its ok people if it works great if not its only postage and home collected seeds which are free be happy
Seed confiscation at Customs??
I label my seeds with their technical name and same way in receiving seeds and they come in fine. Recently, a package was inspected by Homeland Security and my seeds still came through. They were tomatoes and corn seeds.
I bought some seed from Canada and I guess the lady I got them from knew they might not make it thru customs so she put them in a gift box and marked them body jewelry. That was a hoot getting them that way.
this week I got both my packages of seeds one came from texas and the other from california no problem they didnt ever open them
so I am one happy camper since the first package had japanese morning glories in it
and the other has water lilies that I ordered for my sister she is so happy which makes me happy
This message was edited Mar 26, 2009 5:13 PM
this year everything made it I am so happy because so many of them I could not replace like Japanese morning glories, and water lillies those are also not available in canada
What a great idea, WillowWasp! ;o) Will have to copy that system.
Big hug,
Ursula
Do you people know/realize what you are doing could land you in jail/prison?? And you are on here admitting to the whole world what you are doing?
Believe me, this is not funny. I am retired from Customs.
I purchase seeds that are legal in canada so I am not breaking the law, I have a copy of list that is not allowed and I do not purchase them.
the only problem I had was with bulbs, and that was because I didnt know the procedure for them and the one I bought got sent back to the seller and I got my money back and now I know that I live in a country that seeds are not a problem its bulbs since they can carry diseases and molds etc... that can destroy crops, so I do not purchase them anymore except with canadian companies
I actually contacted our agricultural department to find out the do s and dont s of the buying of products and I was informed to check the list
and I do, the problem I had in the past is the seeds being lost in the mail is the most common one lol someone takes them hahahah for themselves
I exchange seeds with friends from all over. I mark on the envelop what is in there, and when I send internationally, I fill out a declaration form. Even the post office doesn't know that seeds shouldn't be sent. I have never not received my seeds. My friends have also received their seeds. We thought if it was illegal, they would be seized. We tried to follow the rules. Sometimes it is very difficult to find the information needed.
most countries do not have a problem with most seeds but have problems with roots,bulbs, and plant materials since it can cause deseases to spread and destroy crops, which are foods that we eat, it is very business
Oh dear, Jerodmom just sent me seeds...I have only had problems here with actual plants...I felt so bad becaue to order lots I got load of colleagues involved and we all lost out...that's why I stick to seeds..havn't had them stopped...YET
most countries are ok with seeds except the ones that multiply like weeds and take over but live plant materials can bring in fungus and dormant eggs of bugs that can be devestating to crops they are very strick with them
Completely understand...I live next to a plant nursery and they bought something in with Cuban Frogs and they are really bad.....very invasive and taking over our little Island and eating all our lovely indiginous tree frogs plus lizards and small birds...they spit at you .... yuk
that is awfull where I come from purple loose striff got out of control on someones property and now all the wild orchids are gone and it has destroyed bird nesting land and many other native plants, grower dont understand that if they let anything go to see and the birds eat the seeds they will end up miles around and will spread and make it impossible to get rid of
I live in NC and when I first moved here I was admiring the lush green wooded areas along the highways--until I got a closer look and realized they were dead trees covered in lush green kudzu vines! That kudzu just covered the entire area like a blanket giving the illusion of a rolling green forest!
Where I'm from people plant and baby purple wisteria--here it's all over the place--twining up trees and even power lines.
yes I know I have wisteria and it doesnt spread here the seeds dont germinate and since I am in zone 5 it takes forever to grow and bloom also we tend to keep our stuff under control as soon as mine is done blooming I cut it back and keep it trimmed so it will not get out of hand I also grow indian summer trumpet vines and lots of clematis and I dont let anything go to seed not even my perennials or annuals I dead head on a regular basis it makes everything bloom longer and keeps it all tidy
can you tell I am OCD lol everyting in its place hahahhaha
I would love some wisteria I live in zone 5 and Spokane WA It does not spread like in hot
climates so it would be fantastic for me. When I was small we rented a place the had one, it was so very beautiful and the lovely smell comming from the flowers was awesome.
Marcia,
3 or 4 years ago I got 2 Wisteria plants for my niece who lives in the valley and I know they grew good for her, but I don't know if they have bloomed yet. They were in 3 or 5 gallon cans so were pretty well established plants so they should be blooming by now I would think.
