I was thinking the same thing. A weekend would be better for me than workweek lunchtime meeting (I was a bad boy and had my lunch hours shortened to 45 minutes!). Most of what I have is lily bulbs which really should be traded at the spring swap since they are planted in large boxes for the winter. Due to the drought I am cutting back on seed starting so I have a bunch that need good homes.

I am up for a swap. How about at the arboretum or NeoMonde's. Could we borrow a room at the arboretum? That way we could stroll through the gardens and start to pre-spend our tax returns! Shannon

I'd love to swap seeds! I have some Scleranthus Knarled Cushion (Scleranthus uniflorus) seeds that I like to see spread out amongst those more experienced than myself (in hopes that if mine die I can trade for some of them back). Just let me know when & where :)

Swap swap swap swap swap
When? Where?
Swap swap swap swap swap

I'm game too, I've got a ton of seeds again.

Had a wonderful time at the Paneras seed swap last winter. It was nice to sit around and chat about the seeds and catch up with eveyone. We're going to have our first Triad area seed swap the end of this upcoming Jan, but if possible we'll be at the Raleigh one too!

OK, it's Jan 1, have we got a date yet?

Ok, I'll just go ahead and make a decision.

Raleigh Seed Swap - 2008

February 9th, 2008
2:00pm - whenever
Same Panera Bread we met at last time (Briarcreek??). Hopefully they won't be too busy after the lunch rush.

This info can change if someone has a better suggestion (I basically threw a dart at a calendar).

Anyone who cannot attend in person that has small quantities of seed wanting to trade or donate can mail them to me and I will put together an envelope of seeds to send back. Here's how this will work: you will email me for details (johnbuettner@hotmail.com); you organize small amounts of seed and mail them to me (I will send you my address after you email me); you also send me your wish list, either by email or in a letter with your seeds; during the seed swap I will trade your seeds for the seeds you are wishing for and stuff a new envelope and mail it back to you. I will only be stuffing a standard business sized envelope with a basic postage stamp (no boxes, crates, truck loads, or manila envelopes) so don't send or expect large quantities of seed. Play nice and don't get your hopes up if you want something ultra rare.

Let the trading begin!!!!

Can't wait! It will be better than Valentine's. Shannon/Dirtrx

I'll bring veggie seeds if anyone wants edible landscaping this year?

I'm coming for the camaraderie.

Nancy the nancedar

i'm gonna try to make it this time. i'm sure it'll be fun just to visit w/y'all.

This sounds like fun! Excellent job making the executive decision, John. ;-)

Sally

Sat, Feb 10th at Panera in the Briar Creek shopping center is good for me. I have been sorting seed that I have saved this past summer and fall. This includes climbing spinach (Basella rubra), Cleodendrum ugandense, Evening Primrose with very large, fragrant yellow flowers - warning, these are preferred by both Japanese beetles and deer over everything else that I grow. I also have seed of Salvia splendens 'Dancing Flame' though they will likely not be variegated like their parent. Also, I have some seed (and year old seedlings) of the hardy Pineapple Guava (Acca sellowiana), the fruit of which are now being sold in some local supermarkets as Feijoa. I will post the complete on my Trade page asap.

ralph, did they change the name for the pineapple guava? the latin that i always heard was feijoa sellowiana. can't keep up. i know i want to try your cleodendren seed, since that was one of the things i lost in my greenhouse freeze. did you get any of the climbing zuke seed? i can buy it again, just wondering...

Tammy, the scientific name of Pineapple Guava was changed a couple of years ago from Feijoa to Acca. Name changes occur frequently due to botanists constantly changing their minds on plants' families, etc. I was not able to save any seed from the climbing zucchini. I left one of the squash on a vine until it got huge and we had a killing frost. However, when I cut it open, the seed were still immature. We still were able to eat the thing. I intend to order a pack of the seed myself. Next year I will start early in the season to let one of the squash mature, even if it means sacrificing one of the vines. I would also like to try crossing one with a regular yellow zucchini? Tammy, in addition to saving the seed, I took some cuttings of the Clerodendrum ugandense just before the first frost. If any of these survive the next couple of months, I will bring you one at the spring swap.

