Topic: Seed suplliers

[Mrs Ava]

Any recommendations on good suppliers?  I don't need much thanks to many generous lottie and gardening chums, but I do need spuds, onions, shallots, garlic and peas and I figure you are the people to point me in the right direction!   ;D

[Colin_Bellamy-Wood]

Hi EmmaJane, I don't know whether you have purchased September's copy of BBC Gardeners' World Magazine, as on page 105 there is a list of Seed suppliers who offer discounts under the heading "Allotment Holders Unite".

It is my intention to try to obtain each of their websites with the intention of asking for a catalogue, hopefully on line.  I did this last year with Marshalls :

http://www.marshalls-seeds.co.uk

When I've got t'others, I'll print them here.  
Alternatively why don't we all list our favourite seed suppliers on this thread for the benefit of us all?

[Hyacinth]

Ej, Tim recommended The Garlic Farm to me for garlic and shallots   http://www.thegarlicfarm.co.uk   They're in the Isle of Wight. Have a look? Lishka

[LynneA]

Can't go wrong with Tuckers for potatoes, rest I order from various.  Kings/Suffolk supersonic turnaround of orders.  Seeds of Italy seed count excellent value for money.  I don't grow F1's, so don't put big veg orders in with the big companies.

[allotment_chick]

I agree with Lynne - Seeds of Italy are exellent value for money and very helpful, too - as are Tuckers.

Also would recommend
http://www.nickys-nursery.co.uk/seeds/pages/index.htm

[good_life_girl]

Have to second it on the Garlic farm - they were at a food festival I went to at the weekend as the garlic they had on sale (both to eat and plant) was wonderful, plus they were really helpful in talking through what would be best for me to try! (decision was reached that due to white rot on half of plot would try basic stuff to test other half before splashing out on anything unusual)

[Colin_Bellamy-Wood]

These are the web sites of firms listed in BBC Gardeners World September 2003, page 105.   Assume hhtp://www. in front of each of the addresses :

D.T. Brown 0845 601 4656   dtbrownseeds.co.uk

Edwin Tucker & Sons 01364 652233 edwintucker.com

Kings Seeds 01376 570000 kingsseeds.com

Mr Fothergill's 0163 8552512 mr-fothergills.co.uk

Suttons Seeds 01803 696 321 suttons-seeds.co.uk/

The Organic Gardening Catalogue
01932 253 666  organiccatalog.com/cgi-bin/index.cgi

Thompson & Morgan 01473 688821
tompsonandmorgan.co.uk

Unwins 01945 588522  unwins-mailorder.co.uk/


The Magazine articles suggests that friends and fellow allotment holders take advantage of some of the great discounts available on seeds for group orders.   They reckon that the above are offering some of the best deals around, typically offering 25 - 50% discounts on brochure prices.  

I visited all of these sites, and I was able to order a catalogue to come in the post, now or later, with some but not all.    However, most offered an online order facility.

[gavin]

Hi there - just a few more seed suppliers on the internet.  I use Chase Organics a lot - and they don't have a £100 minimum order in my experience!

http://www.organiccatalog.com/

Anyway, a few more - some of the standards, and a fair few concentrating on unusual, heritage, or whatever caught my eye!!!!

http://www.dobies.co.uk/

http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~nfarley/thomas-etty/vegetables/intro.htm

http://www.futurefoods.com/

http://www.halcyonseeds.co.uk/

http://www.mammothonion.co.uk/

http://www.seedsofitaly.com/

http://www.seeds-by-size.co.uk/

http://www.tamarorganics.co.uk/

http://www.victoriana.ws/

http://www.vidaverde.co.uk/


Herbs:-

http://www.jekkasherbfarm.com/

http://www.suffolkherbs.com/


Fruit:-

http://www.foodfutures.org.uk/gyo/nurseries.htm

http://www.rvroger.co.uk/


Have fun browsing!  All best, Gavin

[Colin_Bellamy-Wood]

C   R   I   K   E   Y       G   A   V   I   N

[Mrs Ava]

well, thanks to you all.....you are all responsible for me having sore eyes  ::) having 'surfed' seed sites for hours....and helping me spend my husbands hard earned cash!  ;)

I have placed an order from the Garlic Farm, which is really exciting.  To have something growing on the plot over the winter is great!  And I have earmarked lots of other things, just got to narrow the list down a little, or take on another 3 plots!   ;D

Thanks for all that info, I shall be keeping a list of the companies for constant reference.

[tim]

please don't forget the (British) family growers like SIMPSON'S SEEDS - don't know about bulk offers but  tops for,especially, tom, pepper and aubergine plants. - Tim

[Mrs Ava]

Just bringing this back to the top of the board to help ansa a new question  ;D