If you want to grow alot of these you need to start them in open flats. Get some plastic trays from the five and dime. You are looking for something that would double as the bottom of a cat litter box. With about a 1/2 inch wood drill bit put about 12 holes in it. Six of them on the curve of the bottom to side. This is so if sitting flat it won't fill with water. I use a compost soil with a little sand and mix 50% with miracle grow soil or peters which is sold in our area. Fill about an inch from the top and water thoroughly. Add more soil if needed to keep an inch from the top. Lay out seeds flat with about the same space as the seeds are wide. Cover with 1/4 inch of soil mix. Mist top of soil until real wet. Set in semi bright light or on porch but not full sun. After they have had three or four leaves come out strong you can gradually introduce them to more sun. Don't worry about thinning out after they start sprouting. Leave in the tray and fertilize as required. Donts soak and don't let dry out. Leave them in tray for first year, then plant them out or in pots. You will end up with over 50+ a tray and are great for starting a whole bed with one tray. Hoped that helped you some it has worked for us for years. Warning; cats love to lay in these flats of young Amaryllis. Here is a link that might be useful: Town Square

Hi, I have some good sized named amaryllis bulbs that I would like to swap for other named varieties, with someone who has a good swapping reputation on this forum and can have someone vouch for you. I only swapped seeds with Lora so far on this forum, but I have traded on Dave's Garden. Actually I traded there more then I have feedback for. Some people thanked me by email and forgot to leave me feedback. Which I stress is important to do. But I do have positive feedback on there. Also I do have a very good reputation on the Yahoo Plant Swap group . I'm very well known there for being an honest, generous trader. You can inquire of me on the group and the long timers on the group will vouch for me. Or type in a search, Cheryl/swapping etc. Or I can find the link for you of them discussing me as a swap partner. I always send extra plant gifts in my swaps. Wanted: Pink Surprise- Hercules, Honeymoon, Candy Floss, Pink Floyd- Melusine. With Pink Surprise being on the very top of my want list, Hercules second, Honeymoon third, Candy floss fourth and so on.. What I have to trade: I will trade you for one of my good sized bulbs of Sumatra. ( a red and cream colored cybister cultivar ( I have two to trade and they both are good sized bulbs with flower buds on them already). I also have a large Exotic Star bulb that already bloomed. It was beautiful and I have photos of the blooms on that one, plus I will take pictures of the bulb and measure it for you. I also have two Apple Blossoms that haven't bloomed yet with buds. Also a good sized Aphrodite bulb that has a bud started. I will email pictures and show the exact bulb with measuring tape around it in picture if you wish. I'd like the bulbs I receive to be large sized also. If interested, please let me hear from you. Thanks, Cheryl in Florida

Hi Tom! I see you have a page and a wish list started. Good job. Now if I sound bossy or start to sound like an IRS agent spitting out rules--that's not what I'm trying to do. Can you do a couple things? 1. Set up your messaging. When you click on our usernames (such as canyonwind (9) above, it will take you to her page. In the top right corner is a rectangle marked "Message". You can email her directly, ask her a question, propose a seed trade, give the other person your address to send you seeds--and it's not on the public thread with the weirdos and stalkers. As long as you're setting things up go to your username and add a number behind your name. Once again using canyonwind (9) as an example. That means she lives in USDA hardiness zone 9. I live in zone 4/5. That makes it easier for us to know if the seeds we have will do well in your area. The larger the number the warmer the climate. You can google your USDA hardiness zone. Now that you know your zone...you can work on your wishlist. If you are in zone 4/5 like myself you will know that anything tropical dies in the fall. If I want tropical seeds I know I'll have to grow it indoors or plant it as an annual. What kind of Want List? There's no right or wrong. Why make a Wish List? Because it gives the rest of us information. If you have 3 kinds of marigolds on your list we might offer you another variety. If you have annuals on your list we might offer you some of those. Also include what you DON'T want. Example: No prairie grasses or daylilies, please. Now...FOTESS is a group. It stands for Friends of the Earth Simple Swaps. We swap just about every month. If you are back here at this place find 2018 January Fotess thread. Usually next month's post will be put up the end of the earlier month. We love new people...but as with everything there's a process. You can post on the thread that you're interested in this month's swap or you can click on sandlapper or sjc's username and email them through Houzz. We just don't want someone who says they will swap, but doesn't follow through so we make sure there's a back up plan so nobody's left out. Just like second grade--everybody wins. Keep asking questions! Heidi

http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/5015239/sign-up-for-wlomwl-whats-left-on-my-wish-list-swap-now?n=1 Here is the link or you can go to Round Robin/WLOMWL Seed Swap and sign up.