Hi Old Gard!
We cross-posted but please don't apologize. Especially since we're all brainstorming.
>> if every new member received 10 "seedpacket" icons
>> I especially like the idea of being able to send seedpackets to someone else.
I like "virtual pkts", if Dave thinks it's the way to go. The database does sound like work to create, and work to maintain.
>> Would there be a minimum/maximum seed count to send?
>> Would we note on our pages the # of seeds per package or ????
Probably there should be some generally-agreed-upon guidelines or advice, but everyone will do what they please.
I like the idea of each donor saying what's in each pkt (especially if there is a column for it, distinct from the plant description that is visible in the Plant database. Like "Trading Info". For example: "30 seeds unless you warn me in mid-summer, than I'll save you an ounce".
The person requesting could negotiate for more or say they're happy with less.
Some swaps say "more than 20" commercial seeds, but that seems more suited to rare or purchased seeds than (for example) home-saved Zinnias. Tomatoes and peppers often seem to have lower seed-counts than other crops, maybe because tomato plants are so big. I've seen a count of "10 or more" in tomato swaps.
We could list approx # of seeds, or volume (1/8 tsp, 1/64 tsp, 1 tablespoon), or weight. I usually split using a set of mini-measuring spoons, but if I want to make all pkts the same, I use a little scale I have.
I know that when I collected seeds from my Italian leaf broccoli patch that bolted, I wound up with OUNCES of seeds, and split them into some 1/2 tsp pkts. (Hundreds of seeds?)
But commercial seeds where I only have half a pkt of biggish seeds left over might get 1/8 tsp = 30 seeds.
Or a dust-like seed like petunia might be too small to count and less than 1/64th tsp!
I know that when I buy fancy Viola seeds, the whole pkt is too small to measure and the seeds are too small to count. Maybe list it as "around 1/3" of Swallowtail's pkt"?
Maybe for big-seeded crops, suggest a size of one pkt = 10 or 20 feet of row at the recommended spacing. But is that sowing every 2" and thinning to 12", or starting 1/6th as many seeds in trays and transplanting them out at 12" spacing? One way is 10-20 seeds, the other is 60-120 seeds.
