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Recommended Seed Catalogues
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Message 1.Â
Posted by mini-ha-ha (U3232053) on Thursday, 16th September 2010
We have just been given an allotment and would like to browse the seed catalogues this winter, with dreams of spring. Are there any companies that members would recommend for quality and reliability?
Many thanks. -
Message 2
Posted by pinxit (U14558922) on Thursday, 16th September 2010
Hello mini-ha-ha. If you are interested in gardening organically, I can recommend the Organic Gardening Catalogue at
www.OrganicCatalogue.com
or
enquiries@chaseorganics.co.uk
telephone 01932 253666
I've used it for years and find their seeds very good. Many of their seeds are bred organically. They may not have the widest range in the world, but it's wide enough for my needs.
Enjoy your new allotment!
pinxit -
Message 3
Posted by 4smilingcat6 (U14338727) on Thursday, 16th September 2010
The majority of catalogues are good with some having a better range of some things than others.
The only ones I would not recommend are T&M and anything to do with Sarah Raven or `Jekka`-all far too expensive.But that is just my opinion.
And if you want larger amounts of seeds maybe to share as a group purchase then Moles are very good -
Message 4
Posted by mini-ha-ha (U3232053) on Thursday, 16th September 2010
Thanks for those replies. I agree totally about the Sarah Raven stuff.
We've got about a third of the plot dug over now and have treated ourselves to a new stainless steel fork, which we will probably fight over. The excitement rather overcame us and we then ordered raspberry canes and a thornless blackberry which popped up on the guardian website.
Today we've bought 3 types of onion sets to put in as well. Looked at the shallots, but at £2.99 for 10 I baulked and didn't get them. Are they worth it?
Look forward to hearing from others experience in ordering. (We will need weed proof membrane as well.) -
Message 5
Posted by nooj (U13729031) on Thursday, 16th September 2010
I love Marshalls.
Never had anything bad from them, and they are really nice if you have to ring up -
Message 6
Posted by pinxit (U14558922) on Thursday, 16th September 2010
I grew my first shallots two years ago, and am a convert! I find them delicious, especially in roasted veg or small ones grilled as part of a kebab.
£2.99 sounds a bit expensive, but bearing in mind that if they grow well you can get anything from 5 or 6 to more than 15 little bulbs from each one you plant, it's not such a bad deal. -
Message 7
Posted by ageing_hippie (U6742113) on Thursday, 16th September 2010
If your allotment society is affiliated to the National Society of Allotment Gardeners they can obtain copies of the King's seed catalogue offering seeds at greatly reduced prices. Further discounts are available if your society can organise to submit all the orders together. On our allotments we have just received our seed catalogues for 2010. We have to give our orders to the treasurer by the end of October. Usually our combined order is large enough for the society to make a small profit from the additional discounts. King's seeds cover a wide range including organics.
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Message 8
Posted by oldfogey (U8196337) on Thursday, 16th September 2010
I have used Kings seeds and have found them very competitively priced. This year I ordered a seed catalogue (online. It arrived last week and is full of vwry good information regarding sowing, planting and harvesting times.Try this link;
www.kingsseeds.com -
Message 9
Posted by mini-ha-ha (U3232053) on Thursday, 16th September 2010
Thanks again for all your replies; I shall follow several of your recommendations for catalogues or online and I shall look out for shallots that are a bit cheaper. I do like to cook with them and I know that they are never cheap in the shops.
Planted the onion sets today and it felt very good to get something in.
These allotments are very new, having just been cleared and allocated by the council. Haven't met some of the others, but not the person in overall charge, although I know there is a committee, or whatever it's called.
Very interesting to see the various approaches people are using to set up the virgin site. -
Message 10
Posted by pastmemories (U2437829) on Thursday, 16th September 2010
This year seeds from Aldi and Lidl did better than the big seed companies.
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Message 11
Posted by Mike (U14311251) on Thursday, 16th September 2010
I have bought seeds from B&Q, bumper packs of 12 types of seed in a £3.50 pack. I bought one salad, one herb and one veg. Good to start with just not many seeds of each. (I only have a tiny garden)
I have just got my Marshalls catologue as they seem the cheapest for their range. But there is Unwins and Suttons, but seem a bit expensive. For fruit bushes/canes Tescos did some in April time, or you can try www.vanmeuwen.com.
