Plant trade etiquette

[Timgod]

What does a person believe to be a fair trade???
Is it a starter plant?
Is it a plant that has started to bloom?
Is it one that has bloomed for a few months?
Is is a full grown out plant like you purchase at a retail shop?
I have purchased plants from several members recently but have not yet received them so I do not know the proper trading etiquette.
I am posting a few small pix on what I would send as a trade. I grow my extra plants out in cups ala Sean.
Please, I would like good feedback from all who are traders in our community.

[Timgod]

VIP starts.
What is expected in a trade for VIPs.
Should it be fuzzy?
Should it have a leaf?
Should it be starting roots?

Once again I would appreciate feedback from all those who trade.
Thanks,
Tim

[matherfish]

Tim, I think all of the things you mentioned can be traded, but the person receiving the plant needs to understand what he/she is getting, so the trade is equal.  If you want to know what the person is offering, ask.  Is it a vip leaf (leaf with fuzzy nodule), a vip start (small plant with leaves), a small starter plant, a division, etc.  If you are not sure what the descripotion means to the one giving the description, just ask.
Example-  Bob in Ill. is looking for vips.  I only have vip starts on my plants, but I offered them, stating they were very small vip plants.  By that, they are newly growing plants on the end of the plant stems, but they do have leaves formed.  They are not small plants freely growing in soil, nor close to budding and blooming.  They are only a couple of inches in size.  They should grow, but are not planted currently.
This is my gauge on trades.  I look forward to hearing others' viewpoint.

[Jennie in MT]

I agree.  Anything can be traded.  It is just important for all parties to know what is being sent.  Upfront discusion is the best way to prevent backside dissatisfaction.
The other thing for me is that I try not to have really high expectations.  It is a trade, not a sale.  Another ponder and I are just sharing the bounty of our ponds.  If the lily I get is small...it will grow.  Just means I have more time to kill before I have to lug it out and divide it!

[Timgod]

Jennie in MT & matherfish

What are your thoughts on the plant sizes I showed in the pix? If we were trading, would you be satisfied? All of the plants shown have bloomed for at least a month? Would that be ok...good...great...

[Kat]

All of those lilies shown are decent sized & I would classify them as "blooming size", the trops "blooming size with blooms".  Since you are using cups for the pots (I do the same), they aren't going to be huge but I personally prefer that size of plant because I think it ships & transplants better than bigger tropicals.

Pictures of each plant help but also be sure to ask the person you are trading with for plant sizes, provenance, & what shipping method they will be using.  In the past I've ended up with snowflake that was supposed to be a water lily, plants shipped first class, plants shipped without any cushion around them in the box, itty bitty plants, etc.  But I've also met a number of very nice traders that send extras, big plants, etc. 

Vip trades.  I've traded just pads with the fuzzy node developed & have been succesful getting new plants started that way.  Just be sure to describe what you'll be sending & ask what the trader will be sending in return.

BTW, I do trades so you are welcome to contact me.

[matherfish]

Tim, the first picture you show says Queen of Siam.  Is that a purple bloom, or is the picture color wrong?  All of the plants are blooming sized.  If they were bigger I would say they were large blooming sized lilies. 
Happy ponding!

[Timgod]

It's pink...the color is fine. I just had to shrink it down so much to show the full size of the plant in question.
See the pics below. They were taken when it was a little overcast. Sometimes the Texas sun is a bit intense and washes out color...

[LilithFair]

My only word of advice is, when you are trading plants other than water lilies (like marginals) make certain that the plants you have are called the same thing where YOU live as they are where the person you are trading to lives. SOmetimes people call things different names, or are unaware that what they are calling a plant may not be what that plant is known by elsewhere. This happened to me in a trade on the board that preceded this one a few years ago, and it wasn't a good experience.

[Timgod]

I read the latest post. In reading I noticed how it looked without the pics so I deleted the originals and have reloaded the ones used to show size.

[Ky Kim]

I wouldn't hesitate to make a trade for a tropical like you have posted.  Healthy looking and blooming, and already dixie cup size.  Looks like a good trade to me.

Kimberly

[Joyce]

I'm with Kim! Great looking plant!

Also, eBay Plant Etiquette:
Don't buy unless the seller provides a photo of the actual plant you are bidding on.
(Not 'Glamour Shots')
Buyer Beware: There are quite a few extremely unscrupulous sellers out there.
Check their feedback, and how they treat anyone who isn't happy with their plants...
that'll be you too if you are not satisfied. 

[Teresa]

Buyer Beware: There are quite a few extremely unscrupulous sellers out there.
Check their feedback, and how they treat anyone who isn't happy with their plants...
that'll be you too if you are not satisfied. 

I think that's the most important bit of advice for anyone trading. Find out if the trader does ebay and if so, ABSOLULTELY check for negative and neutral feedback on Ebay - even if you are not buying on ebay - even if you are trading on this or another forum.  How negative feedback is handled is ever important . . . if the issue is resolved, it will show in that feedback.

Also, be very careful about touched up photos.  You can always go to Victoria Adventures to see what color a lily should bloom.  I've noticed that a couple of people touch up their photos and often the flower and pads end up completely different in the picture than they are in real life.  If you find a trader who's pictures are touched up, it's probably best to avoid them - you want to get what you expect to get.

As for what is a fair trade, that depends on what you work out as a trade.  I've gotten starter plants, cuttings, seeds, and full grown and blooming plants.  I buy lilies from Tammie in Hawaii and always get beautiful, large, blooming plants - sometimes they even have flowers open in the box and they often have flowers that open as soon as they hit the water.

As long as you are honest and up front in your description of what you're giving, and understand what you want in return - it'll be a good trade.  And, I'd be happy to trade for a lily that size and condition . . . especially with a picture of it before the trade.

[LeeAnne151]

Communication is very important. Ask questions and be satisfied with the answers before agreeing to the deal.

Sellers should answer questions in a timely manner, especially on eBay.

Trading between forum members is more informal but communication is still the key to transactions between people on the Internet.

When buying on eBay ALWAYS use your credit card, it is your best defense from fraud.