Toni thanks so much for being part of this swap, I am sure your plants will all be fine. You have those tough to kill (BUT can be done) plants. No worries.

Laura, you are too funny...I am SURE there is more to it then just your water. You have been so much fun, thanks for joining us this month. I hope you plan on joining in on other swaps too.

Vina, wow, my mom has some Lily of the Vally she has had them for YEARS and they do not produce like yours! She just has a small spot of them that just sort of sits in the same place year after year!
Your so sweet! I am so glad you joined our swap!!!

Cindy, how are things with you? I hope all is ok.

Amy, how are you doing? I forgot to comment about you saying we were making you not want kids. Trust me, they are a pleasure to have, I always said I didn't want any, but I am so glad I did have. AND NOW I WANT MORE lol. Crazy I know!
I really do miss my kids, I honestly wish I had another one at home. They are so much company, even mine as teens hold up in their rooms playing video games at least I KNEW WHERE they were! You just sort of get used to them being there.
Denise, I guess you are off packing a box huh? :)

Theresa I have no idea why you are not getting my emails, that is just too upsetting to know you haven't received ANY of them!!! I have emailed you, a few times! SO now I am irked about you not receiving...hmmmmmm

Tammy, I did some researching on those plants we are getting back and found out the Kerria is poisonous do you still want it? I know you said Mikey likes to put stuff in his mouth so I want to know before it comes to you if you still want it.

Amy, there is an extra Kerria and it is hardy to zone 3 do you want that? These are a little on the small side and you MIGHT want to overwinter it inside but next year it could go in the ground, let me know so I will know whether or not I should put it in your box.

Update:
Swappers List
1. ncgardengirl-Fran (here of course :O)
2. greenthumbgrow-Tammy shipped
3. flowergirl34-Vina Arrived
4. zinaray-Toni mailed
5. sakura_komichi-CA working on them
6. antiqueorchid-Denise
7. dieg01991-Amy working on them
8. robin1962-2008-Robin
9. threas- Theresa mailed
10. cjcjmass-Cindy mailed SHOULD be here today
11. auntyara-Laura Arrived
12. purpleclover-Genez mailed

Alrighty then, I am off to go check out the work progress outside, the SO is working on my shade shed again I HOPE it gets finished today!

I will check back in later,
:) Fran

Amy

~CA

Ok, I am excited, I haven't opened them yet but I am about to so I will take a pic of these boxes too :) just to let you all see hehe.

:) Fran

Thanks Fran, It's been a lot of fun.
Laura

We really need the rain, I was just hoping it would hold off for a few hours!

~CA

Denise

Ok, well I opened the boxes WOW Genez you had some large items in there! WHOA, that Amaryllis is by far the largest I have ever seen! Thanks so very much, I am glad you joined us this month, hope you can join us again in the future :).

Some of the cuttings that came in today may not make it, I just wanted to forewarn you before you get them in your box and they are not happy.

SO I just want everyone to know, you are always taking a chance with cuttings, sometimes they work out sometimes they don't. JUST REMEMBER THIS folks if you have to use plastic wrap you HAVE to make sure it is wrapped tightly and well on the plant roots or around a cutting IF not they will lose moisture, dry out and possible die if it is a plant and before getting a chance to root if it is a cutting.
I can not stress enough how important this is, plastic wrap will not stay on if it isn't tightly on whatever you have wrapped it on, and there should be no holes in it anywhere, if there are holes even a small on the papertoweling or newspaper will dry out and the roots will die, it on a cutting they will lose their moisture and die as well.
Please make sure you always wrap a cutting or plant roots tightly.

Just a friendly reminder ;).

Ok, off to go play with the plants,

:) Fran

That box did get there fast!

The amaryllis was one of a pile I got from a neighbor. They were all dug out to re-pipe the plumbing and it was not a quick job. I'm curious how old they are. At least 10 years. And I have bigger ones. Maybe 15 or 20.

Do the brugmansia cuttings look ok? The foliage wilts so easily. but you can throw all the leaves away and stick the stalk in the ground and it will root and put out new foliage.

Show us the pics!

Have to show off my Clerodendrum Ugandense. I started it from seed about a year and a half ago. Isn't it beautiful! Looks like little blue butterflies.

Laura

Theresa

Wow, I better be getting my hinny in gear and getting my plants together, these boxes are arriving fasting then I thought they would LOL, or maybe the week has just zoomed by quicker than I expected?

