How do you ship seed?

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jerrytheplater
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Re: How do you ship seed?

Post by jerrytheplater »

The folded envelope was/is 1 3/4" x 1 3/8". I'm going to estimate it contained maybe 8-12 seeds. I just looked at it a little closer and I can see the imprint of the seeds on the envelope sides. It did see some crushing forces.

I don't know the size of either the D. scorpiodes gemmae or the Astrophytum, but I have seen the gemmae of D. filiformis, D. rotundifolia, and D. intermedia so I know their size. That is pretty thick. Much thicker than the Frailea seed.

Have you ever measured the total thickness of your envelope? The Post Office says it charges a surcharge for envelopes over 1/4" thick.
Jerry Smith
Bloomingdale, NJ
45 inches (114 cm) rain equivalent per year, approx. evenly spread per month
2012 USDA Hardiness Zone 6b: -5F to OF (-20C to -18C) min.
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jerrytheplater
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Re: How do you ship seed?

Post by jerrytheplater »

I took a quick look at the pot of crushed Frailea seeds and pretty sure I saw at least two seedlings!!

Back to shipping: via PM I was conversing with Keith and both of us thought of using a light rigid insert to protect the seeds. Think Balsa wood. I got to thinking about that and almost bought some balsa plywood or other lightweight plywood to make an insert.

But, today I read the USPS regulations regarding first class mail. They have a standard that says mail must be flexible and be able to go around an 11" diameter roller at a 40 lb pressure. Inflexible letters (like those containing balsa plywood) would fail this requirement. There is even a bend test to perform on an envelope to see if it passes. See sections 1.0 to 2.5 in this standard to read for yourself. https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/101.htm

Section 4.3 shows the flexibility test required for flat mailpieces. https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/201.htm#ep1096362

So, unless I am missing something, it looks like a small box is really the only surefire way to ensure uncrushed seeds. We are talking in the range of $5.00 to ship some seed.
Jerry Smith
Bloomingdale, NJ
45 inches (114 cm) rain equivalent per year, approx. evenly spread per month
2012 USDA Hardiness Zone 6b: -5F to OF (-20C to -18C) min.
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jerrytheplater
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Re: How do you ship seed?

Post by jerrytheplater »

So I took some photos of the F. atrobella seedlings I have. These are the ones that got crushed in shipping. I left the cover on the pot too long and saw some fungus over one nice seedling. I used a fine needle and removed a lot of the fungus from it using the microscope to see. I then used some Chinosol fungicide I had here and drizzled it over all of the surface.

I am wondering if I am seeing just broken pieces of seeds that have turned green. Let me know what you think.

This one labeled #1 is the one that had the fungus on top. I'll see what happens now that the whole pot is airing out.
Frailea atrobella 1 0.1 mm Scale Bar.jpg
Frailea atrobella 1 0.1 mm Scale Bar.jpg (152.34 KiB) Viewed 3269 times
#2 still had a piece of seedcoat on top. I removed it after the first photo and #2a is the same seedling.
Frailea atrobella 2 0.1 mm Scale Bar.jpg
Frailea atrobella 2 0.1 mm Scale Bar.jpg (133.21 KiB) Viewed 3269 times
Frailea atrobella 2a 0.1 mm Scale Bar.jpg
Frailea atrobella 2a 0.1 mm Scale Bar.jpg (142.83 KiB) Viewed 3269 times
#3 is my best seedling, already showing spines.
rsz Frailea atrobella 3 0.1 mm scale bar.jpg
rsz Frailea atrobella 3 0.1 mm scale bar.jpg (63.77 KiB) Viewed 3269 times
#4 looks like it is just a piece. Time will tell. But I'm now thinking I'll have to do a bit of work to keep track of the number of the seedlings to show growth progression. I didn't make a map of the top of the pot. Oops.
rsz Frailea atrobella 4 0.1 mm scale bar.jpg
rsz Frailea atrobella 4 0.1 mm scale bar.jpg (84.4 KiB) Viewed 3269 times
Jerry Smith
Bloomingdale, NJ
45 inches (114 cm) rain equivalent per year, approx. evenly spread per month
2012 USDA Hardiness Zone 6b: -5F to OF (-20C to -18C) min.
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MrXeric
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Re: How do you ship seed?

Post by MrXeric »

They're looking good! I am glad you got more than just a couple going.
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jerrytheplater
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Re: How do you ship seed?

Post by jerrytheplater »

Thanks Eric. I'm hoping a few survive to maturity.

Do you have the web address of the collector of these plants. VoS I searched for him last Friday and found mention of him, but no site yet.
Jerry Smith
Bloomingdale, NJ
45 inches (114 cm) rain equivalent per year, approx. evenly spread per month
2012 USDA Hardiness Zone 6b: -5F to OF (-20C to -18C) min.
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Aiko
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Re: How do you ship seed?

