I don't know if there is any "Real Trading time" for seeds.

Usually the seeds for trades BEAP/SASBE are on the seed exchange forum where you will find most people.

Some people offer seeds as they collect them, and others, like myself, wait until mid fall to start.

I usually don't start till mid October to do trades BEAP/SASBE seeds because,

1. I like to wait till all my seeds are collected for the season

2. I'm sure of what I have, how many seeds I can offer for trades BEAP/SASBE and be sure that I have enough for myself and local friends to WS first.

3. that gives me plenty of time to back up my seeds in my seed envies, get my list together and posted on my trade page

4. I have far more time to deal with trading and free seed offers than I do in the summer.

I trade right through the winter, offer BEAP/SASBE seeds till around April 1st.

I have long lists of seeds to offer and most of them are BEAP/SASBE seeds, because I have been gardening for more than 30 years, have many full beds and more than enough seeds.

My wants are very limited now, so I don't do a lot of trades anymore, just the seeds for postage.

Hope that helps.

Fran

I've been collecting like crazy and the seeds are set on paper plates where they can dry. So far I've got baptisia, coreopsis 'Sienna Sunset,' lupine, columbine, pink mallow, coral bells, dianthus, sage & veronica. I'll wait to harvest astilbe until the flowers are completely dry. There are several seed pods on my daylilies that I'll harvest as soon as they turn brown and start to split open. There's one huge seed pod on my milkweed that bloomed but it'll be awhile before it's dry enough. Same with the Siberian iris.

I'm happy to look at others' seed lists and either work out a trade or do a BEAP/SASBE, whichever suits both gardeners. Depending on this year's harvest, I may sponsor a newbie pack offer as well. I was a newbie last year and folks were incredibly generous. Best way to say thanks is to pay it forward.

I usually see trading pick up from October through January. Seed collecting is just starting for most people - in my past experience, peaks in September through early October in coastal MA. I'm thinking this could be even later in Alabama. So, by November/December, most people have their seeds packaged and ready to trade. That being said, the swap cycle on the Round Robin Exchange usually starts in mid-September, and peaks from November through January, staying active up until about March or April.

Sounds good!! I think I wasn't very clear in my question though. My mind runs in so many directions trying to translate what I am thinking into words is sometimes difficult for me.

Who is hosting the wintersowers trade and when is it?? Or is there going to be a wintersowers huge trade??

I could be totally wrong and knowing me I could have this forum confused with another. If I was a betting person I would say it was this forum and I think Token hosted it last year well at least there was talks of it back last summer. Whether or not it happened I can't say.

I will have to remember the round robin even though just going to that forum kinda confuses the fire out of me.

There really were two wintersowing swaps here last year, so you aren't losing your mind. Someone else is doing token's swap this year but it isn't posted yet. There is an exchange side to the wintersowing forum where that will be posted.

I have found the Back-to-School swap on the Round Robin forum to be a good one and it should be posted in the next month if Willie does it again this year. Anyone can sign up and you can send as many packs of seed as you want. A lot of people participate and I have gotten a boatload of seeds from that swap. Willie usually does two swaps back-to-back in the fall, so watch for those.

Becky