Cindy, I redid all your plants, a lot were totally dry. They are all watered and happy now at least I HOPE they are....I know you were unsure how to do cuttings for sure, we all understand this is your first time with cuttings and we understand some might not make it.

I am hoping to make a picture tutorial to show how to do the cuttings and all so there will be no mistakes if someone takes the time to read it that is!
I am by no means an expert either but I have done a lot of swap and trading so I know a few things or two LOL.

Amy, I hate that prickly pear cactus! I have spines all over me! There was one lose large pad and it fell out of the paper it was wrapped in and it got me. I TRIED not touching it BUT because it was lose it lost it's spines in the papers of the other plants and since I had to redo those WELL, you get the picture. The problem IS the spines are so small on the smaller one that you can't see them, they GET YOU! BE CAREFUL....
I sure hope you like the thing when you get it, I killed out the one that was growing here. If you've never grown it make sure you use TONGS to pick it up with NO JOKE DO NOT TOUCH IT and make sure you plant it somewhere out of the way so you never have to go near it again! Really.
Be ware of the yuccas too, their roots go to China once planted. ;).
(Planting prickly pear cactus, do not touch it, just lay the pad where you want it to grow and it will root,,, no really it will DO NOT TOUCH IT the spine hurt and you have to dig them out of you)

Genez, the brugs are pouting, but I figured that. They always do, BUT you sent some healthy stock so no worries there, you sent HEALTHY everything. When I saw the Amaryllis I thought DANG wish I would have asked for it LOL.

Tammy where are you? What is up? Where you been? What's going on? You're too quiet! I'm worried...

:) Fran

Don't worry, I do have one small prickly pear pad already. I really hope these will make it through our winter. I will find out :-) I know a few people who have them here and they are hardy (who knew!?!?). Can't wait!! Oh and the Yucca only has roots to china if you're able to plant it in the ground :-) it will be in pots here!

I'm exhausted and ready for bed. Good night everyone.

Amy

Amy, I am glad you have one already hehe, are the yuccas not hardy there? Hmmm, who knew? IF I wasn't afraid to walk back in the woods this time of year I would go dig you a couple of larger ones you could try planting in the ground if you wanted to BUT it is in the woods and there are BIG snakes here and I am a BIGGER chicken so if you want a larger one you let me know and in the winter I will go dig you one to send to you later!

OK, I sent Cindy and email earlier with the subject of NO WORRIES and GUESS WHAT is NOW STUCK in my HEAD????

YEAP, Hakuna Matata, so much so I had to go download the video at youtube JUST so I could hear the WHOLE thing....gosh darn kids watched that and Little Mermaid so much I honestly think I could sing the whole Just Kiss the Girl LALALALALA song all the way through!

HEHE,,,night ladies.

:) Fran

Theresa

Denise

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prays my family and I really appreciate it. I truly appreciate each and everyone of you.

Fran thank you so much for hosting this swap.
I did read your e-mail and i'm still worried. (yes I know that you said not too but i HATE to kill any plants.
And it sound like that is exactly what I did but not intentionally.Fran, do you just hate that darn Prickery Pear i'm still pulling thorn out of my fingers. Amy please be very careful.

Ladies this time if there is anything and i mean anything that did not survive pls let me know and i will reship directly too you.

Auntyara please give my your tips on rooting i could sure use the help.

Well i'm off to go dig up a trade i'm glad it's local i'm driving it too her house today.

How do you post picture's?

cj

Alright, I haven't opend the boxes yet they just arrived but I wanted to give you all and update of what came in today!!!

UPDATE:
Swappers List
1. ncgardengirl-Fran (here of course :O)
2. greenthumbgrow-Tammy Arrived
3. flowergirl34-Vina Arrived
4. zinaray-Toni Arrived
5. sakura_komichi-CA working on them
6. antiqueorchid-Denise Arrived
7. dieg01991-Amy Mailing today
8. robin1962-2008-Robin Mailed
9. threas- Theresa Arrived
10. cjcjmass-Cindy Arrived
11. auntyara-Laura Arrived
12. purpleclover-Genez Arrived

Alrighty, wooohooo, we have only more 2 boxes to come and all will be ready to go. I am hoping everything comes in by Monday and I can get them all back out by Wednesday! I hope I hope!

