...dropped through my letterbox this morning. Anything new and edible we should consider buying??
I did a cost comparison on salad potatoes between Thompson & Morgan and Marshalls this year. It was quite interesting, but difficult to do as one sells by weight, one by number.
Anyhow, the upshot is that for most salad potatoes except Lady Christl, Thomson & Morgan were cheaper. My impression is that they are dearer for seeds though.
I never buy from them due to the expense and p&p. There are plenty of other companies who sell cheaper with no p&p...HOWEVER, I do use them almost like a reference book as there are so many fab pics and info about the plants. Received my copy this morning and already have a list of plants I want for a new border I have, so will be trying to track the seeds down cheaper from else where.
Another HOWEVER, there are lots of interesting salads which I might succum to....no...I mustn't....aagghhh....seed catalogue time of year!
Agree with all of the price comments - and the service last year was a bit shoddy.
I asked the question mainly because I too cannot resist buying too many seeds once I look inside a seed catalogue!
The T&M catalogue smells really nice though. No really. Like a newly opened pack of cards, perhaps...
Where do you source your seed from then EJ?
I agree with EJ that T&M is a great picture guide, have rarely bought from them. Pea/bean seeds are knocked down to 1/2 price in our local garden centre in July :D
I buy seed from the Web: Seedfest.co.uk, Nicky's seeds, Select Seeds, Chiltern Seeds, Nothing But Seeds, Franchi, Edwin Tucker and the Organic Gardening catalogue :P. I like them 'cause the germination rate (especially Franchi) seems to be better than average. And they all seem to have lots of heirloom varieties.
Dobies, King's, DT Brown, Plants of Distinction, Suttons, Suffolk Herbs et al. and the giant exhibition veg seed peeps W Robinson & Son and Medwyns are also on the Web.
You get great pix on the Web, but it's only been realistic with broadband ...
I'm very new, and hope to save my own seed when I get better at growing :). A lovely lady sent me sunflower seeds from this site, wish I knew who she was to say a proper thank you! :-*
Tuckers rule, especially for spuds & onion sets
BTW, most packets of seeds are at least 10 pence cheaper than the catalogue if you buy them at T&M online. But the special offer seeds - like white beetroot (what's the point of that??) - are full price on the website ???
Baggy, I get most of my seeds from the organic catalogue - http://www.organiccatalog.com/catalog/, or Tuckers - http://www.edwintucker.com/. Plus Dobies, Marshalls and occassionally, Seeds of Italy as they have some unusuals, and you get masses of seeds! Then of course I do lots of swapsies with chums, and my lovely skin and blister gives me a seed hamper for Christmas.
ooo T&M through the door already? Any buy this and get that free in? Perhaps mine (as a 2005 customer) will drop through the door tomorrow. I want catalogues NOW. I want OGC & Tuckers NOW...
Look out for potato harlequin (T & M) looks really interesting.
Yay, T&M came today
Bit disappointed with the catalogue - last year, was soooo excited and wanted this that and the other and more sprouts, etc, this year, not going to have a big order methinks. Maybe I overdid it last year.
Yep, I can live without Brazillian Cress for one more year...
Please take a look at http://www.vidaverde.co.uk/ - the seeds are inexpensive, with excellent germination rates, unusual varieties and the people who run the seed collection are so friendly and helpful. I bought lots from them this year and of particular note is Diamond Aubergine. In the past I have failed with full size Aubs as were I live in Northumberland they dont have time to produce more than one fruit (even in the polytunnel) before it is too late in the season for them to carry on - This year I've had whopping fruit and lots more on the plant. Also had a wonderful mini striped cucumber to serve whole in salads ... superb courgettes ... I'm a great fan of theirs!
I'll second that. Vidaverde rock ;D
Quote from: Squashmad on September 13, 2005, 14:11:34
I live in Northumberland
I live in Northumberland too (Tyne Valley). Is the growing season very short? eg for things like sweetcorn and squashes like Butternut. I was given two tomato plants which I grew in pots on the patio - have had a few red toms! New to growing veggies, so not sure!
