SRGC Seed Exchange 2016-17 No. 70

[François Lambert]

There is still some seed on it's way to the exchange to increase quantities  .  I mostly have (very) late maturing seeds (I'm still harvesting now) and plan to ship early December.  As for the quantity I once asked you Maggi how much seeds are needed, and you told me something like half a cup of tea.  Not an easy measure in a mostly coffee drinking country, but I interpreted it as sending thousands of seeds when possible.  In fact, I have no clue how many single packs of seeds ideally have to be made for each species, and looking at my own cultivation I often wonder how many new plants are needed for seeds that have already been previously in the seed exchange because all my plants are long lived bulbs or rhizomes.  And I only send seeds or offsets of plants that do it particularly well here - even sometimes get a bit weedy.

Anyway ... still some seeds to harvest, dry & clean ... and you can expect a small parcel from Belgium in a few weeks.

[Maggi Young]

Goodness me, I really cannot remember ever having said that THAT much seed was needed -  In some cases that much seed would be impossible throughout the world! Any seed is welcome and of course, for something that may be popular, the more the better 

[François Lambert]

Goodness me, I really cannot remember ever having said that THAT much seed was needed -  In some cases that much seed would be impossible throughout the world! Any seed is welcome and of course, for something that may be popular, the more the better 

OOPS ... I must have been flooding everyone with seeds in the previous seed exchanges then ...

[Maggi Young]

Excellent news, François ! We must all thank you!

[Carolyn]

Paul,
It's true that many taxa are represented only by a single donation, but certainly in the SRGC seed ex we do not always send out the entire lot of seeds to the packeter. If it is a seed for which we anticipate only 5 or 10 requests, we only send out a small amount to the packeter. We may have a big packet of surplus seeds back at base.
I do agree with your comments, so what we all need to take from this is that we should try to send in as many donations of seed as we can. Common species? Yes. Only a few seeds? Yes. I saw one packet which was a donation of FOUR seeds! But it will make the recipient happy and will help keep the sp in cultivation.

[Erik F.]

I came here looking for the PDF version of the 70th seed list, but it doesn't seem to be available yet. I wonder if mailing a copy of the list to each and every seedex participant is the most efficient and cost-effective solution. Surely even older members who might not be as keen on using computers for everything would be able to open a PDF file?

The comment made earlier in this thread that the SRGC membership is aging raises an important question: how might the organization make itself more relevant to younger potential members? I would suggest this is not merely a curiosity, but a matter of long-term survival.

Finally, with regard to this year's reduced seed volume, I wonder if it may have something to do with the fact that autumn and winter are coming later and later to many parts of the temperate world. I for one find it difficult to meet the October 31 deadline for donations, as many of the seeds in my garden are only ready for harvesting between late October and mid-November, and I would still ideally need a few more weeks to allow the seed to dry properly, then clean and pack them. But even if I let the seed receivers know my donation will be arriving a bit late, I assume that anything that doesn't reach them by mid-November will probably be too late for packaging and distribution.

[Lesley Cox]

I find this post very interesting Erik and I wonder whether the thoughts you express may be taken further. Obviously it would mean a change in policy for the SRGC (and AGS) executive but I too would like the donation time to be perhaps a month later. The reason for this probably applies to just a few people (those in the southern hemisphere for example, but to you too, obviously, in Canada) but from down here, this being spring now, if I could send or notify my seed later, I could supply very fresh seed of many more species. As an example, I am currently collecting seed of a number of narcissus species, tecophilaeas, hepaticas, Mertensia virginica, saxifrages, some early irises, crocuses and so on but if I have to keep them, they'll be a full year old before any recipients get them.

I suppose whatever time the donation time closes, there will be people and species it doesn't suit, but as you say Erik, the seasons are becoming later and less predictable so surely the conversation is worth having, even if, in the end, no changes are made. Can it be talked about?


Do you think Maggi, that this whole subject is worth pursuing and putting to those in charge of the seed exchange? If for no other reason, it would take the pressure off packeters and distributers in the lead in to Christmas, always a stressful time for most people.

[Carolyn]

On the other hand, Lesley, we in the NH appreciate receiving our seeds in late Jan early Feb, so that they still have time to be put out in the cold for a few weeks.
Personally, as someone involved with each stage of the distribution, being inside sorting seed packets is OK for me on a dreich November day, when it's too cold to spend the whole day in the garden anyway.
I do take your point, and Erik's too, about seed ripeness - I have some which I have not donated as it is just ripening now. The seed table at our local gardening club will benefit instead. I don't think you can please everyone all the time. Life is full of compromises!

[Maggi Young]

Carolyn is a part of the Seed Team and I have no doubt she will report  comments here to the rest of the team.

As well as the seedlist system for online ordering, each year a pdf list is  posted on the site for people to browse at leisure.  This will be happening  in due course.  It was  our custom to send the  paper seedlist to all the membership in years past, then only to overseas members and those requesting it  in the UK.  The decision in place at the moment is to send a paper list to all postal members. For those "E-members", who access their journals online, they will only have online access to the seedlist  for  browsing or ordering.  It makes life a lot simpler for the seed team if  as many members as possible make their orders online.

Of course, this is a simple  process- at least if one reads the instructions carefully  before starting !  This year I will not be able to provide the level of "hand-holding" that I have  in previous years - the seed team will be coping with all your  queries. Please  take your time when entering the ordering system and enjoy the system for the  happy experience it will surely be if you do not  panic and expect a system that has to work for thousands of people to be tailored to your individual wishes! 

[Lesley Cox]

You are right of course Carolyn. Ideally, we'd have a smaller exchange, 3 or 4 times every year! Any takers?

[Jonna]

For me, the time to receive the seeds is quite late. I often ask for seeds that are cold hardy here in my zone 6b. A lot of them need a 3 month cold stratification or first 4-6 weeks warmth and after that the cold stratifiction
Getting the seeds later, will make it  very hard to germinate them.
And there are some seed types that need to be really fresh.
I think it will be almost impossible to organize a seed swap in September and another one in January.
Maybe we must offer each other seeds on the seed trading forum.
Just ask what you are looking for and when you want the seeds.
I also have late ripened seeds I never can offer for the Seed exchange. I'm never sure if those plants will set seed.

[Matt T]

Given that the seed exchange is run wholly on volunteer effort, I think it is amazing what is achieved, from seed donations through to the packets landing on our doormats for sowing. The seed team undertake a herculean effort of work behind the scenes and have my thanks and appreciation. As many have recognised, whenever the cut-off date is set, it will not suit someone or certain species. In these cases offering seed for exchange through local groups or the Forum would be a good alternative. I have sent and received seeds all over the world, as have many. Just one of the benefits of the international family that comes together on these pages.

[Rick R.]

For me in the north central part of the USA (Minnesota), our falls have consistently become much more drawn out.  My first hard frost was a full 1.5 months later than "normal" this year!  That hasn't moved my seed harvesting for particular species later in the year,but I am now often able to produce seed that normally had no chance of ripening here, because of our shorter growing season. 

I'd repeat Matt's comment, but it was so eloquently clear that "ditto" does say it all!  Thank you to everyone involved!

[Erik F.]

I wholeheartedly agree with Matt and am very grateful for the great job all the volunteers do.

Re. late-ripening seed and donation cut-off dates, I agree with Lesley that it's a discussion worth having even if nothing changes in the end.

[Tristan_He]

I'd repeat Matt's comment, but it was so eloquently clear that "ditto" does say it all!  Thank you to everyone involved!

Ditto from me too!