I am going to open boxes WOOOOOOHOOOOOOO YIPPPEEEEEE, so excited. So many boxes to go through today lol,
Later all,
:) Fran

Denise

TAMMY, girl, you're gonna be doing a LOT of planting!!! I don't think you sent a large enough box! LOL. Thanks for the plants, I can't wait to get them all planted! Man those mints smell good!

Theresa thank you so very much for the Corkscrew Vine Cuttings! NOW Hopefully I will not kill it LOL. Oh, there was something else, I am sorry I can't think of what that was I wanted to thank you for too.
The sweet woodruff you sent me doesn't look like sweet woodruff :/, preplexed I am lol. Not sure what it is you actually sent but it really don't look like sweet woodruff, the leaves are different and smaller on the plants you sent.

Denise, girl your plants all looked pretty good with the exception of one or two that needed water really badly, I watered all that had dried out.
The only thing I seem that you might want to pay attention to is making sure your plastic baggies to not touch the stems of the plants, they were touching on some but I fixed them.
The reason you have to be careful about this is because if it is REALLY hot, it will cause the stems to rot. OR it will cook the stems of the plants, either way the stems get all gushy and mushy and nasty, other then that everything looked GREAT!
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH for that Foxglove, I have never had any this is my first one!!! I am so tickled, I hope it grows well for me.

TONI, you are just a gem...I don't know what to say except you are a major assest to have in a swap. Thank you so very much for all the plants you sent in!

Everyone that requested plants from Toni, you have Toni to thank for lots of extra plants, she included almost all, IF NOT ALL, the request we had for her plants. HOW COOL and SWEET is that? I was just amazed that she did that.
SO Toni, thank you so much for your hard work and generousity! I can't thank you enough for everything, you really are and outstanding member of Gardenweb!

Someone's box smelled like chocolate, I think it was Genez. My SOs son asked me if there was chocolate in there, I said NO, it would have melted, he said well, then is there a CHOCOLATE PLANT in there? I said NO, he said then WHY does it smell like chocolate? I said I have NO Idea...lol

Alrighty then all the plants have been watered that needed it, and it only took me 4 hours to finish unwrapping and rewrapping IF they needed it and getting them watered LOL from what came in today.
Yeap, there is a lot of work that comes with a hosting job to try to keep the plants looking great.
I learned a big lesson with the last swap I hosted, and that was to water as soon as the plants arrived so that is what I have done with this one. My hope is that it will keep them all alive and well long enough to make it back to you all in the best possible condition!

I just want to say, there have been some awesome plants come in this time, they all look super and in really good condidtion! I am very happy, I hope they look as great for all of you too.
Remember to plant them in pots and place them in a shaded spot for a few days, OR plant them in the ground and place a pot or something over them to give them shade to allow them time to recover and get used to being outside again, I have kept them inside. I figured this is the best for them since it is so hot outside right now.

:) Fran

I know how nerve wracking it is to send something in to swaps like this. BUT it is so worth it and so much fun and when getting alot of plants in return well, it is just almost impossible to not get hooked! LOL.

I do hope that you all will continue to join these large swaps, they really are fun and so worth it. You all have made these one a pleasure to host!

Theresa, I know you said your nerves couldn't take another one, but you do such a fine job. Just slow down, even if it takes you two days to pack it. Don't try to do everything at once, as long as you get it mailed within the time frame stated for mailing in all is well.
Heck, start on it the day before, as long as the plants are in water they will be ok to leave a day or two!
I know which plant it was that I wanted to thank you for!
Clerodendrum Ugandense, I can't believe you included some of it. THANK SO VERY much! I know I meantioned it above, imagine my surprise to find it in my bag! Thank you.

I really want to thank you all for making this an excellent swap, I am so pleased with the great select of plants, they are terrific!
Without folks like you all swaps like this wouldn't work so thanks again! It has been so much fun for me, really it has.
Thank you all for joining.

:)Fran

Toni, thank you for sending extras I was hoping I would get a blushing crimson japanese iris. That was my favorite plant from this whole swap and there was alot of great plants offered.

Thank you, to all of you for offering some really great plants. It has been fun.

Fran, Thanks for hosting and nurturing our plants while they are in transit.

