Sent you a message mersiepoo.

Mersie -- I wouldn't, but it's up to you.

This comes up all the time on a fig forum to which I belong. People in the forum gift cuttings of some very rare fig trees to each other all the time for the cost of postage. For instance, someone just sent me a fig tree I have been wanting for a long time. Not a cutting. An entire baby rooted tree! I would NEVER turn around and sell cuttings from that tree on Ebay or anywhere! Pay it forward. I get it free, I gift cuttings to other members. I do not sell!

Unfortunately not everyone is so considerate. Fig trees often sell on Ebay for 3+ figures, especially if one is "rare." It's greed, I guess. I do wonder when someone new comes in the forum "begging" for free cuttings and then that same variety magically goes up for sale on Ebay.

It's wrong to flip cuttings because the longer they remain unplanted, they begin to deteriorate. Flipping seeds is probably not such a risk to the buyer, but still a little unethical on the part of the seller who obtained the seeds free from a GW member.

I've purchased seeds many times from Ebay, and the pricing is outrageous! One plant gifts you many seeds, so you sell them in a package of 10 seeds? Unbelievable! And how do you know the seeds are true? I purchased a 6 pack of Celosia last year from HD, and all these little seedlings came up where they were. Huge variation in the plants that came up from the parent plants. They will reseed this year for sure, and there will be differences once more.

I'd rather trade seeds with members and it's a really good thing. Hopefully these unethical Ebay sellers don't ruin a good thing.

Suzi what is this fig forum? I have been desperately searching for fig trees (with no luck) because my sister loves the fruit and I wanted to grow them fresh for her. And it would be fun to watch the tree grow. : )

Smugung, in zone 6 you would need to only plant cold friendly varieties. Hardy Chicago is one, and it's delicious, but not rare. Violet de Bordeaux is another. I'll be happy to send you VdB cuttings this winter when my trees go dormant. Message me in January or I'll forget.

The fig forum is http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/ Be sure to introduce yourself and become an active member. State the reason you joined and tell us about your sister. When you join, put your planting zone in the signature box so others can recommend varieties that grow well in your zone.

Most people in colder zones protect their trees from freezes by putting them in containers and moving them into basements or garages during winter. Out they come in spring. They call it the "fig shuffle."

Suzi, On the forum link you sent me if I register on it with my email is it going to get emails?

Not sure what you mean. You go to the control panel, once you register and you can allow emails or not on your profile. Most of us use the private messaging system. I'm assuming you are in the USA because customs prohibits trading plants from other countries.

Okay thank you : )

I couldn't agree more with what Soilent Green wrote. Years ago I thought of sending seeds for SASE as a fine and generous thing until I discovered that most of the recipients couldn't bother to even acknowledge the seeds had arrived, despite enclosed notes with my name, GW I.D., and email address asking them to do so. Many of them didn't even want the seeds I sent for personal use, they only wanted them to pad their trade lists. Additionally, if I would offer five things, they would look at my trade list and ask for 20 more.

I've found that many members are quite knowledgeable as to how to search trade' lists for the rare and expensive, and even search the Rate and Review forum for the key word 'SASE' and then contact me. I have feedback from people thanking me in that forum for the SASE, so I guess people think I'm an easy mark.

To address the Ebay and selling issue, be wary not only of folks requesting SASEs but also of people who want to trade for large amounts of one or two types of seed. These folks will work out a trade but never send their end, so be sure to check out their R&R feedback. If I am even the least bit suspicious, I tell them I need to receive their seeds before I send mine. Many times that ends all communication and I know they never intended on sending me anything.

Several years ago a woman wanted all of my digitalis ferruginea seeds--several thousand of them. I was quickly warned by other GW members through private email that she would never send her end of the trade and would sell what I sent to her on Ebay. This made me wonder about the integrity of seeds bought on Ebay--I could have sent the woman any digitalis seeds or any other small seeds that looked like D. ferruginea, and she would have sold them as such at auction.