If you need small amounts then moreveg.co.uk might be good for you. I am looking in the catologue but am planning to go to lidl at some point. Morrisons are cheap for gardening tools and accessories. -
Message 12
Posted by richardbees (U3432591) on Thursday, 16th September 2010
mini - why not use the plot to grow some "green manure" over winter?
there's still time to sow phacelia (which I've just bought from 'willow8spike' on ebay) -
Message 13
Posted by Playingtimeaddedon (U14150224) on Thursday, 16th September 2010
I go along with 7 and 8.
I have found Kings to have a good range at a good price.
If there is a special seed that I require that they do not stock - a type of runner bean or broad bean for example - I look for it on the internet. -
Message 14
Posted by calculad (U3607616) on Thursday, 16th September 2010
Don't enjoy being negative, but avoid e-seeds.
They sold me relabelled out of date seeds with date crudely tippexed out.
They gave profuse apologies and promises, but no refund and no replacement.
Oh alright I did enjoy that.
K -
Message 15
Posted by richardbees (U3432591) on Friday, 17th September 2010
I agree K: only buy e-seeds by recommendation from a trusted source.
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Message 16
Posted by mini-ha-ha (U3232053) on Friday, 17th September 2010
Thanks again for your continuing responses. I am taking notes and have a positive column and a negative one, so both types of comments are valuable.
richardbees: the green manure is going on to the next bit we dig over. The first part of the plot will have the raspberries, the second got the onions and the next bit will be sprinkled with green manure, unfortunately bought at the garden centre, so not particularly cheap and not a huge amount. The past part (hopefully we'll get all of it dug) we will cover with weed-proof membrane.
Husband is out digging as I write, so maybe good progress is being made.
Thanks to all. -
Message 17
Posted by youngandallotmenting (U14434252) on Friday, 17th September 2010
Moreveg.com is super cheap and provides less seeds which is great because otherwise you will likely end up wasting them especially with carrot/parsnip seeds. However I don't think they have a paper catologue??
realseeds.co.uk is a fave of mine, very good for browsing, has a paper catologue and provides some very unusual varieties. Pricy but worth it for one or two unusual buys! Good luck for the spring! -
Message 18
Posted by whatalottie (U9072847) on Friday, 17th September 2010
I've had a run in with T&M. £19.55 went from my credit card account. I couldn't remember what it was for, and had no acknowledgement so I rang them up.
They had no record of the order, so they promised to check and to ring me back that day. They didn't.
This happened 5 TIMES.
Finally I spoke to a very nice lady, and later that day she retuned my call and said that it was a mistake, it had been taken for another order, which I had placed on a different day for a different sum of money!!!! It had, she said, been a glitch in the system and it had happened to a lot of people!!!!!
They refunded my money WITH a £5 voucher (which probably covered my calls!) It was only that I checked my statement and I'm b***dy minded that I managed to get my money back.
It had happened to a lot of people they said!!!!
have they contacted them all and returned their money? I wonder, I might be maligning them to say I doubt it, but... it's an awful lot of administration...
I will not be ordering from them again.
Lottie -
Message 19
Posted by 4smilingcat6 (U14338727) on Friday, 17th September 2010
Not seeds but a word of advice. Do not buy any brassica plants unless you are sure they have been raised in a commercial grade compost. The same appies to well meant `gifts` as you may run the risk of importing club root.
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Message 20
Posted by mini-ha-ha (U3232053) on Friday, 17th September 2010
I hadn't thought of that. Good thing you mentioned it as I was kind of hoping someone might give me some cabbage plants they don't want.
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Message 21
Posted by richardbees (U3432591) on Friday, 17th September 2010
smilingcat, what good advice!
"Club root" seldom gets mentioned but it should.
I've suffered from it and once it's in the soil it stops you growing brassicas for ever!!! -
Message 22
Posted by Ian W (U8604472) on Saturday, 18th September 2010
I quite like DT Browns for veg seeds but I've had good results with seeds bought from Wilkos and even the Pound shops. While it's tempting to put in a large order now my advice would be to buy what you need for early spring then have a good look around before spending any more money.
