I use standard US coin cardboard flips with plastic windows ..........
.......... which can be purchased at any coin shop, to prevent the seed being crushed by Post Office machinery. I buy them for $3.00 per hundred (or 5 cents each individually) which seems to be a pretty standard price. I position the seed in the flip window, fold the flip, then staple and label it as shown ..........
.......... I slip the packet into an addressed standard envelope which mails with a standard stamp.
Last edited by jp29 on Tue May 03, 2016 10:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Wow, James, that's a heck of an idea! I LOVE Human ingenuity!
Once bitten by the cactus collecting/growing bug, there is no known cure!
There's no 12 step programme for Cactaholics...so I shall just have to get some more!!
Ivan C wrote:Very good idea, James. I'm sure the staples help a lot to prevent crushing.
Actually it is the double layers of hard cardboard that do the job Ivan, although the staples do help - I like to flatten the ends of the staples using a hammer ..........
.......... I sometimes just use scotch tape to secure the packet edges but I prefer the security of the staples.
Last edited by jp29 on Sun Apr 13, 2014 2:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
There are also self-adhesive ones. I used to use those in my coin collecting days as a kid.
This seems like a nice idea for many seeds, but I doubt it will hold small seeds, like those of mesembs. I still prefer seeds in small paper bags, and for mailing safety put those in a small match box.
Now if anyone would like some free seed, browse my web site and ask for availability of species via a PM - first come, first served - much of my seed crop is already committed to friends. I do not wash or clean this seed - some dried fruit remnants are included.
NOTE: I only mail seed to US addresses.
Here is the way it would work: if the requested seed is available, I would need a self addressed, stamped envelope (regular US surface mail stamp) sent to me - I will enclose the encapsulated seed in that envelope and mail it.
All of this year's crop of dried seed is now spoken for. In the future I will only mail fruit - recipients will have to do their own seed extraction and preparation.
I LOVE Human ingenuity!
