Best time to buy seeds

[Simon05]

Just wondering when is the best time to buy seeds, I have had a few seed catalogues through the door, is it better to wait until next year to buy them or get them in now ready for next year?

[Simon05]

[aquilegia]

I buy mine in the next few months. Too impatient to wait until next year!

I spend ages, when the weather's too bad to garden, browsing through catalogues comparing prices, etc, before picking which ones to buy from.

I love it whenever a seed catalogue flops through the door - it's just like Christmas!

[jennym]

Out of interest, I found out that the packet seeds you buy from anywhere are usually at least one year old. this is the industry standard evidently.

[wardy]

I put my big order in last Saturday via lotty discount scheme with Kings Seeds.  Ordered my spuds from them and Japanese onion sets too from them.  Can't wait
That's not to say I won't be buying more seeds as invariably I will.  I love seed catalogues and think Kings is a really good book (good thick job with loads of pics).  I was comparing theirs with Fothergills this morning and it looks like Kings are cheaper so I'm glad my main order was with them.  Fothergills deliver by return so no waiting about like with Marshalls. 
So get some seed catalogues ordered, eg Fothers, Marshalls, Kings, suffolk herbs, Viva Verde, Browns, Seeds of Italy, Tuckers, Suttons, Organic Gardening Catlogue.  Great rainy day and night time reading like Aqui says  :)  I get seeds from Wilko and Lidl too  :)

[aquilegia]

Incidentally, got DT Brown's catalogue yesterday - they are selling certain packets for 2p each if you buy a certain number of seeds. And you can get one packet for 2p to start with. Do you think I can write a cheque for just 2p? I doubt there's anything else I want from them and you don't have to pay postage!

(how to really "liquid gold"-off seed companies!)

[jennym]

Has anyone tried : www.seeds-by-size.co.uk? I am tempted, looking at their pages. They look cheap, and a wide range.

[Svea]

kings = suffolk herbs, same company. i too have found their prices good, and they send quickly. i had an autumn supplemental catalogue through from them. ordered some winter seeds, as well as replaced seeds for next spring that i had run out of. they are all stored in the veg compartment of my fridge :)

[Simon05]

thanks for the replies, I will compare prices now and make an order, just been looking at tuckers are they any good?

[wardy]

Svea   I store my seeds in a Tupperware container in the fridge and they last much longer than it says on the packets  :)

With my order via the lotty association I don't know when they deliver as the order doesn't go off til end of Sept, hopefully not long after that  :)

[Roy Bham UK]

Just wondering when is the best time to buy seeds, I have had a few seed catalogues through the door, is it better to wait until next year to buy them or get them in now ready for next year?

I bought my seeds from Wilko out of their sale £18.00 worth for £9.00. Most "use before" dates are 2008 ;D

[spacehopper]

Has anyone tried : www.seeds-by-size.co.uk? I am tempted, looking at their pages. They look cheap, and a wide range.

Hadn't seen that site before, they certainly have got an impressive range. The only thing is that I'm finding it hard to visualise how many seeds there are in a certain weight. I'd probably end up ordering a thousand pumpkin seeds or something!  ;)

[powerspade]

I usually order my seeds in mid October. For a number of years I ordered from Boyce, Seed excellent quallty and good service. Last year I tried Kings what a flop The seed was cheap but nearly all very old some 4 years out of date. The onions sets were soft and didnt last until Christmas Most of the seed failed. Never Never again. This Year it boyce again and Im trying DT Brown

[wardy]

Roy  folks sniggered at my Wilko sweetcorn Early King but the last laugh is mine as it is wonderful.  couldn't be more delish  ;D

[princefreddy]

Have noticed last couple of years that the pound shops (Thingmebobs down our way) sell off packets of seeds from big seed companies (T and M, Suttons etc) at 25p a go.  Downside is you have to wait until early Jan and slightly pot luck.  Lots of F1 hybrid seeds.  The ones I bought this way were within date and seem to have germinated well this year.  Lots of fun rifling through the box and many bargains.  Bought some mushroom spawn and never got round to using it, but most packets were opened and sown!

[redimp]

I bought lots of big brand cheap shop seeds early this year and lots were open pollinted (or I would not have bought them)  I bought a Carters packet of Wheelers Imperial which is an old variety of pointy cabbage and has a great flavour. 

[wardy]

I've got some old Hispi cabbage seed, never opened, so I'm doing that next year.  Rick Stein says it's one of his favourites.  Good enough for him then ...... :)

[redimp]

Having posted about my Wheeler's Imperial I thought I want them again and do not have Carter's web site details.  The only other supplier I have found is Thomas Etty.  Did a Google and nothing - kept throwing up references to Carters Tested Seeds and a sponsored link to Suttons so I dug out my seed packet and like Suttons, Carters is based in Paignton.  Now according to their history, Sutton moved to Paignton quite recently - four years ago though they did help me out with a school project by being very generous and they were at paignton then - have they taken over Carters and did that precipitate their move?   If not does anybody have a link?