Allotments 4 All

Greetings, fellow allotmenteers. May I be among the first to wish us all a happy and Productive New Year!!
Help please......
This will be my first full year and I have seen several mentions of seed catalogues on this site.
Being based in the SouthWest (Wilts/Somerset border) and so enjoying a relatively mild climate, and planning only to start withthe fundamentals (I only have a half plot for now) a) is it worth getting a catalogue and b) if so, which one would you recommend?
Thanks.   Ageing Rocker

Hi there,

Re the catalogues, it's ALWAYS worth having a brouse!!  If you put seed catalogues into the search box you will find several threads.

If you don't find what you need I'll look mine out. 

How is the West Country, wet?  Spent many happy days in Somerset, Exmoor area.  Always remember the rain!!  ;D

I like Wilkinson's oh so cheap. Netto's etc are the same to buy of course. But the magazines are quite cute to browse and dream.

As mentioned elsewhere, I get the majority of my seeds from Kings, ordered at significant discount through our allotment association ...

I have just received my order this morning, I have been so busy I have not even had time to open it yet !!!!

Derekthefox :D

I'm beginning to think that there's all the information you might need actually available via the internet, so without the need for catalogues.

I find that for planting instructions use www.alanromans.co.uk and for the best online catalogue use www.dobies.co.uk. But Tucker's seeds website is solely to order their catalogue (though you can get a pdf ) and so far I think its the most comprehensive with 150 pages or so. (Our local allotment society has them as chosen supplier so I need a catalogue.)

The most exciting one for me is Plants of Distinction with 6 pages just of Peppers and 19 pages of tomatoes, wonderful, really amazing.

I am building up "My Own Gardeners Book" electronically so that I have the information readily to hand.

I also have got my seeds from Kings today. 69 packets for £54. What joy!! ;D ;D ;D
This will be my 2nd year.

Rosemary

OH MY GOD YOUR BRUCE WILLIS :o ;D

Good spot, Karrot......
many thanks to all who responded. There is clearly quite a variety of choice out there. I will be taking a look at all of your suggestions, and , Flowerlady, I will check the threads.The Gulf Stream is still very kind to us here and tends to dump on us on a rather frequent basis, but how else are you going to get fat spuds and onions. As we say,,,,,Tha's gurt gud, tha' is.
Thanks again to you all......

I would have a look at Simpson, Seeds of Distinction, Alan Romans, HDRA, Kings.

If you want some one local try Tuckers Seeds, Asburton or Tamar Organics in Cornwall.

My normal first and second choice are Tuckers and HDRA.

Jerry

Theres another site in addition to some of the ones mentioned  found this one via my kitchen garden mag , its a nice site and quite cheap

www.beansandherbs.co.uk

Merry Christmas ageing rocker ;D I also live in in the south west and I'm also new to this, I have only ordered 1 catalogue so far from www.organiccatalogue.com which I'm really chuffed with, lots of seeds to choose from and little bits of information about each veg which comes in handy if you don't know what you want to grow or how to grow them ;D

we like 'the real seed' online catalogue by vivaverde (probably spelt that wrong) suggested by some kind soul on here  ;D
they sell non hybrids so you can collect your own seeds next season (which you can't always with F1 hybrids)
all their seeds are varieties that are likely to do well in Britain with the minimum of fuss.
ours arrived within four days of ordering
we love em!
Tara and Dave xx

flower: Thanks for the link to beansandherbs, looks great as I am definitely a beanfreak. Must read my KG mag more carefully.

Anyone know why the alanromans site, mentioned earlier, is not operating?

the site is:
alanromans.com
it works fine for me ???

periwinkle you are welcome :) it doesn't mention how many seeds you get re the beans etc so i sent an e-mail , which was replied to very quickly( this was the reply as to how many seeds you get)

Thank you for your email enquiry.
With the beans, a lot depends on the variety. Our heirloom beans which are
rare might contain a minimum of 26 per pack. The climbing beans in the main
catalogue have about 36-50, and the dwarf varieties about 75. If customers
want more they order two packs.
The herb packets each contain plenty for one year's crop, and if they are
perennials there would be lots to give away or sell on.
Generally in the vegetable line, we put enough seed for one season's crop
for a large family.
We hope this helps

real food did you get the cookies not enabled etc  if so just do what i did and click on  a link at the side i.e  potatoes and then it works fine   

"a) is it worth getting a catalogue and b) if so, which one would you recommend?
Thanks.   Ageing Rocker"

It is always worth getting a catalogue, in fact get a few as usually they are free.  If left with only one to have, I'd go for Thompson & Morgan's as it is the most comprehensive and useful as a starting point.  All the main seed suppliers do on-line catalogues with wide ranging prices.  It is difficult to equate one against the other, especially with people like T & M who throw in 'free' packets of seed and charge a nominal sum for carriage.  Don't forget that 'carriage paid' has to be included in the seed costs somewhere.

