Wow Theresa, that IS a load of plants! Love that Clerodendrum Ugandense why didn't I ask for some of that? AND the mini Angel Thumpets? Oh well, live and learn lol.

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

Ok, I got everything packed up tonight except the cuttings. I will cut those and soak them for a little bit and pack them just as I leave for the PO. I have to put them in 2 boxes. So Fran, the boxes should be to you by Monday.

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

I mailed my box today.The tracking number is:03083390000096370551.I`m so excited!!I can`t wait to get mine back!!SO MANY GOODIES !!!! Robin

OH,I FORGOT,BE CAREFUL LADIES,MY BERRY STARTS ARE NOT THORNLESS!!

Robin you're a funny lady, I am sure I will get poked, I ALWAYS do, my kids used to tell me if I needed anything cut/chopped up in the kitchen THEY would do it because I can cut myself on a butter knife! Really I have, and I have cut myself getting ICE out of the freezer, THAT stuff is SHARP sometimes! AND I have cut myself on, a blade of grass, it was that MONSTER grass like reed stuff, those blades are STIFF and SHARP lol, I get paper cuts all the time it is sad really, it is amazing what I can actually get hurt on, I was always the clumsy kid in the family. Well some people grow out of it, I tend to TRY to be more careful hehe.

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

Fran, my delivery conf. says it arrived in Grover at 6:54AM. Yoo Hoo!!!

Theresa

Fran, Looks like mine will be there too. YEAH!!

Denise

Fran,
if there's any extra japanese painted ferns?
sneak it into my box lol
thanks
Laura

Hello everyone.

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

Cj,
Fran was just being sweet.
I just use the clearish rubber maid tub as like a mini green house.
The whole trick to it is keep cuttings out of direct sun light and keep the air around them humid like the jungle.
I also use rooting hormone. just the cheap powder kind you get at H.D.
the cuttings really do like my well water.
go to the plant propagation forum. they can explain it sooo much better than me.
good luck
Laura

Cindy, cuttings are NEVER a sure thing even if everything is done perfectly. I suck at them LOL, which is why I had hoped Laura had a foolproof secret she used to root all of her's LOL. She is very good at it, maybe I should send a bunch to her and let her root them for me LOL. (j/king)

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

Fran, how was the condition of the plants I sent?

Denise

Ok, I went through ALL the boxes that came in today...

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

Denise, I wanted to tell you had nothing to worry about. The plants were packed great! You did a super job, only a couple had wilted a little. I am sure they will perk back up since they have been watered. Most looked terrific!
You were worried for nothing, you did well. I hope you will join us again for other swaps.

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

Fran, I am so glad everything is still alive and ok. I was worried because it was so hot and the plants were not perking up as quick as they normally do.

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

Fran, You're welcome!My vigna, that your cuttings came from, has tiny buds, yay!
Oh,I forgot to tell you about the Sweet Woodruff.It is Asperula Odorata- Blue Sweet Woodruff.

{{gwi:496722}}

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

FINALLY got my boxes mailed! There has got to be a more effeicient way to do the packing - it took me over four hours to dig, wrap, and pack. That doesn't include label-making because that was already done. But the boxes are off. I sent one directly to Tammy. Why? Look at this pic:

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

WOW!!!
Speechless!
lol
Laura

Well, I guess that clears it all up then LOL. I didn't know there was another plant consider to be sweet woodruff.
Theresa, I meant to tell you. According to the PO you sent toxic plants see pic:

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

:) Fran

WOW, CA, I see why you wanted to send one box directly to Tammy LOL. OH MY GOSH, I hope the box doesn't break too, man, that would be horrible. I can't imagine how that would play out. I am sure I would get a nice empty box from the post office with a note stating box delivered without contents.
YEAP, I HAVE gotten an envelope like that, I was in the birthday card month swaps and someone mailed me a bday card with seeds in it. I received an empty torn up envy with a note stating the above!
Unfortuantly it takes awhile do to these swaps, that is the down side, the only other thing I can think of is to do a few a day and just keep them watered until time to ship BUT if you don't keep some dirt on them in that case they will not make it.

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

I wonder if the PO got a whiff of the Clerodendrum Ugandense?LOL Fran, did you get a whiff of the leaves? They smell like burnt hair & nails....
HAZMAT???!!!!!What's with that? I love how the box is labeled, then it is still delivered.??? Weird!

Theresa

Ahhhhh I have been checking the old post... LOL... I wondered where everyone was. I had it open and just keep refreshing. Silly rabbit.

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

Tammy - I filled the box with liriope, but it really isn't that much because I didn't trim it back. So I'll be happy to send more in the future. I just dug until I was tired of digging. It was tougher than I thought because there are some shallow willow roots there that I kept running into. But I have a lot more of it to share!

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

~CA

Tammy, I'm glad your hot tub is all ready to go. Go in it in the rain! As long as it's not lightening. I'm gettin' in right now with my coffee.
The only thing I can think of with my box was the burnt hair smell! LOL

Theresa

Ok i need someone help.
I have a box of plants that I need to ship out tomorrow.
When someone request cutting where on the branch do you start to cut from? For example the Purple Smoke Tree.

