Oftentimes there are important issues that come up during the course of a swap, before it, or after it. This is where I will post those important notices, so keep an eye out here for updates, particularly as we get closer to the swap start time and during the swap.

Good news! Due to the expansive list of seeds that you have all entered, I have increased the multiplier to FIVE (5)! (It was at the default of 3, previously.)

That means that on the first day you will receive FIVE (5) tickets, the second day you will receive 10, etc...

Keep in mind that means things may move VERY quickly, especially when you consider the bonus tickets awarded when your seeds are claimed. Please 'star' your wishlist items accordingly! ...and be sure you understand the start date and time, there will be a LOT of claims going on the first night or two, for sure. If you have questions, please feel free to ask in the forums (best method) or ask me directly via Tree-Mail (I check at least once per day).

@DogsNDaylilies For those of us on Daylight Saving Time, the first day of the swap starts at 5pm PST. Will the following days start at 4pm or will it still be 5pm?

Great question! Before I answer it, can I ask a favor of you? I want to test and make sure of a feature within the swap....if you go to the main swap page ( https://garden.org/apps/swap/v... ) and scroll past the white info boxes all of the way down to the information right above the 'Want to start a new thread about this swap?' part...does it show you the start times in your time zone? For me, it shows everything in EDT, but I don't know if Dave set the EDT up as a standard, static time reminder in that area, or if it adjusts to each member/user. Could you let me know?

To answer your question, though, the start time *will* change. I always have to think about which way it goes, myself. But yes, the first day it will start at 5pm your time, and thereafter it will start at 4pm.

I know 4pm can be a rough time for some people; if I had my choice, I would move the start time forward to allow west-coasters a chance to get home from work, but it starts at midnight server time and that element is un-changeable. That is why the first couple of days work best as weekend days, though...most people won't be stuck in traffic coming home from work at 4pm on a Saturday. I *have* considered going back to the late-October swap time, so I may do another follow-up thread again after this swap to see how early-mid November ended up working for everyone.

Mine lists it as 7 pm Central. So there are a few bonuses to living in the middle of the country. Everything is convenient for us.

Yeah, I see the start times for my zone: "Trading Begin: Nov 4, 2017 5:00 PM PDT (6 days)."

And thanks for the clarification. I've been wondering, and for awhile I thought I'd just try to figure it out come time, but then I decided that I didn't want to accidentally miss any action. Lol. So much thanks! I'm super excited for tomorrow!

Mine says:
"Trading Begin: Nov 4, 2017 8:00 PM EDT (6 days)" (copy and pasted)
Is this correct? How can it start at 5:00pm my time if it starts at 5:00pm PT? I'm really confused

...and then with the time change?

@bloominholes2fill
Hi Dana, I'm Eastern Time Zone too, So at 8pm tomorrow evening I will be poised at my computer waiting for Treasure Chests to appear on my Wish List so I can put dibs on my five ( ) most wanted items!
I'll do the same thing on Sunday evening at 8 pm and each night of the swap.
When it is 8pm for us here, it is 7pm Central time, 6pm Mountain time and only 5pm Pacific time.
I don;t worry about daylight savings time except for the one clock I have to manually set back an hour.
See you at 8pm tomorrow and Good bidding!

I went back and read that....it was addressed to a PT member, not all of us. I get it now!
I'll be at my brother's bonfire, at 8pm tomorrow, but I'm going to try and check in.....

Im still confused...sorry! I am on the East coast. It is now Saturday about 6pm. Does the swap start in 2 hours at 8p? And, is it at 8pm for me for the rest of the days?
Thank you!

Hi Terri,
Im outside Boston, also on the east coast. Yes, the swap begins at 8pm tonight. Overnight, you'll turn your clocks back for Daylight Savings time, but Sun night, the swap is still 8pm our time. The time itself doesnt change (just the clock) :D

I thought the swap started at 6:00 CST. I guess I am confused.

I'm pretty sure that the time zone that the server is based out of doesn't practice DST ....so there should be a one hour difference in start times. Tomorrow, plan to check in an hour earlier. ;)

Hey everyone....go here: https://garden.org/apps/swap/v...

....go all the way to the info box at the bottom, right before it says "Want to start a thread about this swap?", and look at the start time there. That should be tailored to your specific time zone.

If you are in an area that practices daylight savings time, tomorrow (and subsequent nights) will be one day earlier. I hope that helps!

will be one day earlier. I hope that helps! [/quote]

.....One day earlier???? Oh no.....now Im REALLY confused.

LoL!

Sorry, I meant to say one *hour* earlier.

Okay, so is day one completely over? What time does it *end* each day, midnight? You say that it starts at such and such a time each day, and there are still treasure chests on available items, right now (5:00am ). Are they deactivated until it 'starts' again the following day?

Dara,

Even if you are late to the swap, your "tickets" to bid on items are still available all that day. It's never turned off. When you bid on all the items you are allowed (day 1 you get 5 tickets, and if you "sell" more of your seeds, you willnaccummulate more. At the top of the wish list where you are dibbing seeds you want, there will be a tally of " you have 2.00 tickets" When they are gone. it says 0.00. Once you dib all the items you are allowed for the first day/24 hour period, you have to wait til the next "start time" the next day to get your NEW daily tickets, but the swap is never shut down if you still have tickets to use. And if you have not used them all the first day for whatever reason, they carry over to the next day.

Re: the time/zone that shows up at DnD mentioned before the "want to start a new thread". Mine showed up at CDT. I thought this was standard and when DnD said it should be tailored to my time zone, I went into my profile/preferences and apparently I had never chosen my time zone, so it defaults to that.

Dara, I am on the East coast (outside Boston) so the swap starts for me (renewed tickets) every night at 8pm. I see you are in Canton OH, so you are also the same zone as I am, so every night at 8pm, you will get additional tickets to use until the swap ends.

Hope this helps!
val

@vma4922 Yes this explanation helps quite a lot!!

Perhaps @DnD might add this to their intro or article for the Rookies? Just a suggestion.