Post by Aiko »

jerrytheplater wrote: Sun Jun 19, 2022 3:39 am VoS I searched for him last Friday and found mention of him, but no site yet.
Are you looking for this: https://www.richtstatt.de/gymnos_v3/fie ... en&a=index?
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Tom in Tucson
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Re: How do you ship seed?

Post by Tom in Tucson »

Aiko wrote: Sun Jun 19, 2022 8:03 am
jerrytheplater wrote: Sun Jun 19, 2022 3:39 am VoS I searched for him last Friday and found mention of him, but no site yet.
Are you looking for this: https://www.richtstatt.de/gymnos_v3/fie ... en&a=index?
This is Volker Schädlich's web site, but his seed catalog is inactive. Fortunately ADBLPS still has some of Volker's VoS 08-322 (Frailea atrobella), Only lots of 5 seeds are listed for 1,1€.

This is one of Volker's nicest finds. Others are G. friedrichii VoS 9a and G. cabreraense VoS 2122
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jerrytheplater
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Re: How do you ship seed?

Post by jerrytheplater »

Thanks Aiko. That is the site. I found the listing for VoS 0322. It was also great to see habitat photos of the cacti.
Jerry Smith
Bloomingdale, NJ
45 inches (114 cm) rain equivalent per year, approx. evenly spread per month
2012 USDA Hardiness Zone 6b: -5F to OF (-20C to -18C) min.
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Aiko
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Re: How do you ship seed?

Post by Aiko »

Tom in Tucson wrote: Sun Jun 19, 2022 7:47 pm This is Volker Schädlich's web site, but his seed catalog is inactive.
It should be active again somewhere late November / early December. There will be an announcement for it well before that time on the website. It is a good source, so I can highly recommend it.
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Tom in Tucson
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Re: How do you ship seed?

Post by Tom in Tucson »

Aiko wrote: Mon Jun 20, 2022 5:30 pm
Tom in Tucson wrote: Sun Jun 19, 2022 7:47 pm This is Volker Schädlich's web site, but his seed catalog is inactive.
It should be active again somewhere late November / early December. There will be an announcement for it well before that time on the website. It is a good source, so I can highly recommend it.
The problem with waiting for his list in November is the risk of there not being enough left. If I remember correctly, once his list was available last year he shut it down only a few hours after it was posted. It was not active again for several days. By that time most of the more desirable seed was sold out. I think the safest thing to do is assume "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush", and order from ADBLPS.
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Aiko
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Re: How do you ship seed?

Post by Aiko »

Or just try both. That is what I always do. You always run the risk the seeds from one source might not germinate. So if there is a species you really like to grow from seed, allow for multiple chances for yourself at once and buy from different sources. If one portion of seeds wil not germinate, the seeds from the other one probably will.
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MrXeric
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Re: How do you ship seed?

Post by MrXeric »

Yes, Aiko has it right, and so does Tom! Check out ADBLPS here: https://www.adblps-graines-cactus.com/index_EN.html and here's the pdf for the current seed list: https://www.adblps-graines-cactus.com/G ... -01-01.pdf. Scroll down to Frailea and see the many (many!) species of of Frailea that are offered. I assume many of the seeds are sold out now, but Aymeric de Barmon puts out a new seed list every year around November, though it doesn't hurt to send an email now asking if a particular listing is sold out.
keith
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Re: How do you ship seed?

Post by keith »

So, unless I am missing something, it looks like a small box is really the only surefire way to ensure uncrushed seeds. We are talking in the range of $5.00 to ship some seed."

Yes bubble mailers work too at the same cost as a box about 5.00 depending on how far it has to go. I've probably mailed out 1K's of envelops on Ebay over the years but its about over shipping too expensive plus very strict new tax laws for hobbyists.

Etsy is better anyway for cactus.
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jerrytheplater
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Re: How do you ship seed?

Post by jerrytheplater »

So I just shipped two padded envelopes that I thought met the large envelope standards, but neglected to notice the minimum length. I think it will be a disaster and require extra postage. I paid $1.20 each. I cut out a pocket in one envelope and covered it with cardstock (Index Card). The seeds are in a glassine envelope inside of the pocket.

Keith is my Guinea Pig. They are addressed to him. They both contain 20 Frailea parviflora seeds. If it comes with postage due, I'll pay for it Keith.
Jerry Smith
Bloomingdale, NJ
45 inches (114 cm) rain equivalent per year, approx. evenly spread per month
2012 USDA Hardiness Zone 6b: -5F to OF (-20C to -18C) min.
keith
Posts: 1860
Joined: Wed Jun 12, 2013 3:50 am
Location: S. CA USA

Re: How do you ship seed?

Post by keith »

HAHA ok cool I'll let you know. I use CD size bubble mailers and buy them in bulk 250 at a time. Just about done with Ebay but can still send seeds to cactiguide readers :D if I have them. Lots of Mammillaria seeds but not popular. Ariocarpus will have a new crop in July 2023.

One more thing this time of year I stopped selling on Ebay way too many lost ( stolen ) packages .

Have more videos on youtube cactus duty
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