SRGC Seed Exchange No.72 2018-2019

[Maggi Young]

The SRGC Seed Exchange

 Changes are being made to the operation of  SRGC Seed Exchange No.72  2018-2019

please click here to see Seed Ex. 72 Notes for members: http://files.srgc.net/seedexchange/SRGC72ndSeedExchangenotes.pdf

 
 All seed correspondence and queries by email can be sent to:   seed@srgc.org.uk

[ian mcdonald]

Due to the unusual long hot spell of weather I don,t know if I will be able to collect seeds this year.

[Maggi Young]

An appeal to members to collect seed and donate it to the SRGC Seed Exchange - this enables seed of  literally thousands of types of plants - many of which are rarely if ever available  from commercial sources - to be obtained and grown by members worldwide. 
 Seed should be fresh and clean of pests and  chaff and sent, before 31st October, to :
Drs Ian and Carole Bainbridge
Luckie Harg’s
Anwoth Road
Gatehouse of Fleet
Castle Douglas
DG7 2EF
Scotland
 UK.

(Late seed can be accepted if a list has been sent by post or e-mail to reach us by 31st October.)
Please send e-mails to seed@srgc.org.uk - this is the email address for ALL Seed Exchange queries/matters

On each packet sent, please write  thefull name of the seed, where it was collected (if wild) and your name and initials. Put all seed of one type  in one packet, using small packets where possible (avoid big packets).
Supply a list of donated seed in alphabetical order. Note your email, phone number and membership number, in case there are any  queries, and provide comments on any new or rare seed.

Remember, Seed Ex. 72 Notes for members can be found here :
 http://files.srgc.net/seedexchange/SRGC72ndSeedExchangenotes.pdf

Many thanks to all those who have already sent  in their seed donations!

There will be changes to the Seed Exchange Online System this year - details will be posted  here in the forum and on the main Seed Exchange page : http://www.srgc.net/site/index.php/extensions/seed-exchange when those are  released.

[Rob-Rah]

I'm not actually a member but wanted to ask if non-members are also free to donate seeds. I assume so, but wanted to check first! (I'm sitting on around 100 fresh seeds of Arum purpureospathum that eBay didn't sell)

Best wishes,

Rob.

[Carolyn]

Yes, non-members are welcome to donate, and we are very grateful for your contributions.

[bainbridges]

Rob Rah:  if you sent us the Arum purpureospathum seed anonymously, many thanks for the donation; why not join us an participate to the full?

Seed reception is now in full swing; the photo is Carole adding donated seed to the alphabetical bins that we use for the first sorting...

Please send us your seed by 31st October latest, or e-mail us at seed@srgc.org.uk with a list of what you will be sending to us

Ian and Carole Bainbridge

[ian mcdonald]

I did manage to collect a few seeds this year and they are on their way.

[Véronique Macrelle]

the photo is interesting, I always wondered how you did to do this work of ant.
if I lived nearer, I would gladly help you!
maybe a few more days to harvest a last species and I send.
this year I have less species to give because of the unfavorable climate

[Maggi Young]

A bit more about the Seed Exchange ....
Photo shown previously, with Carole,  shows how the seed  is brought together when it arrives to Carole and Ian from all the  generous  seed donors. Carole and Ian will assemble the list and get it printed.
 
Later it will be divided into  parcels to be sent to more volunteers, who will packet it in individual portions, according to  demand records from previous years. George Watt  is in charge of this  section.   In the last  couple of years the  SRGC has  labelled all the seed with the full name of the plant, rather than just the number, as happened in "the olden days"

When the packeting is done the parcels of packeted seed are returned to the seed team and when the next team of volunteers is ready to begin distribution the  packets are assembled in trays.



These trays are laid out  to be at a good height to allow easier selection for the  picking teams, armed with the member's  seed request lists.
 





When picked, the orders are checked and then made ready to post.   For some countries, this process is more complicated than others - but  the volunteers  beaver away and eventually  all the  seed requests are finished, from initial allocations to surplus requests, and  loaded into sacks each day to be posted around the world to members.



An enormous job, needing a great many people to make it a success - which it always is!

[ashley]

An enormous job, needing a great many people to make it a success - which it always is!

And deeply appreciated by those of us too far away to help.

[jellyeric]

The team members are very great.

[Catwheazle]

My greatest respect for the commitment !

Bernd

[Maggi Young]

Members will notice a  new page on the main website when clicking to access the  SRGC Seed Exchange :
https://www.srgcseed.net/home.asp

The  Seed  Exchange is not  open at the moment - but, of course, old seedlists are still available for research:
https://www.srgcseed.net/seedlistarchive.asp

[Mini bulb lover]

I love that we can view the seed list a week before ordering. Australian members have to check that all requested seed is on our government's allowed list . It's a time consuming process so it's great that we can check the seed list during the week before rather than rushing through it late at night (local time) when ordering becomes available. Thank you!!!!!! 

I notice the online (searchable) list says X= excluded from the US. Numbers 914 and 915 are both Colchicum soboliferum but 915 is marked with an X. Can someone please explain the difference between the two listings? There's no "L" next to them to indicate that one of them is live so I'm not sure what else makes them different. I want to make sure that I only order seed.

[Maggi Young]

I've passed your query to the Bainbridges, Jon. They  compile the list.