Topic: Seeds

[Borlotti]

Not sure if this in the right place but do I care.  ;D ;D Went to B & Q for some spray for the dreaded white fly and looked at a few dead reduced plants, and bought nothing.  Went to Homebase as big advert 10% off today, so got some slug pellets, spray and after a lot of thought bought two packets of seeds (obviously the counselling didn't work). Got some yellow Courgette Soleil F1, disease tolerant as they had sold out of yellow courgettes last year and I really wanted some.  Also got beetroot boltrardy which someone said was good as we like beetroot and only had about 4 this year.  I have 275 seeds from Mr Fothergill which I think is a bit over the top even though we like beetroot. Sadly the seeds weren't reduced.  Looked at seed packs for children and thought they were overpriced, but was quite pleased with the counselling as only bought two packets but the 10% off was if you spent £30.  So I have 10 courgette seeds and 275 beetroot seeds.  I know I can save some for next year, or the year after. 

[Chrispy]

10% off was if you spent £30

Either you or I am a bit confused about this.
I think today and tomorrow is their 10% off everything, I think if you spend £30 you get a card that gives you 10% of every thing for the whole of October.
Anyway, as they are at least 20% more exspencive than B&Q on most things I'm not that bothered.

I once bought a large tray of almost dead flowers from B&Q for 10p, planted any that had any sign of life, and they produced a great dispaly all summer long.

[Duke Ellington]

I must say that I prefer B&Q's prices but would never buy my onion sets from them again. I planted about 30 and got six onions. (stuttgarter giants) My red baron from the garden centre did really well. Sometimes Iwonder how long and where B&Q store their onions and garlic etc!!

Duke

[Geoff H]

Beetroot seed will keep for ages and I think Courgette will as well. Reseal the pack ,stick it in a sealed poly bag and put in the bottom of a fridge. Seeds store best if they are dry and cool.
Am i right in thinking that you think 275 beetroot seeds are a lot? I could easily get through that many. If you sow successionally you would soon get through them when you think that a lot will be thrown away when thinning.
I would never buy garlic or onion sets from a shop. It will not be kept in the ideal conditions. I always use a specialist firm for things like that. Marshalls are very good for onion sets and shallots and have made their reputation on them. I also prefer to send away for seeds if possible. The seed firms will have kept them in ideal conditions, you get a better choice, it is very easy to browse them using the Internet and postage rates for seeds are very low or non existent.

[Sholls]

I have 275 seeds from Mr Fothergill which I think is a bit over the top even though we like beetroot.

Borlotti, if you're buying Fothergills seeds do so online, P&P is free & they chuck in two free packs of seed with your order. ;D They're not advertising the free seed at the moment, but it's still being sent out; I've acquired 6 packs in the last fortnight, and only two were of lettuce, rocket or similar.  :D

[Digeroo]

I think Courgette will as well

 

I have a really old packet at least 6 years old of Fiorentino courgette.  The plants are huge so I one want one per year and the packet is still going strong.  Each year I put a couple to germinate and am amazed that they are still popping up fine.

I also find that those straight from the seed companies do better then those which come from garden centres especially those which are basically large green houses, I think the seeds get too hot. 

Having got a 10% reduction card for October from Homebase I was rather miffed to find they had excluded various things, but seeds were not one of them.

[Robert_Brenchley]

275 seeds is a lot for one year, but you can easily save half for next year.

[Borlotti]

Will look on line but might get carried away and order too many.  Oh well why not. is it raining today so well have a quick look.  ;D ;D ;D

[flowerlady]

Will look on line but might get carried away and order too many.  Oh well why not. is it raining today so well have a quick look.  ;D ;D ;D

[GrannieAnnie]

I think Courgette will as well

 

I have a really old packet at least 6 years old of Fiorentino courgette. 

Naw, Digeroo. "Really old"= "The oldest carbon-14-dated seed that has grown into a viable plant was a Judean date palm seed about 2,000 years old, recovered from excavations at Herod the Great's palace on Masada in Israel. It was germinated in 2005. [1][2][3][4]
The second oldest viable seed recorded is the carbon-14-dated 1,300-year-old sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera), recovered from a dry lakebed in northeastern China in 1995"  (Wikipedia)

[Geoff H]

I think Courgette will as well

 

I have a really old packet at least 6 years old of Fiorentino courgette. 

Naw, Digeroo. "Really old"= "The oldest carbon-14-dated seed that has grown into a viable plant was a Judean date palm seed about 2,000 years old, recovered from excavations at Herod the Great's palace on Masada in Israel. It was germinated in 2005. [1][2][3][4]
The second oldest viable seed recorded is the carbon-14-dated 1,300-year-old sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera), recovered from a dry lakebed in northeastern China in 1995"  (Wikipedia)

And I bought a packet of pumpin seeds this year and only got one seedling out of it - I chitted them and other seeds from other firms did OK at the same time in the same place. wonder what seed firms these ancients were using? Certainly better than some of our big seed firms now. :)