suzy

No, as a matter of fact, Oct 15 th is NOT firm at all, Critter. I had Kitty choose the date because she was the farthest south and would likely have the latest harvest.

Would Oct 25 or Oct 31 be more favorable? What do the rest of you think?

If I were sending seeds, I would prefer the date to be in late October, but I don't have to pack seeds and mail them, so I think you guys should choose the dates.

Suzy

Whoops, I misunderstood and figured that twenty participants = twenty packs.

As for the deadline, I'm not bothered. I'm more interested in knowing when we can begin sending them to you because it would be better for me to get it out of the way before life gets hectic again.

(((((Thanks for organizing this, Suzy.)))))

I am in a RR that ends for me mid Oct and one in Mid Nov-Halloween would be great!! Boo-LOL
Sorry-its my FAV holiday!!

Just got my purple coneflowers in :o)
Robbi

October 31 should be do-able... the majority of my seeds don't get packed and labeled until after the holidays, but I can do a few ahead of time for this swap...

So if you're willing to accept a later date, then please add me to the list!

Thanks!!

Wow, Suzy, thanks for taking this on! How fun. You must be one of those ultra-organized people. The only way I would do something like this is to share it with someone - I'd never get it all sent out.

Is this the place you want us to post what we have? Or should that wait?

Suzy, I got concerned just now b/c you said the most southern was Kitty in Alabama. Thought maybe I wasn't in this swap after all - you do have me, right? I'm in Louisiana. The date is ok by me, I have seeds now. Only if someone wants some crepe myrtle "Natchez" I have only a few seeds and could trade those later somewhere.

But I am on your list, aren't I?

Peggy

I might be able to get some 'Natchez' seeds too... but when my multi-trunked white 'Natchez' bloomed, I discovered one trunk was a separate variety -- an unknown pink. I'm guessing they might have cross pollinated, so I have no idea if my crepe myrtle seeds would come true. I generally just leave them for the finches!

Peggy, So sorry, I just did a quick little scan looking for the southerners and only noticed Kittyjo. Yes, you're on :)

Peggy & Critter - How long does it take Crepe Myrtle to bloom from seed? Just curious, I don't think it's hardy here, but with the last couple of mild winters we've had it would have come through fine! Seems like it might be somehting fun to try from seed to see if it works.

PC - Not ultra organized, but I have been thiinking baout this for a while (sice the inception of the CH Forum to be precise). I thought Lincolnitess would help out a lot with the seeds and I am very worried she hasn't posted in a long time.

I have a lot of table space in dd's room so I can spread out and leave it in place if I need to.

Regarding posting what you have, I don't care about that as much as what you WANT. What kinds of things in a general way. Not too general, but by color, height, use, color, stuff like that. I don't think you can say that you want Cockscomb 'Orange Muffin' and expect it to come true from collected seed, but I think you might be able to get an orange cockscomb.

If the fall rains come I will be sorely disappointed in myself if I find out you want a yellow Rudbeckia with a brown center & I didn't harvest my R. 'Moreno' seeds before the finches get them.

Leading me to Critters comment about Latin names.... yes, you need to use them, especially on natives and perennials and trees and shrubs. We need to be able to look it up in Plant Files to determine if it's invasive (my main concern here at my house) and other participants may have other reasons. I don't care that much on other things like annuals, to be honest, but, I *am* interested in people learning and growing in their chosen hobby, and learning the Latin names of the plants you grow is educational and worthwhile. DG names are one of the 4 things, now 5, and I'll change the main post above to include it, to go on each packet.

BUT I would love to know what people want, and if you have any photos, please post! This is a photo of another dahlia I have seed from. Once again, the color won't come true, but th plant habit should. It is 46" and upright with no staking. It blooms at an early age, but the plant gets 30" in diameter. It blooms through frost, and has been in full bloom the entire summer (but I watered it all summer). This is the coral version of the hot pink one I had in the other thread, so if you like it better, put Suzy's Coral dahlia on your want list instead of Suzy's hot pink dahlia. I junked all the dahlias that fell over or had a bad flower form.

Suzy

Hmmm... I'm going to go ahead and chime in to say that I am generally interested in:

Plants that do well in part sun or shade
Edibles (herbs, berries, whatev')
Natives
Bird/Butterfly friendly

Illoquin, I will narrow this list down for you as the day approaches, but for now, I wanted to lob this out to the peanut gallery.

Cheers

I bought my crepe myrtle as a young tree... no idea about growing them from seed. I'm not patient enough for that with trees, I don't think.

Reminds me ... I do have some year old Eastern Redbud tree seeds which I can throw in if anyone wants me to. I tried sowing just one last Winter and it took. I've now got a tiny little tree in my home nursery. heh heh Should look GREAT in about ten years.

This message was edited Sep 19, 2007 8:05 AM

All righty then :) And Suzy I want to say thank you thank you for organizing this swap. It's my first except for a few one-to-one swaps, so I'm excited...

