Morning all, i'm new to this board, so hello!, and may I ask a question? I'm taking on my first ever allotment from 1 January, and have read on another board that it may be time to place an order for seed for next year. My question is, should i order all of the seed that I intend to use next year, or just buy them as i'm going to sow/plant them? How long will seed keep fresh in my shed/garage or wherever else i keep it? Thanks in advance for any advice, and look forward to seeing you all on the boards! kitten
Ay up, Kitten!
:) Welcome, though I've only been around a few months myself! You'll find lots of friendly helpful people here. ;D
Basically I would say any seed you order this year should be fully viable right through next year - in fact I think some big companies now put best before dates on packs. Most seeds will keep a lot longer especially in cool, dry conditions; the longer you keep them the higher the proportion which won't germinate, depending upon the species.
(See also the thread in "The Shed" a short while back about some 200 year old seeds being germinated).
If you know what you want then you may as well order it all at once - can save on handling charges, and occasionally really popular/unusual stuff runs out so I'm told. My experience is the imperative thing to get ordered early is seed potatoes if you want any - these definitely run out if you're too late.
All the best
Pete
Hello Kitten,
Most of my seed this year will be from the 2nd half of the seed packets that I bought last year !! Although I have a 10 pole plot (2 strips) there is only my family who I grow for - this varies from 2 to 4 on occasions!!
If you are trying to spread the expenditure, a handy suggestion is to create a spreadsheet with the veg you wish to grow, followed by the date they need sowing, this will quickly show you what to buy when.
Totally agree with trojanrabbit that some seeds sell out - like red flowered broadbeans - but they are specialist requirements and can come later. Getting started I simply used the seeds that I knew worked best for me.
Do you have a lottie shop? ours stock most things in order of requirement which is a great help! They also sell a variety of spuds that they know do well in this area.
Things for NOW are broad beans and garlic, but follow the threads you'll soon pick it up!!
our allotment society belongs to national allotment and gardeners association ?, we get all our extra seeds from kings via them, they give us some money back into funds so we win both ways :D
I started my allotment this time last year but found you can buy most seed all year round in garden centre and DIY shops and more. Plan what you would like to grow and go from there. Beware whenever I go where they sell seeds you have to buy a packet, its very adictive........... and the best one is next year when the garden centre sells the seeds half price you go mad then( thats around July/August time).
Good luck with your allotment.
;) Hi Kitten and welcome I've just had my first year on the allotment,I got my seeds from varies DIY and garden centres last year. I was recommended alanromans.com on one of the sites, they are selling them for 50p each with only 80p postage that was a few weeks ago, people on the sites had used and recommended them so I bought myself 20 packets of seeds peas, carrots, sweetcorn, cucumbers etc. My onion sets and potatoes I will buy from my local garden shop, happy digging and good luck.
May the corn be with you.
Pouring over seed catalogues is a great winter evening pastime...
Just don't get too carried away with the blurb.... some like T+M are able to say fantastic things about very little, and there is often a great difference in the pack size/prices....
You missed the great Autumn give away at Wyvale where most things were 25p a packet!
8)
I've bought from Alan Romans as well.
You'll need to consider the layout of your allotment as well, type of beds, crop rotation (or not) etc ...lots of advice available both current and on previous threads.
I planned ours using Excel with each square representing one foot square, but OH says I'm unimaginative ::)
Don't forget the Real Seed company. Lots of interesting things & a nice company.
I'll second the vote for Real Seeds. They have different varieities than the norm, all personally selected for good growing results and good results in the kitchen, both of which I can vouch for (especially their Trail of tears climbing bean).
Can you describe "Trail of Tears" Af as I have often considered getting some through the Heritage seed library which is about to send a new selection..
???
Wow thanks everyone, that's really useful advice! I think i will place one order to save on p&p, i think the organic gardening catalogue do free p&p if you spend £25 or more (most likely i'll be in the 'more' category lol) and just see what happens, after all learning is part of the process isn't it and you've got to start somewhere!
Blimey barnowl, you sound organised, I was going to get a really big sheet of paper and make a year planner calendar thing of what needs planting/harvesting when so we can share the workload as necessary (there are four of us sharing the plot) but didn't think about doing a spreadsheet!