Hi Hemajo, I grew up in Northumberland and my mum grew ENORMOUS yellow toms :P in her unheated greenhouse every year ... if you go to http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/index.htm and enter your postcode, you can find your planting dates, date of first frost etc. Handy! ;)
Good luck, what a lovely place to grow things! ;D
Quote from: Squashmad on September 13, 2005, 14:11:34
Please take a look at http://www.vidaverde.co.uk/ ...
Wow, I've not seen that site before. Thanks for the heads up! ;D
A mate and I vistited the Ryton Organic Centre in June this year and he bought some seed from them.
They were a little dearer than the usual catalogue prices but he reckons the amount of seed was greater plus he had an incredible germination rate.
I wondered whether to pay them a visit in the new year and give their seeds a try... it will be another nice day out there anyway I always enjoy it.
Anyone else bought seeds from them and been successful?
Derek
Derek - for cheaper seeds and if you are an HDRA member, is to buy from the organic gardening catalogue - same company that supplies HDRA and gives some profits to HDRA.
As for VidaVerde - I was not impressed with everything I ordered for 2004 - didn't get a crop of sweetcorn (that is if you don't count 3 kernels), also, tomatoes - think I went for a super early variety didn't ripen until September sometime, nor did I get a melon. Was happy with the rocoto locoto chilli though.
Quote from: supersprout on September 13, 2005, 19:22:41
Hi Hemajo, I grew up in Northumberland and my mum grew ENORMOUS yellow toms :P in her unheated greenhouse every year ... if you go to http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/index.htm and enter your postcode, you can find your planting dates, date of first frost etc. Handy! ;)
Good luck, what a lovely place to grow things! ;D
Thanks for this link supersprout. I have personalised it and will spend some time having a look at the advice. It is a lovely place to grow things - I have been a keen gardener for some time, but my experience is with shrubs and perennials etc. Unfortunately I don't have a greenhouse (yet! - I have to work on the OH some more!). I suppose with the climate changes, frost patterns etc might change over the next few years anyway.
Sorry if I'm out of order but if you people don't support T&M then you wont be getting their fancy catalogue to gaze over the pictures. Are they really that much more expensive?
anybody get the little note about not buying anything for a while??
they put it in mine and all because i havnt bought anything from them since May!!!!!!
PS: at the lottie we have a seed catalogue by Kings that is passed round and we then uy in bulk getting discounts for the bulk etc, whihc then go into the lottie fund etc and the seeds are already cheap as it is!
Top tip!
Order T&M catalogue then do not buy for a couple of years!  They sent me a £5 off any order (however small) voucher as long as i pay 99p p&p plus two free packets of seeds of my choice with any order.  Also half price hyacinth basket for Christmas for Grandma - which I send most years so genuine saving.
Sadly it is a voucher, not an offer code so can't share.
Alison
I like the look of the farmhouse for sale at Vide verde!
http://www.vidaverde.co.uk/Farm.html
Anyone got £92K spare?
Yeah...and, anyway, Almeria is a bit of a desert...and water is probably going to get even scarcer and...
(did look great though)
Quote from: Multiveg on September 13, 2005, 19:52:46
....As for VidaVerde - I was not impressed with everything I ordered for 2004 - didn't get a crop of sweetcorn (that is if you don't count 3 kernels),
For sweetcorn, try Marshall 'Xtra sweet improved' - I always get excellent results.
Hi Hemajo,
I think it is a short season here - and tend to grow sweetcorn, tomatoes, aubergine and the pick of squash plants (this year Buttercup) in the polytunnel. I would have been harvesting my aubergines and peppers last month but I was late ordering seed this year - due to being distracted by work on our house. What are you growing this year?
Quote from: Squashmad on September 14, 2005, 17:19:02
Hi Hemajo,
I think it is a short season here - and tend to grow sweetcorn, tomatoes, aubergine and the pick of squash plants (this year Buttercup) in the polytunnel. I would have been harvesting my aubergines and peppers last month but I was late ordering seed this year - due to being distracted by work on our house. What are you growing this year?
