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Allotment Stuff => The Basics => Topic started by: posie on January 07, 2009, 17:54:30

Title: Value for Money?
Post by: posie on January 07, 2009, 17:54:30
Was looking on T & M site and came across these:

Reliable and trusted allotment favourites.

Collection comprises 10 or 20 tubers of each of the following (clockwise from top left):
Lady Christl (First early)
Orla (First early)
Kestrel (Second early)
Sante (Early maincrop)
Cara (Late maincrop)
Lady Balfour (Early maincrop)

for 20 tubers of each it's 19.99 - would you say that was good value for money and will this amount be enough to feed a family of 3 plus probably my mother and grandmother?!
Title: Re: Value for Money?
Post by: ceres on January 07, 2009, 18:17:06
I'd say they're a tad more expensive than buying by weight from somewhere like Roman's.  I (and some others I know and a few on here) had crap customer service from T&M last year with seed potatoes, so I wouldn't use them again just on that basis.

I think you'd need a few more for 3+ if you want to avoid buying spuds for as much of the year as possible.

Title: Re: Value for Money?
Post by: Tee Gee on January 07, 2009, 18:39:24
Based on 10 tubers of each this works out at approx. £2 a pound thats bl**dy expensive in my opinion. (You roughly get 6 tubers to the pound)

Particularly when you consider I pay under 50p a pound. (or at least I did last year, haven't got this years yet!)

Title: Re: Value for Money?
Post by: ceres on January 07, 2009, 18:43:04
It's 20 tubers of each, Tee Gee.

Where do you buy them for 50p a pound?
Title: Re: Value for Money?
Post by: RSJK on January 07, 2009, 18:44:40
Still too much money  to pay I think.
Title: Re: Value for Money?
Post by: Lauren S on January 07, 2009, 19:15:06
Oh how I wish (sometimes) my plot was next to Tee Gee's

(A) I could pick his brains for garden tips etc  ;)
(B) Copy every thing he plants or sows  :D
(C) Get to know where he gets all his bargains from  ;D
Title: Re: Value for Money?
Post by: RobinOfTheHood on January 07, 2009, 19:15:57
I got the blight buster collection from them last year - and it didn't, except for the sarpos.... ::)

I thought it was expensive, but having said that I'm using the entire sarpo crop as seed spuds this year, so probably worth it for me.
Title: Re: Value for Money?
Post by: Tee Gee on January 07, 2009, 19:17:05
It's 20 tubers of each, Tee Gee.

Where do you buy them for 50p a pound?

My apologies but that still makes them around a £1 a pound which I still think is too expensive.

We buy them in bulk from a wholesaler and distribute them to those that want them.

Generally we buy 55kg of Foremost, Rocket, Kestrel and Maxine.

Just  been quoted that they will be 45p a pound this year.

Plus we can get 2.5kg nets of miscellaneous varieties for around £3
Title: Re: Value for Money?
Post by: shirlton on January 07, 2009, 19:26:35
I have never had much success with T&M's seeds. Some folks say they do ok. I have used wilkies spuds for the last 3 years and found them ok. They do small trial pcks too if you want to experiment.
Title: Re: Value for Money?
Post by: Tee Gee on January 07, 2009, 19:42:44
Quote
(A) I could pick his brains for garden tips etc   

Well I don't think you would get much joy there, the old grey matter is 'gelling' up a bit now.

I am my own websites most regular visitor  ::)

Quote
(B) Copy every thing he plants or sows

We could do better than that we could share each packet of seeds and make everything 'half price' ;D
Quote
(C) Get to know where he gets all his bargains from

Now thats an easy one!!

All the seed merchants do it and that is give discounts to groups of people. These discounts generally start at about 33% and more for bigger groups.

Same with trade counters. These seed merchants want your money and will sell to anyone who can get a minimum order of around £100 which at T&M rates would not be difficult to raise.

I think I would prefer to be down your neck of the woods because generally your weather is better.

So you see it is already there for you  ;)

Title: Re: Value for Money?
Post by: caroline7758 on January 07, 2009, 20:29:43
I can see a coach trip to Huddersfield coming! ;D
Title: Re: Value for Money?
Post by: growmore on January 07, 2009, 20:32:06
I got some of my seed potatoes from a firm in Doncaster ..Last year I paid £18 for 25k  sealed hessian sack genuine scottish seed.. I ain't priced them this year yet...
They also sell  loose veg seed by weight which works out cheaper than the packets, but depends how many you want...

http://www.scoot.co.uk/England/South-Yorkshire/Doncaster/G-&-P-Plevey:-Pleveys-Garden-Supplies-229436027.html



Title: Re: Value for Money?
Post by: Deb P on January 07, 2009, 20:32:39
I can see a coach trip to Huddersfield coming! ;D

Now there's a thought............we could do lottie tours! ;)
Title: Re: Value for Money?
Post by: kt. on January 07, 2009, 20:36:03
It seems expensive to me.  Plus - do you have room on your plot to plant that many tubers of different varieties......  If you want that many varieties and are willing to pay their prices - what about going halves with another allotmenteer and sow 1/2 of each variety each?  £10 to try so many varieties does not seem so bad.  I am only paying £2 per 2-3kg bag of tubers of any variety that our lottie shop sells.
Title: Re: Value for Money?
Post by: Baaaaaaaa on January 07, 2009, 22:28:48
At £1 per Lb, I'd think the local garden centre would be cheaper.