I'd love some pastel hollyhocks, bunny tails or other grasses, and any kind of phlox. The crepe myrtle I just noticed today had a few ripe seeds but many unripe, so I guess mostly I'll have them later. I bought my tree small at a nursery, so I don't have any experience growing them from seed, but if anyone wants to try, I could just send them. I don't expect a trade in return cause I don't know how they'd work out. But please be warned that Lagerstroemia indica "Natchez" can grow to 20'.

Count me in!

I've got some seeds left from last year too, which should be perfectly viable, but I figured we were sticking to "fresh" seeds for this swap.

Does anybody want or need Echinacea? I think most of my coneflowers are basic purple, might be some pinkish ones in the mix, but I'm not sure which is which... so nothing exotic, but still a nice flower if you're not already overrun with them.

I've got one that I'd like to include because it blooms all summer long and is very cottage-y... but I don't know exactly what it is. I believe it's some type of perennial helianthus, but all I know for sure is that it is not "Chocolate Daisy" (Berlandiera lyrata)... the blooms are very similar, but it grows to 3 feet in height, has different leaves, and doesn't smell like chocolate. Last year, I sent out seed packets lableled "Too Tall To Be Chocolate Daisy" (but I don't know what it is). It does bloom the first year from wintersown seed, and everybody who got seeds or plants from me seemed to love it this summer.

Here's a photo:

Welcome Raeben!

To all -- I changed some things in the very first post, which are highlighted in bold. You might want to go back and re read it real quick to make sure you are on board.

Regarding the old seeds from last year, yes, I agree, they are probably all viable, and yes, this swap is just for fresh seeds from this year's harvest.

To get around that rule, you can offer them to the group as a whole and if anybody takes you up on your offer, you can put their name on the pack with a FOR in front of their name, plase. If they go to a person, then it counts toward your 1-for-1 total, and will get counted as one of their packs against their total. Guess it's a "devil you know versus a devil you don't know" situation. You could also send them as extras (bonuses).

Suzy



This message was edited Sep 19, 2007 10:42 AM

I was also thinking that if I had extra seeds from last year for something I might not be able to harvest this year (for example, my morning glories are late), then I could just include an extra pack or two for whoever might be able to use it (not expecting anything in return).

I don't think I'm going to get around to saving tomato seeds this year, but I've got 'Wild Cherry' left from last year if anybody is interested... it's a little currant tomato, packed with flavor, great garden snack... I let them wend their way through my lily bed, and I don't bother to stake them... they return every year as volunteers.

I hope we're not creating too much of a sorting chaos for you!

:-)

I would love join in!
The past few weeks I have harvested and am in the process of drying and packaging the following seeds:
Nasturtium
Foxglove
Hollyhock
Columbine
Petunia
Snapdragon

I will be harvesting others this week. Rachel

Yay! Those are some great Cottage Garden seeds, Rachel. I was hoping we'd see some foxglove to go along wih the Hollyhocks.

Critter, I want some Wild Cherry seeds, ok?

I thought about the sorting a geat deal and figured I would be looking at every single package that came through, anyway, and would see a name on it as long as it says FOR Limequilla, for example, so I know it's not FROM Limequilla. :)

Suzy

I was happy to see the foxgloves, too! Rachel, what color are they?

Sure, Suzy, I'll put a couple of packets in. You'll like them! Cherry tomatoes can tolerate part shade, and I think the currant types can make do with even less sun than other cherries.

I think I need to set aside a bubble envelope for this swap... I can fill it with packets as I get them ready, and I can put a sticky note on the back to keep track of special requests from "Limequilla" LOL.

I would love to add my name too. I have Echinacea's (White Swan, Magnus) Salvia Lady In Red, lots of Hollyhocks, Morning Glorys. etc.
Arlene

Suzy, the apricot Dahlia is luscious.

I got some seeds off of a tall, lilac colored Phlox - Summer Phlox? - but it's only 10 of them.

I think I'm a Seed-swap-delinquent. *sigh*

Oh my gosh, I was just looking at my pink Phlox paniculata and noting how few seeds I could get from them right now - maybe three? heh heh

Okay, we put 'em together for 13...

So far, I'm going to have tall cleome, White Swan and purple echinacea, rudbeckia and melampodium for trade. I sure would be interested in some tall phlox, however much you can spare :)

and I forgot morning glories.

Today in the garden, if anyone's interested, I have some delphinium consolida drying on the stem, orange cosmos, pink cosmos and blue salvias setting seeds. Suzy.. BOUQUETS for organizing this swap, looks like it's going to be loads of fun! ;0)

Ooooh, Garden6, they sound great! I love delphinium and cosmos, especially.

ooh, salvias!!

I've got mostly full sun here, with more places for shorter plants than for tall ones. I love purple and pink colors, but please no peach/gold/orange colors.

I'm going to assume budbloom can cover any Rudbeckia (black-eyed susan) requests... if anybody needs a ton of it, just Dmail me. :-)

Oh, and I tried to look up the equivalent of delivery confirmation for first class mail at usps.com There's a "certificate of mailing" (proof that you posted something to a given address) for $1.05, and there's "certified mail" for $2.65. I'm not sure why that's so much more than delivery confirmation with priority mail (which I think is 40 cents, or free if you pay/print your postage online).