Well, I have 4 small raised beds which my OH built for me, but they weren't finished until quite late, so we started the seeds quite late - runner beans, peas, swiss chard, 2 courgettes (given to me as small plants) and I tried some radishes (very woody), a few carrots, pak choi, CCA salad mixed and mizuna and chinese mustard and I have some leek seedlings in pots still. Just put in onion sets. Have just sown some turnip and chicory. It's all very hit and miss, but I have a huge tin full of seeds now which I keep buying! oh and I had two tomato plants in pots which were given to me as well. These ok. The courgettes have done very well, the chard is growing well. Runner beans are just getting beans on them now - still have flowers on too. Peas all eaten by my son and friends off the plants - none made it in the house! I was planning to do sweetcorn next year in a sheltered sunny corner of the garden, i suppose it is worth a try. Can you recommend anything? Any help and advice really appreciated. I have facilities to make a low polytunnel cloche, but don't have greenhouse or polytunnel (but would like either!!).
For Sweetcorn I would recommend Golden Bantam - although I've not grown it outdoors, the flavour is great.
I came across a great idea for planning the kithen garden in a series of articles by Sarah Raven - she suggests keeping a record of all the veg you eat over the course of a few weeks - and devoting most space to what you eat every day, then what you eat every 2-3 days, etc - I will dig out more info if it sounds useful. I am going to try this seriously next year, as I find I'm tempted by things that look interesting in the catalogue (like purple podded peas) but turn out not to produce much, or that I dont use much (like florence fennel)! I really want to grow as much of our own food as possible from now on, and in particular make the most of our polytunnel - which is 20ft by 30ft - my OH went a bit wild when ordering it!!!!!!
Quote from: westsussexlottie on September 12, 2005, 08:27:22
Look out for potato harlequin (T & M) looks really interesting.
I've just got back from a tip to Holland and saw a great potato there - Leoni - the company claimit prodcues tubers 60 days after an April planting and 70 days in a polytunnel planting in Feb - we've ordered some for our Potato Day
Phil
On the Ryton shop, they sell orgainc catalaogue and kings seeds - T&M seem to be the most expensive around!
T&M have to fund their lovely picture filled catalogue somehow.
Good to see you back Phil!
Phil - what is the date of your spud day?
SquashMad - I like the sound of sarah ravens idea! However, I can't help being tempted by more unusual sounding things. I suppose I should try a bit of both! I will write down the sweetcorn Golden Bantam on my ever-growing list of things to try!!
Would you recommend polytunnel or greenhouse? our garden is like the north face of the Eiger - barely a flat area in it, hence the 'raised' veggie beds, and so would be hard work creating flat base area for either of them (I think this is why the OH needs a fair bit of convincing!).
Sweetcorn is something we like in this house! I'm planning to sow broad beans this autumn, and we eat a lot of those too! Funny, I'm growing runner beans, but wouldn't really think of buying them! Eat a lot of carrots and broccoli - and salad items. Love butternut squash and courgettes. So, am not doing too badly on my choice of what to grow, I suppose. Oh, and love parsnips, so must give them a go, but not sure if the soil is cultivated enough - must research!
Wardy, how far north are you then?
Hemajo, I would suggest going for a polytunnel - then you wont need a solid base - just a fairly level plot you can put the supports into. We got ours from Citadel and went for straight sides which will allow you more height when working in there - the other main thing to remember is that you will need a group of helpers to get the plastic on! We had help from about half a dozen fellow allotment holders.
Thanks for that Squash Mad - I'll have to talk to the OH about it. I might have to work on him to let me have polytunnel for my big birthday which will be coming up next year!!
We'd need a year to level off an area for it! Could muster up plenty of hands to help though. :)
Well, I sowed some butternut (much too late), and although two plants have grown, am never going to get any fruit off them before the frosts!! I am going to think hard about this for next year - even if I rig up a 'temporary' protection for them until I can talk my OH into the polytunnel! We nearly had frost up here in August (well, the car windscreens looked like they had been close to it!), but nothing died off, so must not have been a real frost!