Topic: Kings Seeds?

[JohnnyLarge]

At the moment I am perusing seed catalogues for next years seeds and sets etc.
I normally buy Wilko's seeds because they are easy to obtain and good value.
This year I have decided to try some stuff I have not grown before and some different varieties which may be more suitable to the conditions my garden offers.
I have looked in Dobies catalogue and while the seeds to be of good quality, they seem rather expensive.
My Kings Seeds catalogues arrived today. My Allotment Society is 'registered' with Kings, and we receive a sizeable discount. However, a couple of the gardeners on our allotments reckon the Kings seeds aren't as good as either Dobies or Wilkos and the germination rate is a bit 'hit and miss' with Kings.
Kings are a d**n sight cheaper and do offer a vast variety of seeds.

Has anyone had poor results with Kings or are all seeds suppliers of roughly the same quality?
ATB
John ???

[thomasb]

I ordered the majority of my seeds from Kings this past year and I was very happy with them.
Thomas

[Mothy]

Last year I ordered carrots, swede, beetroot, parsnips, broad & runner beans from Kings and the only failure were the swedes, but that was more down to flea beetle and drought. All germination was fine. Taste has been great. I will order from them again this year.

Hope that helps.

[blight]

@johnnylarge

This year I have decided to try some stuff I have not grown before and some different varieties

like what? i am dead curious.

[JohnnyLarge]

My Broccoli (calabrese) seemed to grow fine. However it gave me one smallish head per plant then hardly anything at all.
It may have been planted a little early or the weather may have been too hot for too long.
I am going to try 'Marathon' variety next year.

My Carrots (Early Nantes 2) seemed to be fine but got a little damaged by Carrot Fly and slugs.
'Maestro' seems to offer better pest resistance.

My parsnips were forked with very fat tops. It could have been lack of water. AvonResister or Albion F1 are purported to be more resistant to this.

Instead of just one type of cabbage (Primo) I am trying Greyhound for early, Primo for Summer, Tundra for later and a Savoy for the New Year.

My sprouts (Groninger) are fine, but I am putting a later variety in as well to spread the growing season.

I am going to plant first early, second early and main crop potatoes instead of one type.

My broad bean seed was given to me this year. I need to get a bean which has small beans as we don't like broad beans which are large. we like them small and tender.

I only grew MoneyMaker tomatoes this year. I tasted 'Vanessa' and 'Sungold'.
Yummy! They're the ones for me.

'Best Of All' Cauliflower are good, but I want to spread the growing season a little. I'm undecided on what to try yet.

My sweetcorn seems to run out of sunshine to make that last push for maturity.
I am going to plant a earlier maturing variety.

The list goes on a little more, but you get the idea.

ATB
John :)

[blight]

as for carrots: mine are called nantaise (i wonder if they are the same as yours)
i grow them throughout the year - even for storing and like them more than any other variety. i use a net against the carrot fly though.

broad beans being tough: don´t all varieties get tough when you pick them too late? i grow a small variety, called piccola. the beans stay green after cooking.
i pick them when very young. don´t like the leatherjackets much either.

tomatoes: i grew one english variety (my plot is in germany) that i liked very much, called gardener´s delight. the others were southern ones.
potatoes: english varieties: i`ll grow "highland burgundy red" next year. otherwise same as you- earlies, second earlies, maincrop.

[sandersj89]

John

Have a look at my recent thread about seed lists:

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/yabbse/index.php/topic,14489.0.html

Over the years, god that makes me sound old, I have tried many companies and do like Kings, good choice and good quality. Kings and HDRA might take the edge in some but King's sweet peas are second to none.

Quote: My Carrots (Early Nantes 2) seemed to be fine but got a little damaged by Carrot Fly

Very few carrots are immune, fleece is the only true answer even with varieties such as Fly Away or Resista Fly. I have used fleece for a couple of years now and get great results.


Quote: My parsnips were forked with very fat tops. It could have been lack of water.

Sow in a compost drill rather than direct in soil, avoid manure where you sow, this will produce good crops. I am on heavy Clay soil and get great parsnips over a foot long and clean. Tender and True and Gladiator are my stalwarts.

Quote: My broad bean seed was given to me this year. I need to get a bean which has small beans as we don't like broad beans which are large. we like them small and tender.

Exactly as they should be eaten, sown an over winter variety such as Aquadulce followed with a spring sown crop.

Quote: I only grew MoneyMaker tomatoes this year. I tasted 'Vanessa' and 'Sungold'.

You will probably get 1,001 different answers on toms. Personally I have been hugely impressed with varieties such as:
sungold, tumbler (cherry)
Roma, San Marzona (Plum)
Marmande, Ferline (Standard)

The list could go on and on!

Quote: Best Of All' Cauliflower are good, but I want to spread the growing season a little. I'm undecided on what to try yet.

White excel did well for us this year, harvest August to September. It did well considering we have club root. All year around also has a good name.

Quote: My sweetcorn seems to run out of sunshine to make that last push for maturity.

Plant early is the secret. I am sowing in a cold frame in March and plant out once frost is out of the way but I am in Sussex.

HTH

Jerry