Canadian Autumn Seed Swap

nicky · October 20, 2011

Hi Canadian Tomatovillans!

I am hosting a Canadian only "any kind of seed swap"!

It is very simple, you package up seeds from your garden and mail them off. In turn you will receive the same number of packets of seeds back. So if you send in 10 packets you get 10 back. You also need to send a Wishlist, so I know what you would like back! This swap includes Veggies, flowers, herbs - any kind of seeds! There is a maximum 40 seed packets, minimum of 10 seeds in each. Your seeds need to be in the mail on or before November 14th. This way I can get the packages back out by December 1st, ensuring a fun early Christmas present!

Post in this thread or send me a message for the details!

Sorry, I am keeping it to only Canadians - because this is the first time I have hosted a seed swap & don't know if I have the organizational skills of some of the people that I have seen running swaps including 100+ people!

Thank you! (:
Nicky

nicky · October 24, 2011

Just giving this post a little bump. We are at 25 participants! Send me a message or post if interested!
Cheers
Nicky

NewWestGardener · October 24, 2011

Thank you for doing this, Nicky. I'm in.

Penny · October 25, 2011

Hi Nicky,

Count me in.

nicky · October 25, 2011

PMs with the guidelines sent to NewWestGardener and Penny!

Nicky in cloudy, grey & cold Southern Ontario.

nicky · October 27, 2011

Hi Canadian gardeners,

I have received quite a few packages already. There is a great variety. I think everyone will be happy with what they get back!

Just letting everyone know... The sign up for the swap closes on November 7th & seeds need to be sent on or before November 14th.

If anyone would like the details, please sign up in this thread or PM me!

Cheers,
Nicky

nicky · November 1, 2011

Hi everyone,

Just to let everyone know... If you would like, you can email me your wishlist ahead of time - as you are more likely to get more of it filled if I am checking it as the seed packages come in!

If you are having a hard time deciding what to send in... here are the popular & the too-many...
Popular: a lot of people are looking for greens - lettuce, spinach, herbs etc. Agastache, Amaranth, Agapanthus & Scabiosa are also very popular. As are the odd coloured Echinacea/coneflower and Rudbeckia. I have a couple of requests for tropical flowers. Tall Perennials are also in demand. Yellow zucchini is very popular, as are most vegetable seeds!

Unpopular: Please don't send in any unnamed variety or mixed variety morning glories, marigold or datura. If your seed is a mix or you don't have a specific variety name, please keep it. If you are unsure... Datura is also called: Angel or Devil Trumpet, Jimson Weed, Thorn apple, Stinkweed, Moonflower, Inoxia & a few more! None of these are variety names. If you send it in I am going to have to send it back in your envelope. The same goes for Morning Glories & Marigolds - 'mixed variety' seed or 'mixed including X variety' should not be sent in for this swap. I can't send mixed variety seeds to swap with someone who has followed the swap rules & sent in named varieties. I have been trying to swap the un-named variety packs with other un-named variety packs, however, it is like trying to organize 2 seed swaps! If your morning glories, marigolds & daturas have specific variety names, please feel free to include them in your packages.
I really appreciate the work that you have all gone to to send in the seed packs & I think you will all be excited for Spring when you see what is in your envelopes!

(: happy day after halloween

nicky

Jeannine Anne · November 2, 2011

Just curious ..how much is flowers and how much veggies please.

XX Jeannine

nicky · November 2, 2011

Hi Jeannine Anne,
Just did a quick count and some math - took me a minute to figure out which way to divide to get percentages

Of the seed packages sent in:
Flowers 46%
Vegetables 40%
Herbs 14%

14% of the vegetable seed sent in are tomatoes
The most popular veg request in general are greens - salad, spinach, lettuce, bok choi, cabbage & oriental greens
The most requested single item so far - Chamomile & Amarathus!
Squash & zucchini are extemely popular as well (both requests and sent in).