I will have to ask her. I think you would need to do some research on the computer and get a good kind. For research you might take a look at The Big Dipper website. They are a nursery in Black Diamond, Southeast of Seattle. Last time I looked they had a big variety in their website and a lot of info about each one.
Jeanette
a lot of people make the mistake of trimming their wisteria in the fall not realizing that they are cutting of the next springs blooms
they are suppose to be trimmed when the blooming process is over and then allowed to grow for the rest of the summer
Thank You I appreciate your reply I will check the things out, I walked with one lady who has a lovely one but she said that it takes 5 years to have flowers from cuttings.
yes and it may take 15 to 20 years to get blooms from seeds in our colder zone in hot zone it take two to three years
The first time I ever saw a flowering wisteria was when I moved to southeastern NM and our neighbor had a huge weeping willow tree (trunk as big around as a truck tire) and a ring of a wisteria hedge waterfalling around the base of the trunk. On our property along our shared property line we had a nice established hedge of french lilacs and Rose of Sharons. Wish I had taken a photo of it in the spring--so pretty all together and our yards smelled beautiful:lol:
New neighbors bought the house, removed the tree and the wisteria for new sod--nothing else, just a lot full of sod--blechk!
Really too bad what people do sometimes. But, it is their property so to each his own.
True although I'm sure if she and her kids (grown, living across the street) could have they would have taken out our lilacs and RoS also. She clipped all of the roses of the bushes in my raised bed along the side of the house on my property one year. They were in bud and bloom. She said they looked uneven! :lol:
I've had success with receiving seeds from overseas when they're labeled as "ornamental beads." Funny how that works. :/
What a brilliant idea! Especially now that beads are "in"
I ordered some from Chiltern in England and they didn't mark them as anything--just sent in a mailer. I think the return addy was a person rather than a business. They made it just fine too.
This just happened to me http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1209317/
THIS ISN'T EASY! I've shipped and imported seeds all over the world for ten years. Recently, EVERYTHING coming in got confiscated, not because of new bugs and diseases, but because of paperwork. I have an import permit, but that's not enough.
I took an entire week off so I could spend it with the USDA. Just signing into your account is more difficult (and similar to) a strip search at the airport.
Here's the deal: Australia used to be every seller's worst nightmare, because their prohibited list changes daily, but you CAN look it up and they are consistent (and actually polite). Now they look like angels. The USDA is on some kind of assault on seed imports, not because of agricultural concerns, but because of politics. They know me. They know I'm not importing heroin. Instead of fixing our roads and schools, they're beefing up Seed Security.
It took three days and multiple phone calls to find someone just to help me SIGN IN to my account. And it just got worse after that. Filling out the paperwork is like trying to put Ikea furniture together without instructions (or with instructions written in Burmese).
The individual people who helped me were
1. very gracious
2. and just as confused as I was.
I got one lady in Idaho who was in the cow department. We talked gardening, but she had no clue who to call. Another guy called me back at 6:00 a.m. to untangle the sign-in problems. (OF COURSE the Dept. of Agriculture opens at 6:00 a.m. So do most farmers.)
My permit is now revised, but DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME unless your livelihood depends on it. Yes, once you received seeds from France with no problems. And once gas cost less than a dollar. Something bureaucratic has changed. Until it changes back (maybe after November?) chocolate covered Cannas sound pretty smart.
Apologies for the rant. I just don't want anyone to think they can click on that USDA link and fill out a quick form. This is a major ordeal.
Let's hope they get interested in something besides seed smugglers soon. Good luck!
I just recieved a bunch of seeds from jonna in Belgium with no problem.
And 4-5 months ago, I got some seeds from a commerical grower in Thailand.
As far as I know, no seeds shipped to me from overseas or Canada were held up.
Smartseeds, I completely understand your "rant". I still have the link saved to the US Agricultural dept/seed forms. I started it but never completed it. I should just go to the office but that would involve a day off from work which I'm not sure is worth it. It does seem like a lot of overkill for recreational gardeners to have to go through. Same reason I don't order iris from Barry Blyth/TempoTwo in Austrailia--the phyto fees and red tape.
