Anybody know whats up with the ICPS seed bank? I know its offseason for seeds but man is it low. Is it that nobody is donating? Is membership falling? Anybody got a clue?
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ICPS seed bank query
- Thread starter Huntsmanshorn
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I wondered the same thing. I think earlier in the year they had a bunch of stuff, then all of a sudden it was S. jonesii hybrid seeds or whatever is up there now. I'd donate some but I'm just getting started again and I am not 100% certain of the identities of some of the seeds I have.
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The new seed bank manager apparently doesn't have the time to actually manage it, on top of declining ICPS membership and donations declining over a long period of time. I've had quite a few people tell me over the past year that they donated seed and it never showed up in the seed bank inventory, so interest in donating is lower than ever. It really is too bad.
That's really a shame. I wonder if there isn't something we could do to help. Like a donation drive or something...
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Last edited:
Shadowtski
Supporter
It takes a fair amount of time and energy to run a seed bank. The manager is a volunteer. Perhaps he burnt out or didn't realize the amount of work the job entailed.
One possible solution is to contact Joe G. or John B. and offer to help them. Find out where the problem is and jump in with assistance.
I run a small CP seed bank on another forum so I can commiserate with Joe. My personal problem job is dividing and individually packaging seeds when a bulk donation comes in to the seed bank I manage. Sometimes a donation comes in and it's a few weeks before I muster up energy to do it.
Good growing,
Mike
One possible solution is to contact Joe G. or John B. and offer to help them. Find out where the problem is and jump in with assistance.
I run a small CP seed bank on another forum so I can commiserate with Joe. My personal problem job is dividing and individually packaging seeds when a bulk donation comes in to the seed bank I manage. Sometimes a donation comes in and it's a few weeks before I muster up energy to do it.
Good growing,
Mike
Okay, here is the scoop on the ICPS Seed Bank. As Shadowtski mentioned, managing the seed bank involves a lot of work on the volunteer’s part with much of the effort involving cleaning and putting seeds into individual packets ready for sale. This is a very time consuming job for one person, especially for sundew seeds! So the main issue is not lack of seed donations as much as it is preparation of seeds donated. Joe does have seeds to be listed on the Seed Bank, but much of it needs to be cleaned and packaged in individual packets before they are ready to be listed.
I think what would help Joe and the Seed Bank the most is if donated seed were cleaned and packaged in individual wax paper packets by the donor (each with an amount of seed you want a person ordering to get) so they can be listed on the website in a timely manner. Instructions for cleaning seed and making the individual wax paper packets can be found here: http://www.carnivorousplants.org/about/store/packets
Currently I believe there are 20+ items listed on the Seed Bank website.
I think what would help Joe and the Seed Bank the most is if donated seed were cleaned and packaged in individual wax paper packets by the donor (each with an amount of seed you want a person ordering to get) so they can be listed on the website in a timely manner. Instructions for cleaning seed and making the individual wax paper packets can be found here: http://www.carnivorousplants.org/about/store/packets
Currently I believe there are 20+ items listed on the Seed Bank website.
Shadowtski
Supporter
That's a big improvement. Yesterday there was only one species, the OP oreophila.
There are some neat selections posted there now.
I second DJ57's suggestions.
Good growing,
Mike
There are some neat selections posted there now.
I second DJ57's suggestions.
Good growing,
Mike
I always thought this was required! Guess a lot of people don't send separate packets when they donate... I can see how that would get difficult to keep up with.
Glad to see that it's been updated though!
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It's not required but you do get additional donor credits when you clean and packetize seeds before sending them in. See the website for details.
John no longer has anything to do with the management of the seedbank other than forwarding the mail to Joe.
I had always thought that the individual packets thing was a requirement too; I always packetize my seeds whether I'm donating or selling myself anyway, and it's not a difficult prospect....a few seed types in there I'm gonna have to see if I can acquire now too with the credits I should have left.
