Seed box

[smile_sunshine]

Bonniegirl wrote:
Why not start a seed box. On a NZ forum they have been doing this for sometime and it;s very popular.

You put in some of your seeds, bagged and labelled then forward to the next person, who them takes 'some' seeds for their garden and adds some of their surplus to the box and forwards on again, etc. You can build up quite a few seeds this way and you get to share them with others.

You just need someone to start it off, and a thread with the list of names to send on to.

Why not give it a try.

Anyone want to do this if I organise it?

and if anyone has spare seeds i can use to start it off that would be great too (though i have a few myself too) [/quote]

[Bonniegirl]

Good luck with the seed box, once it gets going it does work very well.

At least by doing it this way you only end up paying one lot of postage, until it comes back round to you again.

I hope you get as good a response and the NZ one is doing, they're cholping at the bit over there! LOL

[smile_sunshine]

thanks :)

[justskint]

I have quite a few Butternut Squash seeds dried out, send details by private email I shall post a handfull.

[Annpan]

I do think it is a good idea... but I would worry that it would only take one person to not send it to mess up the whole thing...

I like doing swaps, but I am not the most organised of people and when we had a death in the family it set me right back... some people have been waiting a while for their swaps (sorry guys )

What I am saying is that... if one person holds onto the box for that long it could mess up people's planting, and some might miss the time altogether.

The best solution I can think of is... make sure that the 'box' can be posted with a 'Large Letter' stamp, meaning it is quite simple for anyone to pop it in the post, the cost wouldn't change and you wouldn't have to get to a post office.

[ina]

One concern I have for our country is that the sowing season is often very short; and if you miss that particular window, you've had it for the year. Also, it's quite different in the North and South of the country... So you'd have to take all that into account when you are sending seeds around! Is it still going to be worth it sending to a particular part of the country - would the window have been missed for them? It would be hugely annoying to receive a packet of wonderful seeds only to realise that it's too late in the year to use any of them...

Although I think swapping is always great, I think I'll stick to our personal, small swap circle (for us around here via NEEPS). Advantage is also that when you do it like that you can include seedlings, cuttings and plants...

[Bonniegirl]

You're right Annpan, it can and does happen. It fact in just has on the NZ forum. Luckily it's been tracked down and it's back in circulation again.

If you have a waiting list you know who to send it onto next. On here you tell the next person it's on it's way, they then say they have received it, take what they want, add to it and send to the next person, again announcing on here that it's on its way. That way at least you will have some idea where it is.

Things can and do get lost in the post, so there is that rick too, but then there's that risks sending anything eh?

Give it a go, see how you get on. If it doesn't work then at least you gave it a shot.

[red]

Advantage is also that when you do it like that you can include seedlings, cuttings and plants...

yeh I'm looking forward to my houseplant cutting.. and I have no idea what it is!

[Mydreamlife]

Could it be held perminantly at 1 persons address and when people have spare seeds they can just send them with a stamped address envelope saying what they require. If the contents is recorded on a new new thread then updated asap when any come/go we would all benifit and no risk of missing correct season, losing all in post! I don't mind starting it here and holding it for 12months then maybe someone else could take over next year?!

[Annpan]

Advantage is also that when you do it like that you can include seedlings, cuttings and plants...

yeh I'm looking forward to my houseplant cutting.. and I have no idea what it is!

Once again Annpan fails to be organised ... OH forgot to pick it up on his way out this morning... it has to go via the PO... and it is 3 miles to my closest one... I'll get it sent in the morning

Got your seed btw

[red]

oh no rush, just looking forward.

[marshlander]

wandering sailor is another name for tradescanthia (SP?)

[Annpan]

yes it is, but none of the images I can find are much like the wandering sailor I have... so I don't know what variety it is (it is all green)

I am sure it came from a cutting given to my mum in the '80s... they just grow and grow... quite lovely really... I have 4 at the moment, dead easy to take cuttings too.

[smile_sunshine]

hmm dont think i'll organise it as there doesnt seem to be much interest (and thats a good point about someone forgetting to send the box).
So thanks anyway for the offer of the seeds justskint :)

[Mydreamlife]

Could it be held perminantly at 1 persons address and when people have spare seeds they can just send them with a stamped address envelope saying what they require. If the contents is recorded on a new new thread then updated asap when any come/go we would all benifit and no risk of missing correct season, losing all in post! I don't mind starting it here and holding it for 12months then maybe someone else could take over next year?!

Smile_sunshine, it does seem a shame not to do it at all, could we not just try it another way, I bet it would catch on... especially if we started a new 'section' for what is available in the vege box at all times! or just run it for certain seasons?