Flowers sent in and requests are all over the place.
Odd coloured coneflower/rudbeckia/echinacea are pretty popular requests and send ins.
I think I have enough datura/morning glory/marigold/calendula/sweet william/dianthus to sow some serious acreage. There are some very interesting varieties that I had to look up! I am getting a crash course in flower nomenclature.

There is a pretty amazing variety so far & I am very pleased how quicky the request lists are filling up!

Come join us! I'm pretty sure you have some interesting squash & tomato seed just waiting to get planted all over the country

!!!
Cheers

Nicky

Jeannine Anne · November 2, 2011

Hi, gosh I diodn't expect such a thorough naswer, thank you. The reasion I asked is because I don't grow flowers. We garden on a community garden and due to shortage of space it is strictly veggies for us!!

I will take alook at my stash, I have cut down very much on squash varieties over the last year but still have many types and I do have a ggod selection of green things, mostly Uk varieties, also a good stash of beans..I will get back to you XX Jeannine

nicky · November 2, 2011

I thought it was an interesting question - I was going to give you my best guess, then I got kind of curious myself!

I don't grow many flowers from seed either. I just keep hiving off my perennials and spreading them around my garden!

Sorry for the tease

no pressure to join.

If you decide that you are interested, you can definately do an all veg wish list.

cheers,
Nicky

nicky · November 7, 2011

Hi,

Just a quick reminder that today is the last day to sign up for the swap.

Cheers,
Nicky

nicky · November 11, 2011

Hello Canadian Gardeners,

Just a quick reminder - this is the last weekend before your seeds have to be mailed. The package must be postmarked November 14th (Monday) or before. Please let me know when you have sent your parcel.

Again, if you would like to message your wishlist early, please feel free. I am filling up the requests as the envelopes come in.

Thanks & have a great weekend,
Nicky

Penny · December 1, 2011

I received my envelope today

.....thank you for some awsome seeds Nicky, a great selection!!

Thanks again.

Zana · December 1, 2011

I received my envelope today too, Nicky. Thanks very much for all your work putting this together.

Any chance I can find out who sent what? Some of them are marked. I gather quite a few were from you - the ones with the descriptions on paper inside the plastic coin envelopes? As you could see in the master list I sent you, I like to keep track of from whom I received any seeds.

Once again, thanks very much again.

Zana

October 20, 2011	#1
nicky Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Ontario Posts: 600	Canadian Autumn Seed Swap Hi Canadian Tomatovillans! I am hosting a Canadian only "any kind of seed swap"! It is very simple, you package up seeds from your garden and mail them off. In turn you will receive the same number of packets of seeds back. So if you send in 10 packets you get 10 back. You also need to send a Wishlist, so I know what you would like back! This swap includes Veggies, flowers, herbs - any kind of seeds! There is a maximum 40 seed packets, minimum of 10 seeds in each. Your seeds need to be in the mail on or before November 14th. This way I can get the packages back out by December 1st, ensuring a fun early Christmas present! Post in this thread or send me a message for the details! Sorry, I am keeping it to only Canadians - because this is the first time I have hosted a seed swap & don't know if I have the organizational skills of some of the people that I have seen running swaps including 100+ people! Thank you! (: Nicky

November 2, 2011	#9
nicky Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Ontario Posts: 600	Hi Jeannine Anne, Just did a quick count and some math - took me a minute to figure out which way to divide to get percentages Of the seed packages sent in: Flowers 46% Vegetables 40% Herbs 14% 14% of the vegetable seed sent in are tomatoes The most popular veg request in general are greens - salad, spinach, lettuce, bok choi, cabbage & oriental greens The most requested single item so far - Chamomile & Amarathus! Squash & zucchini are extemely popular as well (both requests and sent in). Flowers sent in and requests are all over the place. Odd coloured coneflower/rudbeckia/echinacea are pretty popular requests and send ins. I think I have enough datura/morning glory/marigold/calendula/sweet william/dianthus to sow some serious acreage. There are some very interesting varieties that I had to look up! I am getting a crash course in flower nomenclature. There is a pretty amazing variety so far & I am very pleased how quicky the request lists are filling up! Come join us! I'm pretty sure you have some interesting squash & tomato seed just waiting to get planted all over the country!!! Cheers Nicky

December 1, 2011	#14
Penny Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 948	I received my envelope today.....thank you for some awsome seeds Nicky, a great selection!! Thanks again.