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Message 23
Posted by 7magpies (U8108459) on Saturday, 18th September 2010
There's nothing to stop you browsing the posh catalogues for ideas about varieties, and then sourcing them elsewhere (e.g. MoreVeg). I'd be wary of using eBay now - my daughter bought some "Tumbling Tom" tomato seeds from eBay, but they have turned into great big tomatoes, so they must be some other variety. She left positive feedback months ago so has no redress now.
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Message 24
Posted by 7magpies (U8108459) on Saturday, 18th September 2010
Oh and another thought - that seems very expensive for shallots. I'd shop around a bit - try garden centres and local hardware/garden suppliers. You won't see many at the moment, though - most of the shallots don't appear in the shops until the early spring. I tried putting some in at the end of Jan last year and it was a mistake, as many of them didn't survive the frosts that followed.
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Message 25
Posted by mini-ha-ha (U3232053) on Saturday, 18th September 2010
I love the browsing bit, that's why I wanted some recommendations so if I see something I can order with greater confidence. I did buy some seeds from Wilkinsons this week, all at 75% off and all still within date for spring: leeks, turnips, mangetout and my favourite Minibel tomatoes which did supremely well in pots this year.
Now shallots: why does the supermarket have cooking shallots at £1 for a bag of 10 when they are so expensive in the Garden Center? Could I actually plant these, or are planting ones specially treated somehow? -
Message 26
Posted by the2 jays (U14383723) on Saturday, 18th September 2010
premeir seeds direct I've found to be very good.
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Message 27
Posted by pinxit (U14558922) on Saturday, 18th September 2010
If you have enough space (and they don't take up much,) why not try those supermarket shallots and see what happens? I suppose there is a faint possibility they might carry some sort of plant disease which would affect your crop, but the chances are they've been grown with pesticides/fungicides in the fields, so this would seem unlikely.
I'd be very interested to hear your results if you do grow some. I've saved "sets" from my own crops, and this year they almost grew to the size of ordinary onions in a mini raised bed on the east-facing wall of the garage! I think the variety was Topper. -
Message 28
Posted by Vixxihibiscus (U13865184) on Saturday, 18th September 2010
Smiling cat, tell us more, I didn't know about that?
I ordered in some topsoil for raised beds this year and imported white onion rot. I'm just devastated! only 8 of my 18 beds remain unaffected which is going to make crop rotation interesting! Beware of that too! -
Message 29
Posted by gone with the fairys (U14602461) on Monday, 20th September 2010
How interesting, i am so glad i read this as i didn't have a clue about the rots as i too am just starting out, an i will be also pinchin all the seed advice lol, will have to look it up now and find out a bit more bout it.
and good luck on your growing
Donna -
Message 30
Posted by Blue-lotus (U12231090) on Tuesday, 21st September 2010
I would not recommend T&M because they sent me different varieties of aubergine seeds and when I complained they give me the choice to choose and they send me the wrong variety again.So I stop buying from them as they are a bit on the expensive side of the price.
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Message 31
Posted by Vixxihibiscus (U13865184) on Wednesday, 22nd September 2010
Hi Mini ha ha,
I would recommend B&Q "more for less" seeds. They do a Salad, Vegetable and Herb garden assortment. Each pack contains 12 varieties of seeds, they only cost £4 per pack and are of excellent quality. I buy some every year, they germinate exceptionally well. Suttons seeds at B&Q prices!
They're great for getting basics and then ordering individual packets to top up on different varieties.
Happy Gradening! -
Message 32
Posted by mini-ha-ha (U3232053) on Wednesday, 22nd September 2010
The allotment is now 3/4 dug and I have planted some of those supermarket shallots to see what happens.
Another thought as I was sprinkling the green manure: why is green manure so expensive but wild bird food relatively cheap. Both mixed grains aren't they?
T&M is the first catalogue to arrive. Not impressed and I am bearing in mind the negative comments from Blue Lotus. Husband has looked at several of the online sellers and some of those look better. -
Message 33
Posted by richardbees (U3432591) on Thursday, 23rd September 2010
mini - Green manure seed is designed to be sown by 'spreading' aimed at 12" between each seed - not "sprinkled" like the detritus from the bottom of a budgie cage.
Warn your husband that 95% of seeds sold by ESellers are cr+p....
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