Denise

When I went to dig it up the foliage and flowers were dried up already, so I stuck the whole plant in a paper bag so you could seed your planting area with the dried flower heads along with planting the roots(2nd yr. BTW).It is a perennial.Sorry it's not more.
Amy, the same thing happened with the Larkspur.Plus, I read that it has a very slim chance of transplant survival. So I sent you the fresh seeds. Just sow them in cooler fall weather & they'll bloom next summer.Sorry, I couldn't send plants.
Cindy, I hope all is well with you & your brother.The Love Lies Bleeding, I sent you the the whole plant with the long flowers,so you could see them & hopefully they'll reseed. But it is very leggy and I bent it to fit in the bag/box. If you don't have any seedlings come spring, I'll send you some.They reseed everywhere for me.
Thank you everyone for your generosity and friendship!

Theresa

Here are the DC#s:
Fran: 03071790000287826136
Tammy: 03071790000287826129

It was pouring down rain when I went to the PO today. The top of one of the boxes got very wet when I carried it in from the car. Hope the box doesn't break.

Also, some of the plants were very wet when I packed them, because of all the rain. The Lamb's Ear and Rose Campion were the worst - those fuzzy leaves really hold the water. But that means the wrappings are all wet, too. I really hope they don't rot.

~CA

Imagine MY surprise when I realized this was taped to the box LOL.

:) Fran

TAMMY girl, do you REALIZE what you are in for? You have a bunch coming in from everyone else too LOL.

I had the post with the hazmat photo open since 7 PM. it took THAT long for the thing to actually get uploaded from my computer to the pic site I hold my pics on. I had to redo it because I got an error message! I hate that, I had begun to think I wasn't going to get to get these pics loaded this time. I had started to give up and try again tomorrow but it FINALLY took it!

I will get all my plants dug and packed tomorrow, I am hoping I can get these sent back out as soon as possible. Hopefully I will. I am sure it will not be Monday but I am gonna shoot for no later then Wednesday!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend. We actaully got a nice rain shower today, wish we would get a lot more we need it.

Alrighty, well, I think I am about to head to bed.

Night all, have a great Sunday,
:) Fran

Theresa

CA - I appreciate you sending me all that lirope I cant wait to get it lining the drive way I am sooo excited.

Fran - I didn't realize I requested so much. Did I send enough postage. I though for sure the 19 would be enough but now you have me worried. Just let me know if you will need more and I will mail it out right away (or paypal it if you have paypal)
OH my! What have I done..... Well at least I can't get bored this week with Danae in school. LOL. I will definately be busy. (or next week depending on when we get them back)

DH got the hottub all ready last night and hooked up and everything and won't you know it started raining and we haven't been able to get in since it was hooked up.

Hazmat - How funny is that. I would have been a little scared opening that box up. Theresa - What kind of plants are you sending us! LOL

OK I got a plan. I hope I get CA's box this week to keep me busy and then the rest toward the end of the week to keep me busy and then I won't be missing Danae so much! (Or at least won't be sitting in the parking lot)

Tammy

Depending on how you separate it and space it out, you could get 3-4 feet from what I sent, I think.

~CA

Theresa

There are four main types of stem cuttings: herbaceous, softwood, semi-hardwood, and hardwood.

Hope that helps somewhat!

Tammy

0309 0330 0000 6175 2654
0418 8665 1600 3406 4394

I'm betting you'll get them tomorrow Fran.
Amy

I'm so mad, I totally forgot to take pictures of my pile-o-plants before I shipped!!! :-( It was a huge one too, bigger than any I've sent before. Fran, if you think of it, take a shot of it would you? Darn it.

I think I probably could have sent a separate box to Tammy too. I didn't even think about doing that! Sakura, you are so smart!!! :-) Tammy, I envy the free time that you have, send some of that my way please!!!

Amy

Soon I am going to run out of yard... well maybe not. I have a ton to fill. I think I prob. won't be doing a whole lot of requesting in the next swap. i think will stick to jsut reallly really really wants. This was my large swap for the year. LOL. I just want to get that new bed along the fence started so next year I won't be looking at a bear fence all spring. I just can't stand that!

I really appreciate everyone here who is sharing your plants with me I can't wait until they all take off and I can share them in a year or two with all the new newbies. I am just glad I have my front beds established so I actually have something to trade with. OH My what would i do if I couldn't trade. OH my what a thought.