I'll check out Real Seeds, thanks for the recommendation af20001, i'd like to use some of the old fashioned varieties if poss.
Thanks again all & for making me so welcome! x
Hi Kitten and welcome,
Good idea to make a plan of lottie, then think of what your fam eat, make a list of what you want to grow and what you want to try.
On tip is to keep your seeds in a large tin either sweet tin or cake tin the mice cannot get to them idea for a shed.
most of all have fun and enjoy
Hi Kitten
Another thing to remember is some seeds are known to have a longer shelf life then others.
Not an expert but from experience carrot and parsnips are far less reliable as they get older. others like cabbages seem to give reliable germination for a good few year (currently @ 3), this mean you can develop a large selection at limited cost.
best of luck and have fun.
PS 'WARNING' browsing catalogues can be addictive
Scumpy
Hi Kitten,
Just one other comment to add to the masses... my advice is to wait until next year to buy seeds unless you're after speciality seeds. Late last year I went mad buying seeds online only to find a couple of months later all the seed companies were practically throwing offers in your face at half the price. You can get good deals then, where you can get many of the 'standard' veg seeds as a package offer. Check out vegetable growing magazines such as 'Kitchen Garden' and 'Grow Your Own' around the beginning of next year too, they always have lots of offers on. All the best.
Thanks for the advice common clay, i want organic seed - does that count as speciality? Otherwise might hang on until the new year then if there are going to be bargains to be had!
Yes, scumpy, i'm already addicted to the seed catalogues - oh dear!
Thanks again all x
Seed catalogues are great for browsing through, making notes and then seeing how cheaply you can buy what you want elsewhere ;D
Yippee... my extras from Robinsons have arrived today... Habanero Chillies, Tall peas red Broad beans etc..... managed to spend £20 without really trying!
8)
Back at the original question - the liength of time seed is viable depends on the type of plant and how the seed is stored.
See http://matcmadison.edu/mchristoffel/plants/seeds/viability.htm (http://matcmadison.edu/mchristoffel/plants/seeds/viability.htm) for an indication of how long each seed lasts in average conditions. Cooler and drier conditions increase the viable life; warmth and damp reduce it.
The seed is collected this year for for sowing next, so if your stockist looks after the seed well, it doesn't matter when you buy it. But, as has been pointed out, the favourite varieties quite often sell out.
The size of packet you buy depends on how much you want to sow and how long it will last. There is no problem in buying a large packet of tomato seed, which seems to keep for ever, but you might as well throw parsnip seed away at the end of the year.
Phil
And there I was saying the best time to get deals on seeds is early in the year... I succumbed to the alanromans website and managed to get 24 packets of seed - enough to stock my Dad's new allotment entirely and top up my own - for an amazing £12. They might not have the coloured packets but I worked out that it would have cost £50+ from Thompson & Morgan for the same order. Wow!
:D Glad you took advice on seeds Clay your right to wait for bargains but 50p you can't beat it, did you check the messages on the site about seedfest and the poor or no service people were getting . :o :o
May the corn be with you.
I would recommend Moles Seeds if you want large quantities of seeds (veg and fruit plants - not flowers). The minimum order requirement if £5.00, free P&P, and if you order by 30th November (a bit late now) you get 6% discount off your order, cash with order (ie credit card). After 30th November 3%. The fruit and veg are VAT free. You have to add VAT at the current rate on flower seeds.
Going back to the viability of seeds - I understand that the best crops of tomatoes can been seen at your local sewerage farm. You could even take the seeds out of a tin of tomatoes and grow them. I have learnt from experience NEVER, NEVER put tomato seeds in the compost bin!!
valmarg
Oh dear, my compost bin is going to be a right nightmare then, i've put potato peelings and tomato seeds in there! Oh well, we live and learn x
Kitten, to see a potato or a tom poking out the side of a compost bin you know your compost is good you can always pull them out and add to top of compost.
Should see my OH rumaging in the bin for potoatoes puts a new meaning on fresh and organic tatties. hee hee.
I'm writing down all those seed companies - I've not heard of most of them.