The current [January 2006] issue of Gardener's World magazine has a very comprehensive 'Seed Buyers Bible' to suppliers with internet addresses for most of them. 

Quote from: real food on December 13, 2005, 18:43:26
Anyone know why the alanromans site, mentioned earlier, is not operating?

I clicked on the web address given earlier in this thread, but it takes you to someone called easyspace, This domain has been reserved etc, etc.
This is the wrong web address!!!
I have found the correct one now having done a Google search. It is www.alanromans.com
The site confirms that it is run by the potato guy, who I met the other year at the Borders Potato day. It is well worth attending your nearest  potato day to buy a few tubers, and experiment with different varieties.

Mea culpa, I'm sorry, I stated the wrong address for alanromans.

This type of error is precisely the reason why I set auto-hyperlinks; so that once I've got it right, it always works.

Again very sorry for the confusion.
Cliff

Oh dear! I've just done an order for onions and seeds to Dobie's and also King's. Hope I haven't made a mistake. Having said that my grandad always used to buy his seeds from Dobies years and years ago, so I feel as if I'm carrying on something of his. He used to have seedlings in the airing cupboard and under his bed and all over the house when I was young and wasn't in the least interested. He grew the most amazing double shirley poppies by saving the best seed each year - i  wish I had some of them now.

I`vs tried most of the seedsmen but the one`s that I have found to be the best are

J W Boyce
Bush Pasture
Fordham Ely Cambs C87 5JU
they supply in packets and larger quantities

also D T Brown

I'm just finalising my King's order and drooling over the Plants of Distinction catalogue which arrived yesterday. I think I'll have to leave it till the New Year but they have some really interesting seeds if I can get them to grow. Podophyllums, which were OK last time I tried them (I had some but they were all stolen), Trilliums, which if I remember right take two years to germinate, and Chinese tree paeonies. I don't know where to start with those, yet.

Thanks for recommending Plants of Distinction. Their vegetable catalogue arrived yesterday - lovely, lovely ..........I feel another order coming on  ;D

Would never use just one company for my seeds as I really like trying different varieties. My current overall favourite is Seeds of Italy - but their range is limited.

Quote from: wardy on December 21, 2005, 09:15:37
I've not got that catalogue but I don't think I dare send for it  :(.     I was reading on text last night that Unwins had gone under and hundreds of staff had been laid off.

Phew, it wasn't the seed merchants but another company. 

.........just as seriious, it was the 'offy' chain..... :'(

I may be wrong but I don't think anybody mentioned D.T.Brown. Strikes me as a pretty good range at very reasonable prices- and I've examined them ALL! Have a look at their website.

http://www.dtbrownseeds.co.uk/acatalog/index.html

For a great winters read I suggest Chiltern Seeds it has a great variety of plants and flower seeds and some unusual veg. Its an adictive read. One night I started reading at 11pm in bed and next looked at the clock it was 3.35am  :o. I had to be up at 7am to get to college. Never forget that. I was shaterd the next day.

I have grown some nice perenial plants using chilterns seeds. I have grown yukkas and cordylines, also many bushes. I find growing things from seed you get alot better bushier plant, ok it may take alot longer to grow but you get what you wait for.

The_Snail

There are loads of catalogues out there.

Kings printed catalogue has lots of good cultural advice. you can also get together and put in a group order to Kings and they will give you a good discount - up to 50%

Have a look at the veg page at http://www.plant-seed-mailorder.org.uk

Remember that Alan Romans is a "potato expert" not necessarily a veg expert

hi all, dont worry to much, as i recieved my UNWINSDIRECT main catalogue 2006 yesterday ;D & all seeds are at 2004 prices good news
now looking for spring seeds and plants,
catch you all later
windy  :D ;)

Be careful with Seeds of Italy - the quantities are much higher than normal packets. I just stopped myself in time from ordering 10,000 spinach seeds for £3.99 :o

whew, that was a close one bupster ... my tightwad lottie neighbour swears by Franchi seeds, not only are quantities higher but he claims they have higher germination rates than the others too!   ;D

Hello!

       Try Wallis seed cat for flowers and veg, very cheap.I search Sarah Ravens cat for flowers for my cutting garden and then order them from Wallis seed and save pounds for the same seeds!

        Veg are also cheap e.g. 1,500 little gem seeds for 36 p. You cant buy
a lettuce for that can you?

I found Seeds of Italy really helpful.  I asked a question and received a personal answer and also had a handwritten note in my speedily delivered order.

They probably all have lovely Italian accents too  :)

Can't recommend Tuckers highly enough, Alan Romans is great for the basics

Real seeds from Vida Verde are lovely. Sent off for catalogue today - Got personal response from Kate who said she used to live on my road and the first seeds from the collection were grown on an allotment just up the way!  :)