Well I gotta go to bed. (Have to get Danae to school early in the morning)

I will not cry... I will not cry... I will not cry.... (but we all know I most likely will...)

Tammy :-(

Sorry! Amy

Amy, I think the yucca are hardy to zone 3...my mom plant that I got your babies from is about 2-3 feet wide and stays green all winter. It does not die back to the ground and I have never trimmed it. I have had it for about 10 years now. However when it flowers its beautiful, but you def. need your big! tree limb pruners to cut that stalk down when its done. It also LOVES to be dry...I have never watered it with the hose.

Tammy, hold your chin up...it will get better! Sending you hugs!!!

WOOHOO this is PLANT WEEK!!!! yeah! I am so excited and already have a visual in my mind of where everything is going...so excited!!

vina

Fran -
I'm not sure when you plan to send the return boxes, but could you please hole on to mine until at least Wednesday? I won't be home until Friday night, and I don't want it sitting outside too long if it gets there before me. Thanks a bunch! I know I can be difficult with all my "special requests"...

~CA

Vina, the yucca is hardy here?!?!?!Woohoo, that is AWESOME!! I've been working to create a succulent/cactus garden in an area of my yard that doesn't get water unless it rains. I've been thinking that I needed height because everything I have there now is so low growing. This is PERFECT. Thanks, I'm even more excited now!!!

Amy

Yeap, ALL the boxes are here. Some of the plants were really not happy, a lot were on the dry side, I will hydrate as best I can. I suggest any that you get back you float in water for a few hours at least, then I would trim those that are not hard wood types.
They should all start putting back out from the roots if you trim them back plus it will be better for them because it will make them start makeing roots.

Theresa, the reason they marked it that way was because you sent the stuff in an AVON box. Yeap, beauty and hygiene products and cleaning products are ALL hazmat items. A tube of toothpaste, a jar of face cream, a bottle of perioxide/alcohol/mouthwash, container of laundry detergent all harmless in totals less then 10 lbs anything over that are considered hazmat. Because if you have a large spill it could be harmful to the evorinment/humans.
I never thought about it until I started driving a truck and had to pass the hazmat portion of the test, I learned a lot about shipping materials via large freight.
Nope, I don't think they were actually supposed to have delivered the box with that label on it, BUT they did. Legally by their shipping standards it shouldn't have been excepted at the Post Office!
You are also supposed to cover any words on a box up either by marking them out or using the brown shipping paper, there are not supposed to be any words showing on the box that do not pertain to the contains being shipped. SOOO, I am not sure WHY it was delivered LOL.

Tammy, how was your day today? Did you make it through the day alreight? Yeap, keep yourself busy it will help! HUGS...it will all be ok.

Oh well, it has been a long day and I am tired and I have to STILL go cook supper.

Will check later to see if anyone has posted anything else,

:) Fran

Now the cuttings were another story but I did purchase some root hormone and they will survive. I guess i was making more out of it than it actually was. Except for that darn PRICKY PEAR.

cj

How could you be busy NOW?!?
Doesn't everybody know you have plants to deal with?
; )

I'm in the other swap with Cindy, and I was expecting to be working today. Apparently, fate intervened. Today's work fell through so I had time to pack and ship.

Got to go do some emails now, and get work back on track.

Genez

Glad to hear all the boxes are in. Can't wait to get mine! ;-)

Amy

She loved school and was so excited... i asked her (once we got hom) what her fav. part was and she said "When I saw you coming in to get me. I missed you mommy" awwwwwww (made my heart go pitter patter)

Little did she know I was at the school the whole day helping out an old friend of mine that is a teacher there. I did all of her quizes and answer sheets for the first marking period... LOL... Yes I did! And it was right next door to K5 ;-) I even saw her being the line leader on the bathroom break she walked right by the door and didn't see me. hehe... I was so happy she was having fun. Now I feel better about her going. (But she missed me!) Oh and i heard all about her day. (She cried at nap time though she said she wanted me) I usually rock her to sleep so I knew that would be hard on her. But she loves her teacher and said she is really nice. (and I have heard nothing but good reviews on her also)

Ok I will get better It is just a little hard. Tomorrow I may actually leave the school... LOL Anyway I am sure I should get some knocked off her tuition since I am putting in so many voluteer hours to help out the schooool. (And of course that is the only reason I am there ;-)

I did not cry! see I told you I could do it.... Well either that or I cried so much the other day I think it was out of my system. I will post a photo tomorrow of her first day I am tooooo tired today.

good night everyone.