I'm new on the forum too - Hello Kitten!
Last year I wanted to get some blue potatoes - can't remember what they're called - but couldn't find anywhere stocking them - does anyone have any ideas?
I disagree Valmarg... tomato seeds in the compost are a great indicator of soil warmth... for planting out tenders like squash... Tomato seedlings are very distinctive and easily weeded out!
;D
:) If anyone can grow potatoes from a peeling in a compost bin then I'll be planting them next year. lol ;D ;D ;D
May the corn be with you.
Quote from: philcooper on November 16, 2006, 13:26:34
Back at the original question - the liength of time seed is viable depends on the type of plant and how the seed is stored.
See http://matcmadison.edu/mchristoffel/plants/seeds/viability.htm (http://matcmadison.edu/mchristoffel/plants/seeds/viability.htm) for an indication of how long each seed lasts in average conditions. Cooler and drier conditions increase the viable life; warmth and damp reduce it.
The seed is collected this year for for sowing next, so if your stockist looks after the seed well, it doesn't matter when you buy it. But, as has been pointed out, the favourite varieties quite often sell out.
The size of packet you buy depends on how much you want to sow and how long it will last. There is no problem in buying a large packet of tomato seed, which seems to keep for ever, but you might as well throw parsnip seed away at the end of the year.
Phil
Having seen your list Phil (thanks - useful) I have had a disasterous year with leeks and the only ones that have done any good are some that went out of date in 2003. ???
Mine (Bleu de Solaise from Real Seeds) are small but doing fine. I'm sure they'd be bigger if we'd had any rain over the summer.
Quote from: miniroots on November 17, 2006, 18:04:55
Last year I wanted to get some blue potatoes - can't remember what they're called - but couldn't find anywhere stocking them - does anyone have any ideas?
Hi miniroots - I've seen a blue potato in a couple of my seed catalogues - it's called Edzell Blue - if you want to check it out you'll find it at www.organiccatalogue.com or www.dobies.co.uk. I'm sure some of the experienced allotmenteers will be able to offer more advice & recommendations, but that's what i came across so thought i'd mention it. missbabs x
There are quite a few blue varieties; that's the best known. I've never tried it, but I've heard good reports.
Evening all!
Loads of information already here, but this may be helpful to you, if you're trying to work out which seeds have long lifespans and which don't...
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,91/topic,23937.msg235295#msg235295
and, adding my tuppenceworth re favourite seed companies:
Dobies and Simpsons Seeds get my vote. ;D
Thanks for that -
I'm going to try them next year; can't wait to see my friends' faces when I serve blue mashed potato!!
Robert - How do your little bleu de solaise taste? Are they nice?
I don't know yet; it's a late variety, and it's the first time I've tried it. I'm not going to lift any before Christmas.
Quote from: saddad on November 17, 2006, 18:08:34
I disagree Valmarg... tomato seeds in the compost are a great indicator of soil warmth... for planting out tenders like squash... Tomato seedlings are very distinctive and easily weeded out!
;D
[Well we'll agree to disagree saddad.
The problem I had was, having spread the compost on the garden, and planted out with summer bedding, the next thing I knew was that the tomatoes were in competition with the bedding. To have weeded them out would have meant trampling all over the bedding, ie destroying the effect.
I'm sure if they had found tomato seeds in King Tut's grave in Egypt (I know wrong continent) they would have germinated.
I think the point is that you need to have a VERY hot compost heap to destroy the seeds, and the average heap is not hot enough, so you end up with what I had, summer bedding interspersed with tomatoes!!
valmarg
/quote]
Please don't ignore packetseeds.com in your considerations.
dchisholm you will have an order from me as soon as all the festive fuss has died down :)
Geoff.
HI there
Take a look at http://www.realseeds.co.uk/ - Glosterwomble put me on to them and I have ordered my seeds for next year from them. They only sell Organic seed and specialise in old varieties chosen for disease resistance and mmost of all FLAVOUR!
The company is run by a couple who are fanatic about what they do - if you are organic - this is the company to check out!
LOUISE
Anyone tried these?
https://www.pennardplants.com/seeds.html (https://www.pennardplants.com/seeds.html)