It depends on the plant/shrub. I checked on the purple smoke tree you would want a branch about the thickness of a pencil and a soft wood cutting (Make sure it is this years groweth)

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

Hope that helps somewhat!

Tammy

Hi all,
I am behind on the posts, but I wanted to let you all know that I mailed two boxes out to Fran yesterday. Here are the DC numbers...

0309 0330 0000 6175 2654
0418 8665 1600 3406 4394

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

Fran,
I don't know, may be the yucca ARE hardy here. I got one a couple of years ago but I thought that was a special on that was z4 hardy. I have a couple of hibiscus that are hardy here BUT not all hibiscua are. I figured it was the same for the yucca. Humm...maybe I should try it outside.

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

Amy - I wish I could! I have to start thinking of more projects to keep me busy. LOL... To DH's dismay I most likely will. hehehe...

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 :-(

Hi everyone,
I forgot to mention...Tammy, I wasn't able to include the Basil for you in my box! :-( Sorry. I got mostly everything dug up just before we got a ton of rain (thank goodness!!). I was waiting on the basil because I figured it would pout if I dug it too early. Well, that was a mistake because my veggie garden was a swap after the rain. I didn't even attempt to go back there (I would have lost my shoes!). So, since I know that someone else sent you basil, I figured it would be ok.

Sorry! Amy

Hi everyone...haven't checked in in a couple of days.

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

Yay! My box made it to Fran's PO this morning! Fran should have most all of them now!

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

Yeah, both of my boxes got to the Grove PO today too!! Hope they get to you today Fran!!

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

Howdy all,
Sorry I was MIA, I have been BUSY today and yesterday and today our internet has been down go figure!

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

Hi tammy how was baby girls first day of School?
O.k when are you going to post the pic on your website.
Well I was in another swap and of course while wrapping all I could think about is Fran saying " do not let the plastic touch the plant. "do not let the plastic touch the plant.

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

Fran,

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

I'm curious how you wrap the plant without leaving any of the wet paper exposed and also not touching the stem?

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

Amy

Alright... I am exausted but I needed to check in...:-)

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:-)

Mine usually have some of the paper exposed. I think that is fine. You just don't want the plastic touching :-) Also I didn't request the basil... (At least I don't think I did)

Tammy

Nope Tammy, you didn't request the basil it was Theresa, and yes I do have some coming/going to her so that is ok.

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

Fran, You have to overwinter the CU. But, you can cut it back, it blooms on NEW growth,supposedly.I did lightly prune mine here & there last winter. The pieces I cut off I just stuck in the pot next to the mother. They root really easily.
About the HAZMAT incident, you learn something new everyday!
I loved using that avon box for the plants. The separate lid gives you a little leeway for shoving more stuff in.
It would be a pain to wrap it in paper to cover up all the ads. Plus, I didn't have any bigger boxes. The PO really needs to get bigger boxes.
Did my plants survive? I had plastic touching the stems too.

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

Oops, sorry, I got Tammy and Theresa mixed up, guess I should have looked at my list before writing that post. :-D Sorry 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

Amy, that's awesome about your friend with the indoor pool! Wouldn't that be nice!
I heard of some swappers mailing themselves a box. Wouldn't you have to mail it from a far away PO? My box would make it back to me the same day if I mailed it from my PO!LOL

Theresa

Theresa, LOL!!! Yes, I would mail it from a different PO. We travel a lot and I was thinking that next time we take a short trip, I might mail myself a box. The last few trips we've gone on, I have collected some cuttings and brought them home with me. I could ship those. Or I could buy a couple of small plants then ship them to myself. My husband is really going to think I'm a nut! :-)

Amy

When I was at the PO mailing my boxes for this swap, another customer needed a box for the stuff she was mailing. The clerk pulled out a box I'd never seen before. It is the same length and width as the large flat-rate box, but taller! It is exactly what I'd been looking for. It is not a flat-rate, just a priority mail box. 12x12x8 It is called O-BOX-7 and is available to order in packs of 10 or 25 from usps online.

~CA

The PO used to have bigger boxes, BUT of course with the cost of everything rising and getting smaller (you know those 50 lbs bags of dog food? well they cost a LOT more now and you only get 40 lbs! sugar used to be in 5 lb bags a lot are going to 4 lbs now) they raised their shipping prices and decreased the size of the boxes you can get! SO NOT FAIR!

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

Fran, LOL!!! YOu are just like me. See something that you are so excited about and then forget to look at the rest, LOL, I always do that!!! I love it. There was a whole bundle of plants in that box for you lady!!! :-D Thanks for all your hard work on this swap by the way. I really hope the philo cutting roots for you. For some reason, that is a very slow growing plant for me. All my other philos grow like weeds! Also, I will pay close attention to how the plants from you are wrapped. I always try to learn from others, what worked well, what didn't seem to work so well...etc. Thanks for all the tips.

Amy

Fran, Thank you for posting my comment to the right thread. I was a bit in a hurry this morning.

Denise

Amy - That is exactly what I do also. I always watch to see which plants look the healthiest after one of these lond swaps and remember wrapping techniques.

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:-)

Tammy - glad you have your daughter at home with you this afternoon. Were you able to leave the school today?

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