I would never trade with someone who sells seed on ebay unless I knew for sure they were not selling seed they got in trade. and based on his defense, I would not even trade with him. if seeds came from a melon he ate - where did he get it, does he know for sure what kind it is, are the seeds viable, will they come true???? most of us would not even trade for such unknown seed.

Are you going to grow them one year then sell them the next -_-

You have all made very good points (Soilent you are very correct!). Though I don't mind doing SASE's, I will be more wary in the future, especially with those traders who have accounts that are just into 'what can I get' and aren't doing anything else. It's good to give, but if there are those who abuse that generosity, I will not do an SASE with them.

Thank you for the advice everyone!

Can u still send me the sase?

Agree that this forum seems to have become nothing more than a place for people to ask for free seeds. I just started really trading here last year. Was planning on saving much more seed and was expecting to do lots of trading this year but unfortunately do to the switch the forum has pretty much died. Seeing what the forum has become and reading here in this thread, I am extremely hesitant to offer any seeds for SASE (such as in the Newbie Seed Project threads).

Kelsen- You really need to learn how to conduct yourself on a forum. Read the Special Instructions For The Exchange. Seems almost all you do ask is for seeds, which is frowned upon here, and offer nothing in return. Not to mention your questionable seed sources if you do offer a trade. That is why nobody wants to trade with you.

Rodney

By the way! your comment: "Not to mention your questionable seed sources "

That is messed up! my seeds are very viable and not questionable!

Guys I am looking to rewrite the rules of this exchange will be proposing a change of rules to the GW community soon thank you.

You all make valid points. There are people who are greedy and will ask for as much as they can for free. But I started over a year ago with a huge garden project to transform my back yard (lawn areas) into several garden areas. Some great gardeners were generous with me, and I like the idea of paying it forward because I know how it feels to want a variety. I think there are also others who set up a trade (unfortunately) either for seeds or plants and dont send their end of the deal. I have read more about these, thankfully, than having the experience myself; but I have also received much smaller exchanges than the plants I sent. Some people will send nice healthy plants, others may send a 6" seedling with a couple little roots. It just seems common sense to send what YOU would like to receive.

It is a learning experience. Get to know people before you trade, and/or it's not wrong to help the newbies; but the newbies should understand that people put alot of time into collecting seeds and/or buy some that they share extra of. They can't ask for a huge list of seeds. Be reasonable. Of course some people will ask for everything on your list if they see your list and it looks good because they have nothing or little. ALOT Of my seed, I have bought. My garden is a year and a half old, so it's just starting to produce seed. But I have traded alot of bought seed for other seeds I've wanted, not using the whole package...something alot of us do. It's too bad that a few bad apples can spoil a good thing and make us think twice. I think that those new members should get involved on the forums, a let us know they are valid gardeners and join the discussions, and not just ask for lots of seeds. Or they shoudl go out and buy a few types of seeds and be willing to trade some of those for other varieties. It is up to each of you to decide if you are going to send for SASE.

That said. bakemom 10 years ago created the Newbie Seed Swap to help newbies get started. I have taken this over this year, and many members save their extra seed and enjoy passing on seeds to newbies as a way of paying it forward -- these new gardeners will enjoy seeing them grow and get the joy from those seeds. The Newbie Seed Swap would not exist without the generous donations that people send. But it's obvious people just rush to say "can I have some free seeds?" People are STILL responding to the Newbie Seed Swap from last winter...even tho the original post was Jan 2015. They dont READ the post or the rules/information. The Newbie swap takes place during the winter months, when I have more time to pack/send seeds out. And as you all know fall is a time when we all collect seed and are willing to share our extras. We also want some of those extras to trade with. Those coming in new dont always check out the rules or realize that it'd be nice to trade 1-for-1 for most types of seeds.

Dont opt out totally because of some questionable postings. I have noticed that the trade forums have been rather slow, but I thought it was mostly because it was summer. I hope some of you will stick around and continue to trade here.I have learned so much from more experienced gardeners in this forum and another and totally hope that the garden forums wont suffer from people leaving. Stick around...strike up some conversations, do some trades, get to know people! I'm sure I forgot to say SOMEthing, but hopefully this will strike a cord with most of you and there ARE an awful lot of wonderful gardeners out there and some newbies who mean well and just wanted to get started and have to be a little patient/tone it down.

