View from a Seed Packetter

[Maggi Young]

It is philatelic - and the envelopes are excellent - non glued 

 Thanks, Art, wrote that but then convinced my self there were letters missing!

[Mike Ireland]

Glassine envelopes from this link,  http://veratrinder.org/lindner-glassine-envelopessize-45mm-60mm-x500-p-2024.html?osCsid=s713r6fc0l4e2qtkqsi7dlake5

Mike

[ashley]

Thanks for these links to sources for glassine envelopes.  

Having failed to find them a couple of years ago I opted for small ziplock bags instead, and was very happy with the latter because of their secure seal.  Another advantage seemed to be reliable identification, by placing a printed paper label inside the bag.  

Therefore it's interesting to hear that ziplock bags are less appreciated by those working on the seed exchanges, due to (a) static and (b) internal labels obscured by seeds.  Would a reasonable compromise be to send fine seed in glassine, and larger stuff in ziplocks?  

Labelling can still be a problem due to ambiguous handwriting, particularly if the envelope carries a number only.  Is there any practical way around this?

Once again my thanks and appreciation to all who make the seed exchange work so well  

[ChrisB]

Cohan, I'd never thought of breathing into the packet, I'll try this next year.  I found I had to cut open the zip lock bags to get the tiny seeds out, and even then they carried static making them stick to my knife when putting them into groups to packet up.  Zip locks are not too bad for larger seeds such as crocus ( I did a lot of crocus this year) but the fine seed was very difficult to deal with.

[Rodger Whitlock]

I'm so happy! Tra la la!

Because years ago I bought 2 boxes of 1000 "coin envelopes" each. It's probably more than a lifetime supply, but at least my seeds go to the exchanges in paper, not plastic!

[fermi de Sousa]

It is philatelic - and the envelopes are excellent - non glued 

 Thanks, Art, wrote that but then convinced my self there were letters missing!

I always thought that philately would get you nowhere?
  It's a bad day for punning.
cheers
fermi

[Lesley Cox]

Shame on you Fermi. You're as bad as Mr Buttercup!

[Carol Shaw]

Oh dear... I posted this thread, went away, did nineteen dozen other things, totally forgot about and just rediscovered this evening! Sorry all... one the actual packet front my favourite is the person who creates little origami packets, they are easy to open having no tape or glue and, as they end up being a flat sheet of paper, so long as I open on my paper plate are wonderful...

Seriously folk send your seed no matter what. We had one really weird seed, sorry can't remember what it was... that was slightly sticky and clumped together - dividing into lots of five seeds was fun and games 

That said I guess my final comments are: When you look at your seed prior to packing up and sending off to the seedy ones. Just take a few seconds to look at the packets and ask yourself 'Would I appreciate receiving seed to packet that looked like this... In the very unlikely event that your answer is 'no' ask yourself it you should be sending. Equally if you are not sure that the seed you have sent in is viable flag this in some way so it can be checked, if David and I 'know' what a specific seed is meant to look like then all is fine BUT if we have to packet something we don't grow ourselves all we can do is look at the various offerings separately study the books and, if one of them looks very different or does not appear to be viable, not packet.

Thank you to all seed donors

[Rodger Whitlock]

Nearly thirty years ago (1983, to be exact), I attended the Western Winter Study Weekend. That year it was hosted by the Seattle chapter of the then-ARGS, and held at Fort Worden, a decommissioned military installation outside Port Townsend, Washington.

Attendees were housed in the former officers' quarters (still icy cold inside! friends warned me, "take your electric blanket"), and meals were at the dining hall on site.

One morning I was sitting over breakfast yakking with Vera Peck, who in those days ran the Alpine Garden Club of BC's seed exchange and we got on the subject of seed. "Oh, you should see the seed that Faith Mackaness sends in! It looks like every seed has been hand-polished." My mental reaction was "well, if that old bat can do it so well, so can I". Ever since I've tried to come up to that standard as a matter of personal pride.

I know some people take the attitude that any old seed will do, and they take no more care over the cleaning than over the selection of plants to collect from. But, dear people, that's NOT the way to do it. Try and put yourself in the position of the person who opens your parcel of seed: you want to inspire reactions like "oh, wow, look at this, seed of Veriolitsis glomulama, I've been looking for that for over 30 years! and there's so much of it! and look how beautifully clean it is, every seed looks like it's been hand polished!"

Yes, it takes time and effort to collect, clean, package, and mail your seed, but the extra effort to do it to a high standard is not much more than the effort to do it to a much lower standard.

And besides, I have a theory that while seed donors have privileges, some donors are more privileged than others: the seed exchange workers know who sends in truly worthy donations.

PS: Vera Peck died several years ago, I think well into her eighties. I counted her as a friend, one of those special friends it's a privilege to know, and I honor her memory. Faith Mackaness was a fixture of the horticultural community around Portland, Oregon, and had her home and garden in the then semi-rural area out by Gresham, Oregon (iirc!). She was an early champion of the "hardy plant" movement and well known for having an endless assortment of rare and desirable plants in her garden. At the study weekend mentioned, she delivered an incredibly amusing talk about her early days as a gardener, complete with an account of the mountain beavers that infested the area around her first house. The audience was in stitches. And, no, she wasn't an old bat, not by any means. She too has gone, alas.

[maggiepie]

One morning I was sitting over breakfast yakking with Vera Peck, who in those days ran the Alpine Garden Club of BC's seed exchange and we got on the subject of seed. "Oh, you should see the seed that Faith Mackaness sends in! It looks like every seed has been hand-polished." My mental reaction was "well, if that old bat can do it so well, so can I". Ever since I've tried to come up to that standard as a matter of personal pride.

PS: Vera Peck died several years ago, I think well into her eighties. I counted her as a friend, one of those special friends it's a privilege to know, and I honor her memory. Faith Mackaness was a fixture of the horticultural community around Portland, Oregon, and had her home and garden in the then semi-rural area out by Gresham, Oregon (iirc!). She was an early champion of the "hardy plant" movement and well known for having an endless assortment of rare and desirable plants in her garden. At the study weekend mentioned, she delivered an incredibly amusing talk about her early days as a gardener, complete with an account of the mountain beavers that infested the area around her first house. The audience was in stitches. And, no, she wasn't an old bat, not by any means. She too has gone, alas.

Rodger, thank you so much for these memories, I am still wiping my eyes from laughing.
You and so many other forumists at times mention people, now departed who were not only fantastic gardeners but interesting and very amusing people.
I read these tales and wish I too could have met these people and called them friends.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if someone could organize a book of memories, to share with those who came after.
Tell your stories while you can

[Lesley Cox]

And who else (than me) drops every fritillaria and lilium seed from about 30cms onto a plate, to see if it falls quickly and lands with a little click, therefore knowing it is fertile. Some which look plump and with a "meaty" inside, are still not viable.

[David Shaw]

Reminds me that I have still not vacuumed the dining room floor after Carol was blowing the chaff (as well as she could) out of the Frit seed donations on Sunday!

[Maggi Young]

David, that reminds me of another hazard to be faced by the seed packeters.... that of spilling liquid on the carpet of the seed packeting room, only to find in a day or two that there is a rash of seedlings coming up !! 

[ChrisB]

I'm sure my conservatory carpet tiles are going to be a good growing medium.  I splash water down there regularly when I'm painting.  Who knows what is in store....

[Maggi Young]

I'm sure my conservatory carpet tiles are going to be a good growing medium.  I splash water down there regularly when I'm painting.  Who knows what is in store....

 I wonder if we need a class at the shows for a display of random, rogue seedlings from Seed Packeters' flooring??