I'm paying £2.65 for each 3kg bag of various varieties including PFA, red Duke of York & Kestrel. All from the lottie shop. One bag does me two rows, at 18" spacing.

Title: Re: Value for Money?
Post by: posie on January 07, 2009, 22:30:13
Hmmm, I thought it may be overpriced.  I bought mine last year from Wilko's if I remember and I had a bag of early/2nd early and main and I know I remember thinking I should have  bought more.  Anyone know when they're getting their stock in?  Garden centres down my way and v expensive.  Thanks for all the advice, spot on as ever!
Title: Re: Value for Money?
Post by: Baaaaaaaa on January 07, 2009, 23:15:42
Also check out B&Q, they should be having them in any week now.

Wilkos have seed in already, so it shouldn't be long. Just let them sort themselves out once the Xmas stock has all gone.
Title: Re: Value for Money?
Post by: shirlton on January 08, 2009, 09:41:57
Posie, ...............Get to the back of the queue lol
Title: Re: Value for Money?
Post by: posie on January 08, 2009, 14:25:18
Aaaaawwwwwwwwww, I been queuing for ages!!!! lol  Forgot about B & Q.
Title: Re: Value for Money?
Post by: shirlton on January 08, 2009, 15:00:22
Was in Wilkies today and they have another shelf of gardening stuff in but no spuds yet.
Title: Re: Value for Money?
Post by: cornykev on January 08, 2009, 15:45:43
I suppose everyone knows by now, but for those that don't Shirl has shares in Wilko's.    ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Value for Money?
Post by: caroline7758 on January 08, 2009, 16:59:15
Wilko's and B&Q are cheap and I've found them to be fine, but they do have a very limited range of varieties, so it depends what you want.
Title: Re: Value for Money?
Post by: posie on January 08, 2009, 17:21:36
Was in Wilkies today and they have another shelf of gardening stuff in.

Nooooooooooooooo, don't tell me that! My bank manager already hates me!!!

I'm not a potato expert, I just want basic spuds that'll feed me n the kids and the various relatives.  I think I did Pentland Javelin, Maris Peer and King Edward last year.  I think it was Maris Peer I wasn't v keen on. I can't honestly remember though! I know I prefer waxy to floury though.
Title: Re: Value for Money?
Post by: shirlton on January 08, 2009, 18:05:39
Pentland Javelin is a nice waxy potato, So is Nadine and thats a second early. It's a good keeper though. I prefer it to Desiree. As for having shares in wilkies Kev. The amount of money I spend in there I should have.
Title: Re: Value for Money?
Post by: Lauren S on January 10, 2009, 19:13:52
Today i've bought ...
Desiree, Majestic, Lady Christl...7lbs bags for £2:20
Stuttgarten Onions 1lb for 55p
Shallots 1lb..55p
Onward Peas 1lb for 69p

I feel I have a bargain @ 31p per pound for potatoes
Title: Re: Value for Money?
Post by: RobinOfTheHood on January 10, 2009, 20:39:08
Today i've bought ...
Desiree, Majestic, Lady Christl...7lbs bags for £2:20
Stuttgarten Onions 1lb for 55p
Shallots 1lb..55p
Onward Peas 1lb for 69p

I feel I have a bargain @ 31p per pound for potatoes

Pray tell - from where?  :o
Title: Re: Value for Money?
Post by: Lauren S on January 10, 2009, 21:00:14
Trago Mills

http://www.trago.co.uk/
Title: Re: Value for Money?
Post by: kt. on January 10, 2009, 22:26:15
We are getting our allotment delivery of spuds on Tuesday.  80 big sacks of over 20 different varieties.  I will be unloading them with a couple of other willing volunteers.  We will then be putting them into 3kg weights to sell at £2 bag next weekend. (I will beat the rush and buy mine as we are weighing them up ;))
Title: Re: Value for Money?
Post by: Tee Gee on January 11, 2009, 12:02:16
Quote
We will then be putting them into 3kg weights to sell at £2 bag next weekend. (I will beat the rush and buy mine as we are weighing them up

I do similar KT but instead of weighing mine initially, I count out the number I need then weigh them.

This way I am not short when the seed are quite large, and I don't have too many when they are small.

But then again everyone is not in the position we are to do this.

I just put it down as one of the perks of the job.
Title: Re: Value for Money?
Post by: growmore on January 23, 2009, 11:19:55
For any one in South Yorks
With reference to the link I put on this thread earlier.
I fetched my potatoes yesterday ..Price was as follows.
25k Kestrel---------------   £15-50
25k Lady Christie--------- £16-50
25k Kondor ---------------- £16-00
They do split them and sell them bagged in smaller amounts .
I also picked some shallots up while I was there..
Red shallots. Pikant  500gms------- --- ------- £1-45
Yellow shallots.Golden  Gourmet 500gms --- £1-45
These prices seem to be well below some of the well known firms who advertise over the net
They seem to stock quite a lot, but it may pay to telephone and make sure first.
http://www.scoot.co.uk/England/South-Yorkshire/Doncaster/G-&-P-Plevey:-Pleveys-Garden-Supplies-229436027.html

Title: Re: Value for Money?
Post by: cornykev on January 23, 2009, 16:23:35
Rocket          3kg    £2.90   48 spuds.
Kestrel          3kg    £2.90   33 spuds.
Ratte             3kg    £3.30   66 spuds.
Lady Christl   3kg    £3.06    ?   spuds.

      ;D ;D ;D
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