the swap is the sat 9th, not the sun the 10th, right? looks like i may not be able to make it- that may well be the day we have to truck my MIL back home to eastern PA. grrr. i should know soon.

thanks, ralph for saving some seed and a cutting of the cleradendron. and for straightening me out on the name change. sheesh- i'll never remember that. wish they'd leave the names be til they KNOW without a doubt where a plant belongs.

sorry about the zuke. funny that it was still edible even after a frost. a cross could be interesting.... you probably won't have to worry with saving seed for the straight zuke for a few years anyhow, since pinetree normally gives enough seed to last a few years. i need to get at and figure out what all i need to order and get it done soon.

Was the salad that Ralph had at the swap made with that climbing zucchini? If so, where can I purchase seed and what is the name of it. Thanks.

yes, that's what he had in the salad. i don't know if anyone else has it or not, but i got it originally from pinetree seeds, which is in maine. love their seeds and selection- very nice company. it's listed under the continental veggies as zuchetta di rampichini or some such thing (i may have butchered it from memory). i want to try to get my seeds ordered so that i can bring some of the newer stuff to the swap. which leads to....
good news is we're off the hook for having MIL visit of right now (because it's inconvenient for SIL whom she lives with), so i can go to the swap after all. yay.

Here is a link that might be useful: pinetree

Tam (or any WS Vets) I've got alot (8 packets of 50 seeds)of the Scleranthus uniflorus seed that I would love to see sprout... anyone interested?

Here is a link that might be useful: Scleranthus uniflorus

sure- i'm up for trying some! i love the way scotch moss looks, but it just doesn't do so well here. if i recall right you said this does, right? what i did recently when i wanted to start some ground cover chamomile is take a whole deep flat filled with soil, and mix your seed with sand so it spreads better. then sprinkle it on using a salt shaker, top with a hot cap and proceed like normal for winter sowing. most ws seems to favor deep containers, but this is one type that would benefit from a much wider one, so long as you can cover it to make the mini greenhouse effect.

It is supposed to do well... Although I'm taking that with a grain of salt... Can't find anyone here who grows it! I did sow 2 packs already. I mixed the seed with sand & split the 100 seeds between 4 wide, flat take out containers - we'll see what happens.

I have noticed that the Trombone squash, or climbing zucchini, is also available from a couple of other seed sources including Grow Italian, Territorial Seed Co. and Gourmet Seed Int. One huge benefit of this squash is that it appears to be immune to squash vine borers. My vines were still producing when the hard freezes came around Thanksgiving. All of the other summer squash had succumbed to various diseases and insects long before then.

I am new here, and I am wanting to come to the seed swap. I will probably drag my boss with me (I work at an herb farm, so more like her outpacing me in an effort to get there!). I am sixteen years old but have gardened since age 12 and held several gardening/farming jobs in the past couple of years. I am looking quite forward to meeting all of you, not to mention the awesome seeds. Does anyone have some seed potatoes? I have been searching for some blue varieties to no avail.

The swap is still at Panera Bread on 2/9/07, right?

kepouros - you also need to come to our spring and fall plant swaps. They are even bigger and better. The seed swap is a new thing we do, years ago we would just mail a box of unwanted seed around but it ended up taking to long to make the circuit so now we just meet for lunch and swap seeds until we can't see straight. Lots of fun and great people to trade stuff with. If you are looking for something unusual you just keep bringing it up and then when someone here sees it available somewhere they will post it. I've only seen seed potatos at Logan's Trading Co. in downtown Raleigh (but I haven't been out shopping much either). I didn't see any blue ones but I know I bought blue ones from them 5 years ago. You might just call around and ask.

The seed swap is still at Panera Bread on Saturday Feb 9th. I don't do the north side much so I am the last person that should give instructions. I know that last year I mapquested and googled it and got the wrong directions. It is across the road from the main part of Briarcreek Shopping Center. Hopefully they won't throw us out if we take over the place.

kepouros, welcome! i don't know if anyone would have them locally, but am just placing an order with pinetree seeds tonight and they do have seed potatoes in a blue variety. i'm sure maine potato company would carry them as well, and maybe johnny's and some of the others. good luck in finding them. see you at the swap!

john- at 2 in the aft they shouldn't be too busy and the way we all love to eat, i'm sure they'll tolerate us. :)

http://www.dutchbulbs.com/newsletter/2008-01-29/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=VR080129

Thanks, guys. I'll check out Logan's Trading Co. trianglejohn. See you there!