OH Yes... CA I got the box! You outdid yourself. Those lirope are awesome. When I got home from school we planted them and they still have the flowers blooming. They are a lighter purple than the ones I started the drive with and I really like the ones you sent better. They are soo pretty. And you said it was enough for 2-3 feet. WERE YOU KIDDING...... I finished the drive way. I divided each of them to about 3 plants and have them about a foot apart and it looks great! Thanks so much. Will take a photo of that also.

Tammy:-)

Tammy

Tammy, good job on not letting her see you, I think it is so funny that you stayed at school all day though! It will get easier...WOW you planted all that in one day? HOW the heck do you do it? I think you are super human! Can I borrow you a while? LOL.

Someone was supposed to send me some Blackeyed Susans and I didn't get them...oh well, there is also next time LOL.

Yeap Amy, there is a little of the moisture wrapping exposed very little and the wrapping is an art I think LOL, you either learn to do it or you don't. It must be done tightly and the plastic not touching with enough moisture to make it to the person it is going to.
It isn't that easy to get right, but after you do it for a while you tend to figure it out...

OH ya'll I am so excited, I learned today the Trumpet vine is EASY peasy to root! Where every the runners lay it roots so it was EASY as all get out to get the plants that were requested from me, because they were coming up next to some pots I had with some compost mixture in it, and they ROOTED in those! WOOOHOOO, that was SOOO easy and they look great too!

Really, what I said earlier about floating/soaking the plants in water really should help perk a lot of the stuff up.
Robin I will give your sticks a chance, I trust you, but I tell you the stuff all looks dead to me BUT if you say it will come back out ok, I will water it...
I placed them in water so they could drink up as much as they needed, I am going to baby all of these plants! I don't want to lose any.

Some of the ones I got in the last swap I am sure are goners, I can't find them...I am so sad! I hate that, it was ones I really really wanted too!
Oh well, oh and Robin, didn't you send me the clump of pampas grass? THANK YOU, it is a nice size clump and I am impress with it. IT should make it just fine!
I really hope all these plants make it. They are all so nice, I am so happy with the ones that came in.

Theresa, so far so good on the snail vine cuttings! It didn't even wilt can you believe THAT? I was amazed! Do you take that Clerodendrum Ugandense indoors to over winter it or do you have a green house? If you take it indoors how well does it grow inside?

Ya'll I SOOOOO want to move to FL! They can grow some of the neatest things down there! I so want to be able to grow some of that stuff how cool would it be to have tropicals growing in your yard? WOW, I want that!

Amy, thanks for sending me the piece of Brazilian Philo plant, I so miss that plant and it was so pretty, NOW I have to start all over with it, but I will baby it through the winter.
I really do hope to see you in our swaps next year, I am sure we will have one or two large swaps come next year, I think Tammy and I both are hooked on this LOL, she said she is doing it to fill up her yard because it is bare, she is REALLY doing it because she is addicted LOL.
OK, well, I am so sleepy I am headed to bed....
Night all I will check in in the moring, I will let you know if there is progress on the plants,

I still have to gather some of mine, so I am thinking it will be Wednesday before I ship out. I was tring to get everything done today but I ran into some snags! I HOPE I have no crinkles tomorrow!

:) Fran

PS when I started this is was like 11:15 pm, I got sidetracked

Tammy, I'm glad you got through the first day of school! It should get a little easier everyday. There's always sick days!LOL

Theresa

Fran, did you get both of my boxes yesterday, because I sent you 3 black eyed susans. I know for sure I did that! But I seem to remember that your plants were in the second box I sent (the medium sized box).

I was always told that the paper should not be exposed at all or it will dry the whole thing out really fast. I've gotten feedback from people I've sent to about that. But this is the first I've heard about not letting the plastic touch the stem. Hummm...not sure what's right. Hopefully my plants all look good still. I have been doing this for a while now and I thought I had it down good. I have thought about sending myself a box to see how the plants look when I get them. I know it sounds crazy, but I'm so darn curious. But, judging by things I've received from others, and the various ways that people pack, I think that most things do well as long as it's a pretty quick turn around time. It's harder with a swap like this and the plants being in route for over a week.

