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The Seed Exchange

What seeds are okay to mail in ordinary envelopes?

12 years ago

I'm having trouble with P.O overcharging. I want to know what I can get away with using regular envelopes. Have any of you successfully mailed (or received seeds) in regular envelopes without any damage? What was the germination rate? Any rules or tips?

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Comments (4)

karyn1
12 years ago
I've used a regular envelope to mail single packs of extremely small seeds, like poppies, but I still protect them within a card and/or a very small amount of padding.
Chemocurl zn5b/6a Indiana
12 years ago
'Some' members require traders send seeds in bubble mailers, or they will not trade with you.

Some members will leave a bad review if a bubble mailer is not used, so it would be best to check with the trader before mailing.

Only very thin padding will work, or else the envelope will go over 1/4" allowance and will either be returned to you for additional postage or else the receiving member 'may' owe postage due when they get it.

It would be far better to 'deal with' those Post Office workers who are overcharging, than to risk the seeds being crushed, or postage owed, or the whole thing ripped to shreds if/when it jams sorting equipment, or a negative review.

I suggest you go to the link below and totally explain how you are being overcharged. Only you can make the complaint, with all the details.

The form asks:
*Who committed the alleged misconduct/wrongdoing? (What is the title/position held by the alleged wrongdoer?

*What are the facts, what caused the problem, and what are the results of the problem?

*When did the misconduct/wrongdoing occur? (Please provide dates and times, if possible.)

*Where did the misconduct/wrongdoing occur?

*How was the misconduct/wrongdoing committed?

*Do you have first hand knowledge of the misconduct/wrongdoing?

*Where can we obtain additional information concerning the misconduct/wrongdoing?

*Who else might be aware of the misconduct/wrongdoing?
If you would like, feel free to email me and I will give you my contact info. Though I don't have the particulars about your 'specific' overcharge 'case' I will certainly let them know that this has been an ongoing problem across the country since they went to the Shape Based Pricing.

chemocurl...aka Sue

Here is a link that might be useful: Hotline New Complaint Form-Office of Inspector General
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well i lied i still have more rant! i did this and my envelopes were returned. only they held them for a week! and then returned it with a note saying this was too thick for a "flat/large envelope" and had to be a parcel price. ! the other weird thing, in some kind of not funny irony, was i also got some seeds i bought, they were in a small thin bubbly, and at "flats/large envelope" postage rate. 1.19 in postage, made it perfectly fine ( as it is the correct, CORRECT postage)...and my envelope which looked almost the same...with the note saying not enough postage even though theres three stamps. so i went over with the printed out copy of the size requirements for "flats/large envelopes". and she tried again to say anything over 1/4 inch is a parcel, and i said nooooooooo...its 3/4 inch and it says right here, and that they have been overcharging me for quite a long time. she said we havent been overcharging! and i said yes...this is what i usually mail..."flats/large envelopes" and they are at these prices....and even though these are IN FACT flats/ large envelopes...you always charge me for parcels. and pointed out that if i mailed from the coast or a nearby ish town it would be that rate. i shouldve brought in the other envelope...to show her...but i didnt realize that until later. argh. well actually they did eventually agree to mail it. but said well if someone turns it around and returns it for not enough postage its not our fault. i told them i have to weigh ity at home and put the correct postage oin it, as that seems to be the only way not to overcharged. and sometimes even have to factor in how they overcharge me if i want it to make sure it gets there...but thats not fair because if i was somewhere else at a post office they would charge me the correct amount and i wouldnt have to pay more than i am supposed to... i sort of wished i had brought up how they say theres been not enough postage on some stuff where other people sent it to me...when in fact it was correct postage, but not their (distorted) idea of what "correct" postage is... but of course i didnt...i suppose i just have to be happy enough that i finally made some headway and now when they see my envelopes they maybe wont return them. but the person waiting for my side of the trade had to wait an extra week...before they even sent it back to me!
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Great to hear from you again Ginny. I hope all is well. Sent you e-mail, waiting to get your words. I've been cleaning out Night Blooming Jasmine seeds, hoping Santa brings me lots of envelopes for the trades, will wait a while before I get into many. Best wishes for the holidays, Bea
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Just plant them and they will grow and hopefully you won't get arrested, lol.
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Just for fun I stopped at the Ravenna Gardens up in U Village this weekend (I took the bus since my neighborhood's side streets were totally snowed in this weekend). Renee's Garden seeds has packets of rose seeds. I thought it would be fun to give them a try. It says they've been scarified and pre-treated for somewhat speedy germination (I've grown plenty of roses from my own seeds and always just plant them in autumn and wait until spring so they get variable temps/moisture that they need to sprout in spring (or muuuuuch later)), but this is the first time I've tried from purchased seed. I thought it would be fun to give them a try. We'll see how they do, but I'm curious. It says they are small growing, small flowering types in various shades of pink with some white. Below is a nice link to the actual seed pack. Happy growing and sowing, Grant Here is a link that might be useful: Rose seeds from Renee's Garden seeds
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nel.nucifera
Original Author
12 years ago
Thankyou Sue. Good to know. I will check that out. It could have been my wrongdoing. But for (seemingly) empty bubbies I can get by with only using 2 stamps. This time they wanted me to pay 1.71. I repackaged it again and took it to the post office and they said it was fine. There was no noticeable difference in the repackaging. At least not to me. If it continues to happen I'll have to do something about it.

We can add COLUMBINE to this list.

I received some in a lightly padded envie and it arrived unscathed.
Chemocurl zn5b/6a Indiana
12 years ago
I repackaged it again and took it to the post office and they said it was fine. There was no noticeable difference in the repackaging. At least not to me. If it continues to happen I'll have to do something about it.
hmmm...I wonder if you happened to get a clerk who knew how to charge padded mailers (bubble envelopes) correctly. It might be wise to note who seems to be charging correctly, and then make a point of having them wait on you at the PO.

The problem with light padding in a regular envelope, could be taken by some to mean, in bubble wrap in a regular envelope. If bubble wrap is doubled over, it exceeds the 1/4" allowance for a 'regular' envelope and should then be charged at 'Large Envelope Rate'....the same as a bubblie, if it is charged correctly and meets the requirements.

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