Seed Exchange Etiquette Question

[M.SeanF.]

Would it be appropriate to post a list of varieties I plan to save seed from and take requests now? This way, if there is more interest in any particular variety, I could save enough for everyone.

I also thought I would post a link to my 2016 grow list so that someone could ask me to save seed from any other varieties I happen to be growing.

Finally, if I have F2 seed from a spontaneous cross is it OK to offer those seeds.

Thanks for any advice you have for this newbie,

Sean

[AlittleSalt]

There's a section called Available for Trade. I would post it there.

Whenever I offer someone a cross - I make sure they know it's a cross.

[M.SeanF.]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

Whenever I offer someone a cross - I make sure they know it's a cross.

That's what I will do, just wanted to make sure it was OK to offer seed from an accidental cross. thanks for the tip.

Sean

[jmsieglaff]

Originally Posted by M.SeanF.

Would it be appropriate to post a list of varieties I plan to save seed from and take requests now? This way, if there is more interest in any particular variety, I could save enough for everyone.

I'd say yes, but I wouldn't necessarily think that requests are binding. I would do this in the Available/Wanted forum. (Scroll down on the main page if you haven't seen it before.)

Originally Posted by M.SeanF.

I also thought I would post a link to my 2016 grow list so that someone could ask me to save seed from any other varieties I happen to be growing.

The most appropriate place to do this is the 'Available for Trade' forum, but be clear they are plants you are growing and will be saving.

Originally Posted by M.SeanF.

Finally, if I have F2 seed from a spontaneous cross is it OK to offer those seeds.

Absolutely, just make it clear the F2 seed is exactly that and is not stable. Also good to say if they are free to do what they want, if you'd like F3 seed back, etc.

[M.SeanF.]

Originally Posted by jmsieglaff

I'd say yes, but I wouldn't necessarily think that requests are binding. I would do this in the Available/Wanted forum. (Scroll down on the main page if you haven't seen it before.)



The most appropriate place to do this is the 'Available for Trade' forum, but be clear they are plants you are growing and will be saving.



Absolutely, just make it clear the F2 seed is exactly that and is not stable. Also good to say if they are free to do what they want, if you'd like F3 seed back, etc.

Thanks, especially for the tip about requesting F3 seed back.

[Cole_Robbie]

I find that the more nice things I have to say about a variety, the more people will request the seed. That's a good rule if you are posting reviews of your varieties.

[dustdevil]

When it comes to growing tomatoes, it usually doesn't go as planned. Wait until you have the bird in hand before offering any seeds.

[Father'sDaughter]

Originally Posted by dustdevil

When it comes to growing tomatoes, it usually doesn't go as planned. Wait until you have the bird in hand before offering any seeds.

Personally, this is what I would do. I did a seed offer here once and was bombarded with requests. It was easy to fill them as they came in, then tell people when I ran out that they would not be getting seeds. If you imply a commitment to send seeds now and end up not being able to make good on the offer to everyone who responds, it will result in a lot of people very unhappy with you.

Your choice, but I would wait until the tomatoes are harvested and the seeds saved.

[PhilaGardener]

Probably better to be conservative - growing never turns out as expected!

Does this forum support polls/questionnaires? You might start a thread and have folks vote to gauge their interest in different types without making commitments. Just an idea!

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Father'sDaughter

Personally, this is what I would do. I did a seed offer here once and was bombarded with requests. It was easy to fill them as they came in, then tell people when I ran out that they would not be getting seeds. If you imply a commitment to send seeds now and end up not being able to make good on the offer to everyone who responds, it will result in a lot of people very unhappy with you.

Your choice, but I would wait until the tomatoes are harvested and the seeds saved.

I would also add that people come and go on this forum, so they may request seeds to be held, or promise you seeds back, only to disappear so you did that work and planning for nothing.
If your garden is anything like mine, you most likely but not always will have a productive plant.

This year I filled around 900 little envelopes with seed requests, so expect a large response.
I like that though!

[ContainerTed]

I never offer anything if I don't have it in hand at the time of the offering. I wouldn't want someone to depend on me for seeds for a certain variety and then have a catastrophe like I had in 2013 when the cattle broke thru the fence and destroyed most of my garden. I'm hoping to be able to offer an OP version of Sungold this summer. But I will wait and see if I even have it before I open the flood gates.

I think it's great to discuss what we are growing, and even to say that we will have some to offer out "if the crop comes in". Marsha makes a great point. People come and go on the this site, and people change their likes just as fast.

Your desire to offer to share is just what Tomatoville is all about. But, I know that I wouldn't want to have to keep up with that list you speak about.

[JLJ_]

Lest the remark about 900 packets cause you to squawk and give up the whole idea [g] . . . many people post that

they have available seed of this variety (or varieties),
number of available packets of about how many seeds of each variety,
whether they want to trade or are making the seeds available to anyone who sends a SASE (self addressed stamped envelope), and
the maximum (if any) they will send to one person.

That enables you to limit your commitment to send seeds, and to limit amount requested to what can be sent in an envelope with a single stamp, or fewer, depending upon your circumstances.

It's also nice to say whether you bag blossoms or otherwise protect seeds from crossing or not.

There are all sorts of variations of offers. You might want to go to Tomatoville Seed Exchange: Available for Trade and just read the intro posts of a few dozen threads -- that would give you an idea what is usual and what might work best for you.

FWIW, I think having the seed in hand before posting about it is most prudent, as the number of ways in which seed production results can differ from expectations is countless.

Good luck!

[Tormato]

I've already seen the list...

http://www.tomatoville.com/showpost....10&postcount=1

[heirloomtomaguy]

Originally Posted by ContainerTed

I never offer anything if I don't have it in hand at the time of the offering. I wouldn't want someone to depend on me for seeds for a certain variety and then have a catastrophe like I had in 2013 when the cattle broke thru the fence and destroyed most of my garden. I'm hoping to be able to offer an OP version of Sungold this summer. But I will wait and see if I even have it before I open the flood gates.

I think it's great to discuss what we are growing, and even to say that we will have some to offer out "if the crop comes in". Marsha makes a great point. People come and go on the this site, and people change their likes just as fast.

Your desire to offer to share is just what Tomatoville is all about. But, I know that I wouldn't want to have to keep up with that list you speak about.

Cant wait for that OP Sungold Ted. It sounds amazing