I agree, you can get lucky and get a few seed shipments but eventually the odds will not favor you and you'll get the conviscation letter. I still feel bad that a bulb order from England ended up badly and the member got a visit from Homeland Security (probably put her on some random watch list as well--you never know!).
I mentioned the small lot seed permit further up the thread....here is the link to the general info. In the second section of info about halfway down the page there is a clickable link to the online form. Hope that helps someone. I do suggest really reading it and not just clicking on the link as there are helpful tips and info about how to fill out the form given. Just my advice.
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/plant_imports/smalllots_seed.shtml
Just a side note. I realize that it's a disappointment when plant materials don't "sneak" by but doesn't it matter that it's illegal? It may not seem like a big deal but it's a great way to spread disease, pests, invasive species, and unit ended hitchhikers like weeds. I have traveled to many foreign countries and always had to fill out a customs form to state that I wasn't bringing in plant material. I know many states in the US that don't allow the importation of the Ox eyed daisy. I'm not sure why but im not willing to break the law to find out.
1lisac I am sure illegal does matter but my PO and the 800 number said plant seeds unless listed on PO website under the country that they won't let seeds in is not plant material. But they did say that Customs like the Netherlands where I sent seeds may not let the seeds in. It is in the hands of whoever is working that day.
1lisac is right in that even tho seeds may not be considered "plant material", as such, to a lot of people, they may be a noxious plant in the country you are sending them to. And yes, even tho the person requesting them may not know they are, they still could be.
My mom wanted Purple Loose Strife, in the worst way. However, it is considered a noxious weed in this state. She insisted that that plant may be noxious in a wet area and she is was in a dry area. However, that does not mean those seeds, if she were to plant them, would not find their way to an area where they were bad.
In my area we have Knapp Weed, which is a kind of pretty flower that looks kind of like the flower we used to call Bachelor Buttons. In our area the roots form a solid mat and kills out any plants that the animals including cows, deer, elk, etc. can feed on. Once those "flowers" get a toe hold, they are almost impossible to stop.
There really are reasons for those laws and people should heed the warnings, not try to avoid them.
I'm thinking more of seeds that come into the US, I can't keep those laws straight much less the ones of other countries lol. Coming back into the US seeds are considered plant material, I couldn't even bring a cigar in because it contained tobacco, a plant material.
Smartseed- I can understand your frustration and all with the red tape, especially after you have been doing this for legally for 10 yrs.
Corey- I would assume if you are dealing with a commercial grower then they knew what they were doing when they sent the seeds.
I'm now considering getting the small lots seed permit, oh the red tape. There is just no way i could justify lying to sneak something in or out. I'm a commercial grower in TX and I can't ship to my family in Ca. Due to their strict ag laws. Since Agriculture is Ca #1 industry they have to be extra careful. I just couldn't live with myself knowing that I knowingly mislead somebody by writing something on an envie that was a lie. Writing nothing is one thing but.....I guess nothing is that important to me. I realize that's just me.
I totally understand that about invasives. We have federal and state invasive here. People still trade water hyacinth and it is a fine of 2000 dollars a plant. I got the ones I use to have out of a waterway. I threw them in my compost pile when I found out. I have read on here several yrs ago people would argue they live up north and they will freeze but it should not matter. People trade and time passes and they forget and 1 will wipe out a canal and all fish and plants in a short period of time. They also make seeds. That is why they are a Federal offense. There are a lot of other plants also.
I was at a nursery a couple yrs ago and a delivery man left them some by mistake. They called and of course they came back for them to deliver to the right person. Which means they are still being sold. Pythons destroying the everglades, Tillapia killing off other fish after someone turned them loose. Pleco fish in Garner park TX, Kudzu, and on and on. I am a firm beliver in keeping invasive plants and animals out of places they don't belong. Look at the person who turned Tigers and animals out of an animal reserve this last 2 weeks and they had to be put down
Please make sure what you are sending and if it is invasive where it is going. We have to be responsible because we don't want the invasive plants and animals that kill off the things we do like and once they take over they are usually here to stay.
>> I am a firm beliver in keeping invasive plants and animals out of places they don't belong.
I'm in agreement with that.
