I wanted to know how to get started with buying and trading. I do not own any succulents right now.
To be honest, I am not sure when I should start buying them. Depending on where I look I am can be anything from a 9B to a 7A growing zone.
I really want to get into this in a serious way, because I want to make living wreaths, hanging ball, unusual containers and sell them locally.
I am retired, live on SS in a 5th wheel and take care of my disabled husband so I don't have a lot of money to spend or a lot of room to bring plants inside.
When you buy, do you just contact the seller?
When you find something in the trade section and don't have anything to trade, can you buy?
Is it possible to buy cuttings?
Thank you to anyone who answers this.
Nancy

puzzlenutty

You should maybe first check out the Co-ops, Group Buys and Classifieds forum. Many people offer plants there just for postage. And if you find anything in the trade section you can just contact the member ('send a treemail' as it is called here) and see what they would want for their plants.

Welcome to ATP, Nancy!

Hi Nancy! Welcome! According to USDA website (if you live in the 86409 zip code) you are a zone 8b, but yes there are lots of variance within a zone! http://planthardiness.ars.usda...
I began going overboard on succulents about 2 years ago! I've always liked them, but really began "collecting" !!
If there are any "big box" stores near you, they very often have plants which don't look so well, on sale for cheap, and really often they just need some TLC and repotting and they bounce back!

with Greg. Good advice/pointer to plants at a discounted price. So much of our collections have resulted from scouting out good deals.

Its true Bev, also taking leaf cuttings from where ever you see plants you like (with permission I hope!) The cuttings should root pretty readily (although I've seen some people post on here that cuttings seem to grow better in the spring, if you live in a cooler area)

Bev.
Sounds like me. Only I am the disable one. Do you think your husband would be interested in them also? My wife like some of mine but she has her own interest. And I got most of my nicest plants free for postage to me so I am ready to do the same for the next person. I am currently growing seeds and will give away for postage next year. Seeds are slow. Read eveything you can starting here of course and be ready for many plants.
Stush

I am sure Stush meant his post for you, Nancy. His post also has good offer and advice.

Sorry Bev. Your right.

Thank you each and every one of you for your kind Hello and information.

Dutchlady1- Thank you for your kind welcome and the information.

webesemps - Thank you and Happy Holidays to you as well. If that is you in the picture, you are a very pretty woman.

DavidofDeLand - Thanks to you as well. I will look up your site when I get a change.

gg5 - Small world. We move to Quartzsite, AZ to vend from Olympia, WA. Hated, hated, hated Quartzsite! Had to live there for almost seven years because we could not afford to
leave. We moved to Kingman in June so that my husband could be close to a good hospital, and so far so good. It is a very nice place, and the weather is more to our liking.
We actually have trees next to our 5th wheel, something we missed so much living in Quartzsite.

Stush2019 - Thank you so much. No, my husband won't get interested in my plants. He will like the living wreaths I make with them. Very interested in how your seeds do. I have
seen seeds for sale and have wondered how they do. Certainly a much cheaper way to get the plants I need.

Thank you all again, and Happy Holidays to you all.
Nancy

Hi Nancy, from a fellow Arizonan!

A place that I have found terrific deals and many gimme plants is the local Cactus and Succulent Society (club). I know there's another one in Tucson (even bigger than ours) but I don't know of any other in the state. But there is a bunch of nuts in this club, and the generosity is pretty overwhelming. I've had people offer things that I never would have thought to ask for, lol.

If you get down to Phoenix at all, you should definitely stop by one of our meetings - we often have wonderful speakers. And the sale and show is in April, I believe - but those tend to be kinda pricey, depending on what they're selling. If nothing else, some great ideas, or a place you might want to sell stuff once you get going. Lots of collectors for neat stuff.

Also check out Lowe's and Home Depot's "dead and dying" rack - sometimes they have those little cactus gardens that aren't in great shape - you can separate out the little plants and grow them on as your own stock.

Welcome again!

Good idea Sheryl! I have yet to join my local succulent society, and keep saying that I will do!!!

Can't promise the same format, but our 'society' (sounds like a bunch of older women with tea and cookies, doesn't it?) starts out with a silent auction on plants contributed by members for club funds. There is a separate table for "give aways" - often unnamed aloes, agave bulbils, opuntia pads, or other odds and ends. I'm thinking about taking some of my black nursery pots up to see if anyone wants some!

Thank you Sheryl,
I checked and there is a garden society here in Kingman that has several succulents lovers. I am going to try to get to a meeting.
Great idea.

You lucky west coasters...I'm within 150 miles of a million people...not a decent CSS within that radius!

I don't think there are any chapters of any plant societies in AL. The lack of Begonia-philes really puzzles me! And they don't get much credit as succulents usually. They're so much more than the fru-fru 'annuals' most people think they are. (AFAIK, no Begonias are true annuals.) Once I realized they are succulents, I had much better luck with cuttings - NOT rotting them.

Well, I'll be hornswoggled. Begonias are succulents?

I bet you have Rose societies. We even have *those*, lol...

Begonias are succulents as far as the adjective goes (succulent means juicy so they are often described as succulent leaves or stems) but they don't fall into the classification of succulent plants - they are tropical and need regular watering.
Don't want to mislead anyone reading this thread
cheers
Thanks

Shew, thanks for the clarification - I thought I was gonna hafta look that one up!