October 24, 2011	#2
nicky Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Ontario Posts: 600	Just giving this post a little bump. We are at 25 participants! Send me a message or post if interested! Cheers Nicky

October 24, 2011	#3
NewWestGardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada Posts: 564	Thank you for doing this, Nicky. I'm in.

October 25, 2011	#4
Penny Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 948	Hi Nicky, Count me in.

October 27, 2011	#6
nicky Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Ontario Posts: 600	Hi Canadian gardeners, I have received quite a few packages already. There is a great variety. I think everyone will be happy with what they get back! Just letting everyone know... The sign up for the swap closes on November 7th & seeds need to be sent on or before November 14th. If anyone would like the details, please sign up in this thread or PM me! Cheers, Nicky

November 1, 2011	#7
nicky Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Ontario Posts: 600	Hi everyone, Just to let everyone know... If you would like, you can email me your wishlist ahead of time - as you are more likely to get more of it filled if I am checking it as the seed packages come in! If you are having a hard time deciding what to send in... here are the popular & the too-many... Popular: a lot of people are looking for greens - lettuce, spinach, herbs etc. Agastache, Amaranth, Agapanthus & Scabiosa are also very popular. As are the odd coloured Echinacea/coneflower and Rudbeckia. I have a couple of requests for tropical flowers. Tall Perennials are also in demand. Yellow zucchini is very popular, as are most vegetable seeds! Unpopular: Please don't send in any unnamed variety or mixed variety morning glories, marigold or datura. If your seed is a mix or you don't have a specific variety name, please keep it. If you are unsure... Datura is also called: Angel or Devil Trumpet, Jimson Weed, Thorn apple, Stinkweed, Moonflower, Inoxia & a few more! None of these are variety names. If you send it in I am going to have to send it back in your envelope. The same goes for Morning Glories & Marigolds - 'mixed variety' seed or 'mixed including X variety' should not be sent in for this swap. I can't send mixed variety seeds to swap with someone who has followed the swap rules & sent in named varieties. I have been trying to swap the un-named variety packs with other un-named variety packs, however, it is like trying to organize 2 seed swaps! If your morning glories, marigolds & daturas have specific variety names, please feel free to include them in your packages. I really appreciate the work that you have all gone to to send in the seed packs & I think you will all be excited for Spring when you see what is in your envelopes! (: happy day after halloween nicky

November 2, 2011	#8
Jeannine Anne Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 1,553	Just curious ..how much is flowers and how much veggies please. XX Jeannine

November 7, 2011	#12
nicky Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Ontario Posts: 600	Hi, Just a quick reminder that today is the last day to sign up for the swap. Cheers, Nicky

November 11, 2011	#13
nicky Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Ontario Posts: 600	Hello Canadian Gardeners, Just a quick reminder - this is the last weekend before your seeds have to be mailed. The package must be postmarked November 14th (Monday) or before. Please let me know when you have sent your parcel. Again, if you would like to message your wishlist early, please feel free. I am filling up the requests as the envelopes come in. Thanks & have a great weekend, Nicky

December 1, 2011	#15
Zana Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Southwestern Ontario, Canada Posts: 4,521	I received my envelope today too, Nicky. Thanks very much for all your work putting this together. Any chance I can find out who sent what? Some of them are marked. I gather quite a few were from you - the ones with the descriptions on paper inside the plastic coin envelopes? As you could see in the master list I sent you, I like to keep track of from whom I received any seeds. Once again, thanks very much again. Zana