This is a good thread topic.

I believe most people here do trades via private email exchange.

Here's, my logic. The first year I was here I did my trading via the exchange forum or with one or two people with whom I'd struck up a private banter.

The next year I was spontaneously approached by many people. I think there is a level of trust and familiarity that needs to be built up. After that people here are both laid back and generous, with their trades. I have never had a bad experience. Although the intensity of some trades does stress me out. I kind of like the ones where you can casually shoot an email back and forth for a week or two and then stick the box in the mail.

Hoyas may grow faster than some other plants, but they aren't the fastest either. I consider my cuttings pretty precious. It's easy to collect all the fast growing and/or common species early on, so, since most people here are quite veteran the requests a person gets are usually for rarer or slower species, not the ones you can cut by the yard. Trading can be a bit awkward for me, because I haven't been into Hoyas for long by the standards of most people here, and I have amassed a large quantity of species. So, my collection looks like a thronging elementary school yard of mostly young Hoyas. It can be a real hassle going through so many plants to find the subsection that is cuttable. I made the mistake early on of cutting plants as soon as they had enough to cut, and then I wasn't in a position to save them if something went wrong. Now, I try not to trade away too great a percentage of any plant. On the other hand, when I actually make myself go through my plants, I am surprised by how easily I can come up with a respectable list of candidates. Sometimes I don't realize how much my collection is growing up.

This year everything seems to be behind schedule. Maybe everyone else has been trading, but not me LOL. Not a single one! I need to get my act together. I let my database fall behind and I just can't function without it. But I'll be done cleaning it up by the end of the day, and then I'll be ready to rumble! Plus I just accidentally purchased two new sets of shears instead of one, so I'd better put them to use.

I do wish the exchange forum was more lively. Can you imagine what it would be like if everyone here did even a small post? We'd probably all discover that half our wish lists were within our grasp. Also, I really like it when newcomers (the kind that actually talk in the forums, so I know who they are) put up wish lists, even if they don't have much to trade. It's fun to invest in new Hoyaheads, and cut some plants that are easier to share. That said, I am just not an initiator - I'm kind of shy, believe it or not.

I did see your post in the exchange forum, Chris. I was going to send you a message after I got myself organized.

Thanks for the thorough response!

I completely understand about allowing a plant to grow up. I have some rare Dischidia astephana that I'd like to be able to offer. It could probably yield a modest cutting or two, but I decided to leave it off my trade list until it grows out more. Besides leaving me a safety net, larger/multiple plants will yield more cuttings in the long run.

I'm surprised to hear your modesty concerning your collection. From your list I imagined a jungle as far as the eye can see. I have a small greenhouse that I'm still working on filling up, and as much as I enjoy searching for unusual new species on eBay or other sites, it can get expensive buying plants at $10-20 apiece (or considerably more in some cases). I think it would be great to be able to obtain even a small portion of my wish list through trades.

And yes, I would love to do some trading if you get a chance. Maybe we'll see some more posts on the exchange forum as well.

-Chris

I recently put up a post on the exchange and I'd say I received a pretty active response to it.

What is odd about the exchange page, is it doesn't list them in order. So newer posts are down near the middle of the page. At least that is how it appears on my screen. So people may not realize a new post was made?

Renee

Not only is it a nice financial windfall to obtain through trade what one otherwise would have purchased. But, the more we trade with one another, the more common these species become. And the more funds we have available to invest in bringing new ones into the mix. I really do view trading as not just good for the individual, but good for the community as well. Plus, it strengthens social ties, which are critical for sharing information and championing the plants we love.

As far as Renee's point, that also came to my mind. I was once told that it was part of GW courtesy not to respond to trade threads, but simply to email the person, because once someone responds to an inquiry it gets dumped into the labyrinthe of old responses and others might not know it ever occurred, since they don't check the exchange forum often. So although I agree there aren't that many posts being put up there, there may be more responses than we can observe to the ones that go up.

I'm making it my goal to put up a small post in there. Maybe we can get a little fire going.

Another problem with the trading page is it will not let us Canadians to post what we might have or want.

Uh oh. What exactly do you mean, Cindy? Can't you just put: "CAN" in the trade subject heading or something?

From the rules posted at the bottom of the exchange forum:
"All exchanges are restricted to users from a particular country, region or state. If it isn't indicated otherwise, the exchange is restricted to residents of the U.S. To find an exchange for your location, check the the exchange index."

Seems unfortunate, although I really don't know what's involved in trading across the Can/US border.

-Chris

Hello everybody.

For me it's too early in the season, & the weather here's been odd & erratic, warm unusually early & now just finishing a bit of a cold snap.

I'd scheduled a sort of swap, but have postponed receipt twice now as it's been too cold.

I've been on GW a long time & started out at C&S where I'd done a few swaps & also met a couple of the people in person (like Norma, when she hosted a Hoya event a number of years ago).

I don't do much mail order, find it a bit pricey & belong to a couple of local plant societies where I can often get some Hoyas.

But I've had some very nice swaps from here, from various people, nice, kind, generous & friendly, all but one, so I'd say that's not at all a bad record. Some folks I've even stayed in touch w/ for a number of years as well.

GG, the exchange page will not even let me post on that page,it must know that I am from Canada.Its to bad because a large portion of us our from Canada.

There really are a lot of you from Canada, and I think it's a shame they can't just set it up so you indicate your country in the trade thread. It's just not the same putting up trades in the general Canada section. Why would anyone but people from the largest forums hope to find anything in there? /rolls eyes

Sorry guys. :\ That bums me out.

I was just noticing how dead the hoya exchange forum was aswell! I also thought it seemed odd compared to how active the regular hoya forum is. I'm relatively new to the hoya community but I have enjoyed doing exchanges recently. I'll go post up a trade thread too. :)

~Keiko

Hello,

I have been reading this thread and was very excited to know that you guys are willing to trade with newbies ( I have only one Hoya and would love to have more).

I do not know the name of my plant it was given to me as a cutting but the leaves are white on the edges.

If anyone is interested in enabling me please LMK.

margarita10

Hi Margarita :) Your plant is probably H. carnosa Krimson Queen. You can do a quick google search and confirm or disconfirm that, but it is the most common Hoya with the variegation you describe.

As for trades, by all means put a post up in the exchange forum. Even if you don't have more than one Hoya to trade, you can offer other plants you might have, or simply suggest that you are willing to reimburse the other person for the postage they spend shipping to you. As I mentioned in my above post, however, you are more likely to get a response if you start speaking up in other threads. People are simply more interested in sharing their cuttings with someone they've gotten to know a little bit. Even if all you have to say to most threads is a compliment or question. :)

Well now thats rather prejudicial now isnt it Cindy...

Hi greedyghost,

I am usually on the seed trading side and have been participating in a Christmas Round Robin for the last 4 years.

Mostly I am lurking on the trading side of this forum but had never seen any activity until I decided to visit the discussion side.

Thank you very much for helping me identify my Hoya.

margarita10