Excellent points, Val! I am now wary of those who just seem to want free seeds and don't post ANYTHING except wanting free seeds. Especially when they had an ebay link (now just taken down) to their page.

People like that end up ruining a good thing.

Kelsen, please try not to be offended. Most of us just dont have the seeds you're asking for. I dont really do veggies and fruits myself, I mostly grow flowers. I think you might have come on a little strong, but that might be your age, too..but your posts brought up other situations, and so we are not all targeting you, but also lending to the general discussion about adopting newbies, availability of seeds and also trades gone bad.

I would think your folks would be pleased you've found a worthwhile passion for gardening, and lend a little assistance in some new seeds. The more seeds you get, the more you can trade. Selling is not allowed on the forums unless you're on a "classified ad" forum and I dont think Houzz has one (that I'm aware of).

Keep growing, and along with that, you'll have more seeds. You might look into seed libraries but I dont know much about w hat they have and you might find that they, too, have mostly regular old melons and such and not specific kinds you are asking for.

Kelsen hears some advice I'm goign to give you okay, not uses you profile to declare your selling seeds, don't do sase to often, and next spring when seeds are on sale again look for the most interesting seeds and buy them. I am fourteen okay I want to help you if you really do want to get into gardening but if just please don't ruin this for other people.

OK Thanks Smungung.

Are you really 14? If so cool man!

I didn't know I was breaking the law by putting the eBay link Sry.

~Ksmtornado.

No aren't breaking the law it's just that like if you put it on their then the forums just become nothing but advertising areas.

Ok, Kelsen, you do sound like a kid.

You can't be planting melons at this time of year in Missouri anyway so chill out til spring. Buy a couple packs from , maybe Baker Creek, plant a hill or two and try to trade the left overs for some others you want to try.

Those viney crops take a lot of space so you may not be able to grow many. You may be able to sell surplus melons to neighbors or friends.

Spend some time this fall and winter,studying up on how to insure true, pure seeds. You need to avoid cross pollination. Understand? Just cause seed came out of a certain melon....you can't be sure they will produce the same thing.

Miss Beth...an old gardener who enjoys teaching

Who cares if they sell them? I like to think they're doing "something" rather than standing in the unemployment and/social services line. Besides, Mother Nature will be kind to u and your plants will produce seeds again

I disagree. Selling seeds that you receive in trade is dubious, at best. If you sell seeds, you need to be absolutely sure that you are selling viable seeds and a *known* variety. How can you ever know if you don't harvest the seeds yourself? I doubt anybody here who offers free seeds intends for them to be sold. We want them to either be planted, or traded for something else.

BossyVossy,

I think it's very very very low class to get basically free seeds and then turn around and make a buck off them (do the people who are selling the seeds ever reimburse the people they got the free seeds from? I seriously doubt that one!!!). I can sell them on ebay if I want to, but I don't, I give them away instead. We are not well off, or even half well off, we could use the money, but I'm not solely motivated by money, or else I'd be selling them on ebay too. Maybe I should, instead of giving them away here.....

It's a shame there are those out there that are just in it for making a few dollars off the work of others. I have monetary expenses to grow these seeds, buying them initially, buying potting soil, buying fence and stuff to keep deer away, not to mention the effort and labor involved in watering, fertilizing (another expense), buying neem to keep the bugs from killing them off, etc. Then add the extra work in harvesting, labeling, saving and making the seed packets (some people still don't send anything to put the seeds in), and using packing tape for those who didn't send self seal padded envelopes. Actually it's costing me money, if I want to look at it from only an economic point of view.

Why should I do all the work and then let some seller get all sorts of free seeds and do none of the work? It's really crass. And, it probably makes a lot of people (including me) start to wonder if they really SHOULD be offering free seeds to begin with. It makes me mad to see this sort of thing happens, and I am starting to realize that maybe I shouldn't be offering SASE, at least to newbies on here, who might only be newbies in order to get seeds and then re-sell them.