Could someone post directions? I'd love to come.

Here's what I found:

Panera Bread - Alexander Promenade
7840 Alexander Promenade Place
Raleigh NC 27617

Take Glenwood Ave out of Raleigh (think Crabtree Valley Mall) heading NW towards Durham.

Turn Right on Brier Creek Parkway (large Brier Creek Shopping Center is in the other direction)

Turn Right on Acc Blvd into a smaller shopping center (Alexander Promenade). Panera Bread is within sight of this turn - it is up near Brier Creek Blvd.

ok- this is my firs seed swap. so, do you come early to eat, or is eating part and parcel of the seed swapping the way it is with our general swaps? and how long do they typically go?

Since I was late the last time (got lost) and had to leave soon after I arrived - I am the last person to ask. It appeared to be a multi-hour operation. People were eating and swapping at the same time when I got there.

If I remember correctly- last time it was mid afternoon on a weekday. The place was pretty much dead. I worry that on a weekend afternoon there might not be enough tables for all of us.

I plan to get to Panera's early to eat lunch and will try to get one of the larger tables in the back corner. Last year's group was small, but if we have a really large group or if the place is really crowded, we could always move out into the nearby parking lot. The weather will be in the mid-60's by 2 pm, and we know that since this is Raleigh, we won't have to worry about its raining.

Here is a link that might be useful: RalphW's Seed Trade List

Click to view larger photo.

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Way too much fun for all and way too many generous gardeners' seeds. All of us had wads and fistfuls and bulging packets of dreams. We all took home extravagant mental plans for our glorious future gardens with not enough land for reality, but -- what gardener can be called a realist? Truly gardeners are just the biggest group of optimists on the planet.

Nancy the nancedar

No names go with these photos because this is an anonymous ID forum. But, we know who you are.....

here's a little info on sweet cicely if anyone's interested:
i was wrong- they don't use the stalks candied- that was angelica. but it is in the same family, and is used as an herb.

it was so great to see y'all today! i wish we could have gotten there a bit earlier to eat before, but perhaps next time. ow i gotta get a bunch more bottles ready for winter sowing! :)

Here is a link that might be useful: sweet cicely

After some web sleuthing it is possible that candied sweet cicely really is a treat. It supposedly has the flavor of sweetened anise or licorice. Candied would be like the English "All-Sorts". Yum.

I am so looking forward to harvesting all the piece parts of this new herb - leaves, flowers, and roots. Every part is edible so how can you go wrong? Adventure in gardening continues.

Thanks for sharing the seeds tamelask. And, this attached gourmet recipe popped up while surfing that just has to be totally over the top. Must try it just because no one else on the planet could have as tasty a use for this sweet herb than the people who live in Washington/Oregon. Besides, I think it is a really pretty lacy plant for part to full shade.

Nancy the nancedar

Here is a link that might be useful: Shrimp Cicely Tomato Rissoto

nan- thanks for sharing the pix. great shots. that was one crazy looking camera- what was it? i only got one and it wasn't as good a yours, so i'll not post this one.

i didn't bring the cicely- in fact, i took a bit home, too. i don't like anise flavor, but it's so pretty i'll grow it for the form. can't argue with anything that likes shade.

tam - Nikon Cool Pix 950, from E-bay. It also takes excellent macro's so I have albums full of flower pictures. I wonder why I never take photos of my veggies and fruits?

Nancy the nancedar

Thanks to everyone - my cup/box runneth over, literally. I can't wait to get these babies started. It was wonderful seeing everyone. Next time we may have to get more tables :0. Shannon/Dirtrx

I live in the western part of the state but would love to be involved. Just tell me what, when and I will take care of how. thanks, Happyseed

Just wanted to let you guys know that I was able to drop the leftover seeds at the Arboretum. There were several volunteers who were very happy to go through the stash. Dirtrx