My point was that the USPS does not actually make intelligent (or cinbsistent) use of the info even when all the paperwork is done - example being the (Federal) noxious weed sent right to my door. I assume that occured because no one looked at the paperwork, not becuase some very savvy PO clerk looked up the information and concluded that WA was not tropical enoguh or wet enoguh (in the summer) for it to be invasive or noxious THERE.
I can't really blame them, either: that's a lot of research to do for a pkg that someone probably paid less than $3 to ship.
But the USPS and phytosanitary paperwork do NOT actually protect anyone, despite the attempt.
WE have to be careful.
Just within DG seed swaps, what one region considers "easy to grow" is invasive in another region, and "I can't even get them to grow" elsewhere. Some people hate a plant because they've been passionately trying to get it out of their garden for years, yet many other people grow it without it spreading. I think climate is almost everything.
Some people consider "Morning Glory" invasive, but it sure is not where I live.
My multiple attempts to start my semi-tropical semi-aquatic "noxious weed" never got past the seedling stage. I couldn't keep them wet enough or warm enoguh. I think I would need to create a pond for them, plus maybe a plastic tent.
As recently as 1995, there was a 50-acre farm of them in Florida (the MOST dangerous zone) because that grower "got a permit". (Maybe the laws are more strict now.)
It is a major food crop in much of Asia, yet has not spread or 'established' in areas that are temperate. I wonder how they keep it out of their irrigation ditches in tropical areas: local predators?
"Water Spinach" / Ipomoea aquatica / "Water Morning Glory" / "Water Convolvulus"
"Chinese Spinach" / "Swamp Cabbage" / Indonesia: "kangkung" / Thai: "phakbung"
In Mandarin Chinese: "kong syin tsai" (hollow heart vegetable)
Some quotes:
http://www.oregon.gov/OISC/docs/pdf/ipaq_ra.pdf?ga=t
Few other states express the level of concern over I. aquatica as Florida does, however, fact sheets
and identification guides from other states have described its potential to spread
(Oklahoma DWC; Howells, 1999; Lord, 2000).
It is listed as a noxious weed in 35 states (USDA, 2003).
Evaluation
I. aquatica has been cultivated for many hundreds of years and has been shipped
throughout the world as a vegetable crop. It has spread throughout many of the tropical
areas in the world, but there is no evidence that it will grow outside of tropical areas
naturally. California and Washington (Parsons, 2003) consider the plant a low risk for
establishment and as a potential nuisance.
Due to the requirement for hot, humid conditions for growth and the failure of I. aquatica to
establish in more temperate areas of Asia, where it has been an important food for several
centuries, we conclude that there is a low risk that I. aquatica could establish, invade, and
create a nuisance condition in Oregon rivers, streams, lakes, and drainage and irrigation
canals.
References
Parsons, J. 2003. Washington State Department of Ecology. Personal communication
with Erin Harwood on May 9, 2003.
USDA. PLANTS Database: http://plants.usda.gov/cgi_bin/topics.cgi. Accessed May 12,
2003.
I also saw a map showing it's "spread" in the USA and only Florida had any, dewspite 35 states listing it on their noxious weed lists.
But indeed, if I get any past seedlings, I'll be careful not to let it flower, let alone go to seed. I don't know how far a bird could fly with a belly full of "Water Morning Glory" seeds.
Corey
Corey- oh Good Lord keeping up with your research is almost as bad as the state and Fed. Government. ( teasing you, again )
Yes,the laws in Florida have gotten much stricter almost as bad as Ca and Az. As I posted on the Romania thread I have grown plants from legally obtained seeds for species that were considered Invasive but were not banned. You may not realize the "good" you are doing by filling out the paperwork and jumping through the hoops. You are doing it the right way and that's all you can do. There is so much more to it then just invasives.
There is a DG member that is a commercial grower. She can only ship bareroot to other states that's what the entomologist for her state says, so that's what she does. No questions ask. Through dirt, seeds, and other plant material diseases and pests are spread, when you fill out the paperwork there is at least a point of origin. Many more diseases and pests have found their way up North because so many growers are in the South where it's warmer. I just dont think many people realize that a lot of harm can be done by a little white lie. I don't think it's worth it for a plant. Dieases and pests can be spread as easily as the dirt on your shoes or by not cleaning garden tools. To me it's like opening Pandoras Box and its illegal.