So, in essence, the bad apples are ruining it for the rest of us.

Mersi, sorry to see you feel that way but, since you do..... I compleatly agree you should not give away seeds. If it distresses you that much there is no point in continuing to do it.

As for myself, I'd rather give to someone who has no true need, than to take a chance that I might not give to someone who is in need. Or maybe even someone who just really wants what I have to spare.

If somebody "fools me" and I give them something...the shame is on them. If I deny something to someone in need because I am afraid of being taken advantage..... I would feel really bad and shame on me.

Isn't it nice that we each get to make our own choices and take responsibility for the results?

So, if you get more pleasure from not feeling cheated than you do from doing something kind and generous then that is absolutely what you should do. Have at it

First of all, taker who resells IS doing work--posting on ebay or whatever takes time. Besides, do you think that seller is going to afford a macmansion from selling your seeds????? I rather doubt it. Additionally, the person buying the seeds will be as thrilled as you hoped from the opportunity to grow the seeds in question.

What I'm hearing is that you are feeling "taken" after all your effort and the only one that can stop that is YOU, so get your pics, gear up your computer and get to selling. you can do it.

IMO, giving with strings attached (in this case "no resale") is not goodwill giving bur rather controlled giving (you will use as I say). That is your prerogative of course, but if you really want feel more in control, then sell them! You have put a lot of time effort and love, SELL THEM and spare yourself the frustration, which is what I'm hearing loud and clear.

PS: Full disclosure, I seldom grow from seed and wouldn't resell but that's because I have enough gardening chores taking my time. Good luck and I hope your decision brings you some calmness.

Beth, good point! It just seems like I'm being deluged by those who have no profile at all, no other posts except in the 'looking for free seeds' categories. I even got some message with no text, just a list of what they wanted. So much for a human touch I guess. I would rather give seeds to those who are gardeners, not those who are ebay sellers. I also worry that this sort of trend may discourage others who may have seeds for the offering.

Bossy, my frustration is with dishonest people out there who just want to take advantage of others goodwill and not contribute one iota to anything at all except their own laziness and greed, not from not selling my seeds. I've been on and off this forum for a long time (since Spike owned it in the late 1990's). It seems as if there are a lot more dishonest people on here than ever before.

I know how to navigate ebay, but I am trying to offer honest or semi-honest people a SASE offer, not some cheapos that want to just get all the seeds they can from me and turn around and make a buck. Sadly, there are those who just want anything they can for free.

This is not a 'strings attached' offer- it's called common courtesy (which seems to be less and less common these days!). I'm just sick of the scammers out there.

I'll keep offering SASE's but I will be more careful.....

Yep, I miss old "spike" He ran a tight ship

I would do SASE if the person was active on the forum and been around for awhile.

Here's my take on it (not that I'm active enough on here for my opinion to be worth anything to y'all—I confess I mostly just joined to trade here and there, emphasis on trade and not just beg for freebies, but I do also swap assorted plant specimens on a number of other forums as well, so take it as you will).

I think it's a pretty shoddy business practice to sell something you don't have high confidence in the quality of, and seed you didn't grow yourself absolutely falls into that category. I also think it's rather dishonorable to go begging for freebies if you intend to turn around and sell them. But, I will point out that barter, on the other hand, is a form of business transaction: if you trade a seed and get something in return (be it another seed or whatever else), then the person you've traded it to has paid for it free and clear, and can do whatever the heck they want with it. I know trades aren't so much the issue at hand here as opposed to SASE freebies, but I figure it's worth pointing out. On an inverted note: if someone barters for seeds, gets them, and then reneges on their end of the deal, then they've literally stolen those seeds—you can always report the listing to eBay as a policy violation! (There is something in eBay policy against trafficking stolen goods.) It may not actually accomplish anything tangible (obviously, you won't get your seeds back, and I highly doubt that eBay will shut down their account), but it might make the offender think twice before trying it again...and multiple reports of that nature would probably start raising red flags with eBay admins.