Hey, on a side note (and speaking of overwintering plants), a good friend of mine just bought a new house that has an indoor pool. Well, the pool room is like a greenhouse (I am so over the top jealous, I want to move in!!!! I told my husband that we should start looking for a new house. LOL) Anyway, she said that I could overwinter some of my larger plants there if I wanted to. Does anyone know if the chlorine in the air will harm my plants? I've looked online and everything I've read so far says the water in pools isn't that much worse than city tap water (as far as chlorine content) and that plants next to a pool will be fine. Anyone have experience with this. I would be SOOOOO happy if I could overwinter there, MAN would that clear up some space in the house and my plants would be so much happier there.

Theresa, you're right, the PO needs to get bigger boxes!!! Don't they know we have a ton of plants so send!? LOL!

Ok, better get back to work. Have a good day everyone.

Amy

Theresa

Amy

~CA

I am about to head out to start working on my plants, it is my plan to get EVERYTHING done today, including repacking all the boxes and sending back tomorrow...WISH ME LOTS OF LUCK and hope NOTHING pops up today to slow me down dog it!

Amy I DID get both boxes, but to tell you the truth, I got one opened and found the philo plant and the cuttings and thought that was all I was supposed to receive from you so I didn't look to see who the other packages were for LOL. I will look at them then hehe, I so sorry.

Ahhh, Theresa, I wasn't expecting you to cover the box. Most people to not cover them anymore because the PO system seems to deliver them anyway. I used to, and it is actually easier to cover a box then you think LOL. I have, like last year, I mailed a box that wasn't brown, it had colored pics on it, IT was HUGE anyway, it had colored pics on it and I had to cover it because the whole box was like the slicky pic kind and it had to be covered.
The trick is to place the brown wrapping paper down on a table, then place the box on it, bring the paper up and over the top to meet, tape it down, then fold a side, starting with one, side of the side until you have all four sides folded over, you know how you do wrapping anyway, do both sides and it is all done. EASY lol.
Like I said though the trick is to put the paper down first then put the box on top. :).

Amy, I have been swapping/trading a LONG time. The best way is to make sure the plastic isn't touching the stem. It CAN rot it, it doesn't always and if it is a tough plant it will usually be fine but more thinner type plants will not.

Theresa, your plants looked ok. I don't recall seeing any plastic touching, BUT I have redone a lot of them without knowing which ones I was working with. It is just a habit I have gotten into, just redoing what needed it when it needed it. So, I don't really see whose plant it is LOL, UNLESS I have a whole box to do at one time THEN I know whose I am working on.

I am not going to be able to send the Pink Ice Plant, it looks so bad and it would only be a VERY SMALL snippit. I would hate for it not to make it. So, I would rather not send it with a chance of it not making it. I want to let it grow and then when we do another one in the Spring if those of you who requested it join then I will send it to you then, cross your fingers it recovers, I have been checking it a lot and it looks REALLY REALLY bad. I am not sure what happened to it, the purple ice plant is right next door to it and nothing is wrong with it so I have no idea what happened to the pink one! I am so upset about that, I have wanted the pink forever and when I found it I was tickled so much NOW it is dying! ERRRRR!!!

Ok, I think I have touched on all I was going to mention OH, I haven't taked pics of all the plants that comie in yesterday, I opened those boxes somewhere else, NOT in my livingroom where my camera was so I wasn't thinking until AFTER I had opened anyway, when I pack the boxes I am going to TRY to remember to take pics of them :)...

Later ladies have a great day!

:) Fran

Amy

Denise

CA - I love the brown bag idea. I think I may get me some of those because it is so much eaier to stick them all in instead of trying to wrapping.

BTW - I just found out today her k5 isn't mandatory all day. I can pick her up at 12:00 YAHOOOOOOOO! That makes me feel so much better (and her too) because after noon is just a 1.5 hour nap and .5 recess and coming in for snack and getting ready to go home sooooo she won't be missing any of the class time. I was so excited when one of the teachers was telling me that! So needless to say we are home now!

Tammy:-)

The brown bags were not my idea. I'd received a couple of trades packed that way, and I saw Theresa's picture above where she did that to sort the plants. I have always wrapped mine in newspaper, but gave the bags a try this time. I hope it worked well. I didn't bother bagging the liriope. It was all I could do to fit it in the box without wrapping!

~CA