Swap Shop

[bobleponge]

Hmm I may have a bit of a commute to collect much!!!!!
Great idea though. I am actually in dire need of about 100 or so small pots, and I know I am going to have to buy them. Bother

[TonyF]

Bob, go to your local dechetterie and ask there - I get lots of my recyclable pots, 240 hole modular trays (usually used in the tobacco growing season) and even, at a push, pallets to make new compsters from.

[bobleponge]

Sound plan sir. Only problem is my dechetterie wont allow anything to be taken out, now that they have gone all eco friendly. The old ones in France used to be brilliant.
I will go and ask though when I get back, the worst I can get is a gruff "non".

[JennieAtkinson]

This request comes up pretty regularly, but we have always felt that it was not necessary to duplicate local freecycle facilities.

It is great having the seed swap as it is something we can all be involved in, it costing very little to send seeds to each other. But largish equipment etc is another matter. There is also the potential for misuse which we as moderators would no doubt have to sort out and we already have alot to keep a track of!

At the end of the day we are a gardening forum and it is advice and encouragement that we swop (and a few seeds!).

[veg4681]

I know we have Swap Section but it doesn't always fulful my needs for more sought after seeds. In most cases, it's the usual lack lustre seeds that people want to get rid of like your California Wonder pepper, Black Beauty aubergine, Moneymaker tomato etc but I'm sure they're useful for newcomer/beginner as these were the sorts I myself bought when I first decided to jump into the GYO bandwagon. BTW I may be putting up my California Wonder pepper on offer with no swap in return.

Don't get me wrong, occasionally there are the odd very good offers and they do get snatched up superfast, I know I have . What I have found useful has been to advertise for 'Order Share' that will not only reduce the cost of seeds (after splitting) but also the worry of surplus seeds getting outdated. I cannot worry enough for those seeds of root and onion vegetables as they don't keep well. Okay you can get these seeds for 39p from Lidl or Aldi but believe me at that price, they're still very lack lustre varieties.

If somebody agrees to order few items on their order, I think it's courteous to offer to pay for half of P&P and any necessary postage. There are times I don't mind paying for very rare/sought after seeds at market value when you only need 3-8 seeds which will be too expensive to make new order for them (with min order implication) or via the eBay route or the risk of resorting to dodgy American seeds site. If you want to keep the swap facility cash free, I also have found using payment in stamps as useful & fair exchange. This is especially handy if seed value is under £2, I mean how much does stamps and seeds weigh anyway.

Also bear in mind that certain trade that may take place aren't there for people seeking to make serious money, it's just a means to fund for the seeds addiction and variety chasing obession. No doubt I'll be grilled for my comments but it's a free world and any criticisms are welcome if only to come to a better solution (or compromise) of what is best.

[Paul Wagland]

It's a shame that people keep dissing Freecycle - yes, there are losers, wasters and users on it, but you get them everywhere. I am finding it invaluable for getting rid of stuff I don't need, and occasionally bringing home stuff that I do need.

I couldn't agree more. Plenty of idiots on our local scheme, asking for the world on a stick - as this selection of recent listings will illustrate:

WANTED: Three piece suite, must be leather, in good condition, ideally cream.
WANTED: Car, no MOT failures thank you.
WANTED: Flat or house - my daughter has been made homeless, please can you help?

Who are they trying to kid? Still, it's a great way of getting rid of stuff without feeling the guilt of throwing it away!

[bobleponge]

Phewee. Fortunately you didnt post my greenhouse wanted advert to be mocked.

[veg4681]

Phewee. Fortunately you didnt post my greenhouse wanted advert to be mocked.

Actually it's alright to ask for Greenhouse because there are desperate people out there who just wants to get rid of them with house extension or moving away or just change of lifestyle, all sorts of reasons but they'll expect you to dismantle it yourself and take it away with your own transportation arrangement. What is unacceptable are people who snatch them up for selling onto eBay - scumbags of the world.

For me personally, the Freecycle has only ever been useful for offering things you no longer need or clutters your house.

[Potter]

I've found my local freecycle to be really useful.

We've offered a printer, a large monitor and a scanner which we're old but still fully functional - what I liked was that the nice folks who came for them genuinely seemed to appreciate them.

In return to date I have got a old wheel barrow, staging, shelves for the shed, a 8x10 shed (which would have been great but we politely declined as a bloke a few plots up the hill offered us his the same day) and just this morning an old room-sized wool carpet that had already been used to cover a veg patch and that now covers ours! Also very nearly got a freezer, but was gazzumped at the last minute (the bloke clearly said first to collect could have, it so fair enough!)

Everything that was offered to me the people were trying to get rid of, were hugely appreciated and have been proudly placed on my plot.

[kenco]

Now thats a good idea, my son has just burned half of my huge pile of seed trays and pots on the bonfire,which i grabbed from the local recycling depot.i would dearly love to have given them to someone who could have made good use of them.
Kenco

[bobleponge]

Me Me Me Me Me
Give them to me

'Over here"
Helllloooooooooooo
Me Me Me

Oh, too late. In the fire. Bother

[Farmer_Gyles]

i've got 5000 pots in the shed if anyone wants them - they're hard plastic, most about 5 inch (1 litre?) i think, in pretty colours like red/green/white/yellow - could do with a wash

[bobleponge]

Farmer Gyles
I will be in Aldershot in a couple of weeks time (yippee grandkids time), you're not too far away. Can I come and get some?
About 500 would be great

[TonyF]

Now thats a good idea, my son has just burned half of my huge pile of seed trays and pots on the bonfire,which i grabbed from the local recycling depot.i would dearly love to have given them to someone who could have made good use of them.
Kenco

Your son BURNED plastic seed trays and pots that you got from the recycling centre?????? Why not take them back to the recycling centre???

[Farmer_Gyles]

Farmer Gyles
I will be in Aldershot in a couple of weeks time (yippee grandkids time), you're not too far away. Can I come and get some?
About 500 would be great

yep - help yourself to as many as you want! PM me when you're on your way over
and bring some bin bags or something that can be tied up - like i said they could do with a wash (means they're a bit smelly!)