That said, if you're really suspicious that someone's trying to turn a profit with your free seeds, you should consider only sending out small samples: a real gardener likely wouldn't mind planting a dozen of a plant and using it to generate enough seed for a proper-sized bed/field/row/whatever for next year, but no way is someone who's just trying to turn a profit going to waste their time and a SASE on ten peas or thirty lettuce seeds.

Kelsen, if you want a few more friendly tips: around this time of year, or in a few short weeks, a lot of places should be offering seeds packed for 2015 at discount prices since the season's nearly over. 2015 seed will still germinate readily next year, and it makes for good trading material, so save a few bucks and buy a few packs of clearance seeds and use those for planting or swapping. Often you can get the older seed for less than even the cost of a SASE, especially given the ever-rising cost of postage. Also, consider reading up sometime on forum etiquette, which will help you avoid offending people in the future.

Guys, turning a profit of $2-5 per seed or packet of seeds isn't going to make the solicitor a millionaire and may have the unexpected benefit of improving somebody's self esteem by feeling enterprising. I don't see the damage in that or why it should make a diff on my giveaway. I do respect differing POV, though.

It would be the same if I were giving away a pair of designer jeans. They don't fit me, I'm tired of them, don't want them and too busy or lazy to sell. Why should it matter to me what recipient does with it??????

just about the only time when I think giving with strings attached is appropriate is if for ex. I give granny's hutch away in my will and stipulate it CANNOT be painted. Grandpa made it with his own hands and you want to preserve its history, but other than that....

I never Have Sold Any seeds That I Recieved on HOUZZ AND NEVER WILL.

Those are the Only seeds I'm selling. And I wont sell Any seeds I get on Houzz.

Thanks for advice Amanda. :)

Bossy I understand but it the premise of fairness it's not fair someone can ask for free seeds and make money off someone else's hard work

It is very unlikely that someone who asks for seed here to resell them would pay any attention to 'not for resale' even if someone did post that way. people asking for free seed are already violating the original intent of Garden Web EXCHANGE forums. The best way to get rid of those people is to ignore them. Hopefully if they get no response they will go away. I have no problem with people offering something other than seed in trade; I welcome post cards. But seed for SASE provides the giver with nothing but work. It's very generous of those willing to make the offer. Responding to an offer is far different than posting to ask for free seed.

"The best way to get rid of those people is to ignore them." I 100% agree. I will adopt people here and there off the Adopt-a-Newbie thread, but outside of that, I ignore all posts asking for SASEs.

As a total newbie reading this thread I am realizing that I need to go buy some seeds to trade. Thanks! :)

Hmmmm I can't think of a single person that gardens (we currently live in a zero lot neighborhood where no one goes outside). I'm moving in a month or so to a new house on 3 acres so I'm gonna have to learn. :)

Sheesh....selling seeds people have given you out of pure generosity on the expectation that you'll grow those seeds yourself? >_< I think people caught doing that should be put on a 'trading black list' of sorts. The entire reason my family had a great vegetable garden this summer (I'm still getting ripe tomatoes) was because of wonderful people on this site who donated seeds to me.

I also would rather give too much than too little. I wouldn't Assume people are greedy or selfish-maybe just excited..overzealous... I'm like that, even when I'm buying. That's why I have thousands of seeds I'll never use. It's just hard to see all the varieties and not get caught up in the possibilities. Also, if it were something else, say bottles- would anyone be mad that someone collected them for free and earned a small profit from them? Lastly, if a persons biggest hustle is to get free seeds and then sell them to make a buck, I'm busy thinking about how lucky I am that I don't HAVE to pull the ends that tightly to make them meet. Ultimately, the love of gardening is spread-maybe that tomato plant will change someone's life-however it got to him.

#cardCarryingOptimist

I'm sort of a 'lurker' on here, but always one to throw my two cents at an issue! I LOVE this forum. It's where I go when I have any kind of a question at all. I love you guys and your generosity with your knowledge, suggestions and sharing. It's also where I go to when I'm feeling really down, because gardening and growing things are my life line to all things beautiful in this life. I don't want to list my troubles, because I know we all have our burdens. Please don't let a few bad apples change the spirit of this forum. Please?