Which seeds?

[gary]

As probable many on here in their first year, I am trying to decide exactly what I want to grow on my plot next year.

Problem is having decided what I want to grow, what seeds and who from?

Like everyone else I will grow next year what I grow this year and liked, (a) because I have seeds left, (b) too many other things to think about.

Last year in the garden and pots it was whatever B&Q had in what I wanted. This year I have discovered one or two other suppliers on the net, but which one!

How are other "newbies" choosing what they are going to plant in their first year, and how did the established "plotters" decide what they would plant first?

Gary.

[gary]

[STEVEPARTRIDGE]

Hi Gary, I found when I first started on my allotments that I just got the seeds from a seed scheme that was run by the allotments, they are supplied by a company called Kings Seeds, however once I got to know some of the more experienced plotholders they freely gave their advice as to the best suppliers to get seeds from in terms of germination rate, quality of the crop, value for money etc, I use a company called Edwin Tuckers and their link is on my website, I should point out that the seeds do not come with fancy packaging or full growing instructions you will need to have a good bok such as ' The Fruit & Vegetable Expert' by Dr D.G. Hessayon which you will find in most garden centres for about £5, hope this helps you regards Steve.

http://www.myallotments.blogspot.com

[saddad]

Be careful, that seed buying can be addictive, and expensive. As you say you always have some left over... try seed swops once you have a backlog. Places like Wilkinson do cheap packets, and if you look around at the end of season there are often cheap offers like the Wyvale 25p packets about a month ago..
;D

[STHLMgreen]

How are other "newbies" choosing what they are going to plant in their first year

Well, I'm trying to be practical and not get TOO carried away!
(meaning I want to try EVERYTHING!)

Things I'm considering:

- what can't (easily/usually) be grown in Sweden, where I am
- what worked this year on the balcony
- what I have seeds for or can get seeds for
- what my family actually eats
- trying to think about rotation and keeping groups together from the beginning
- the cost versus quality thing, not growing half a plot of potatoes when they taste nice from the store but growing tomatoes as they taste really different if they're home grown
- a few novelty things that are just for fun, like a three sisters garden or trying grapes, as the plot next door tried them this past year

The novelty things keep it fun. For example, this year I tried Swedes in containers and upside down tomatoes.


The last snow here this year was April 7th, so there's a lot of planning time left!

[supersprout]

this year I want to get on top of successional sowing.

we love broadies, those are going in every two weeks from March to June - we ran out last year :'( >:(

Stumpy carrot and parsnip, lettuce and chicory, baby cauli and fast beet, will be cluster sown in modules every three weeks to get a continuous supply of tasty fresh baby veg. The seeds are 'filed' in my seed box under 'little and often' to help me keep it up 8)

[Deb P]

Hmmm, that space on my new allotment that looked so huge a couple of months ago is filling up rapidly...in my mind's eye anyway! I've had to concentrate on weed clearing and digging so far, but planning is fun and keeps me going!

I'm trying to be really methodical about it, I have quite a few seeds left over from this year where I was growing in my back garden, and also quite a few impulse 'bargain' packets from the 25p bonanza (ahem!) I've tried to concentrate on what my family enjoys eating, what would make best use of the space, and what tastes good really fresh.

SO; not too many maincrop potatoes, but mainly earlies and salad varieties,
      soft fruits, yes to strawberries and raspberries, only 3 bushes of mixed currants
     
I also agree with Supersprout, successional sowing is very important to help make the most of your space, keeping ground covered so weeds don't take over, and avoiding gluts; having said that, I'm terrible at it! Trying to be more organised now, I've made up an expanding file for my seeds; at the mo it's organised into seed families, but I will put it into months to remind me when to sow next year, and I will have a 'little and often' section too!

[Deb P]

The novelty things keep it fun. For example, this year I tried Swedes in containers and upside down tomatoes.


[/quote]

Ok. I've got to ask, what are upside down tomatoes?!

[STHLMgreen]

http://growthings.blogspot.com/2006/07/tomato-trials.html

Here is a link to picture I took earlier of upside down tomatoes. (Moneymaker)

It's when you grow your tomatoes upside down (in a bucket with a hole cut in the bottom for the plant to stick out of) and the plant hangs instead of having to tie them to a support. Some people swear by it, I just thought it was fun and the yield was about the same.

(It's also good for balcony gardeners!)

Definitely worth a try. I'll probably do it again.

[Deb P]

Well I'm impressed!
They look very good in the shiny buckets! I'm now trying to work out whereabouts I could try this as an experiement next year.....

[gary]

Just received my first seed catalogue, why does anyone need 10,000 lollo rossa seeds?

I now see why people have seeds to swap!

Gary

[STHLMgreen]

10,000 ??? Wow.

Deb, keep in mind the buckets get pretty heavy. Make sure you have a strong support.

:)