Just thinking ahead slightly, who are your favorite seed potato suppliers? in the past I've just bought whatever B&Q had on offer and grown them in rubble sacks in the back garden, now we've got an allotment I'd like to try some a little different in the potato line as well as a reliable staple, ideas?
Thanks. :)
hiya, pjb..we get ours from our allotment shop, on another site and you can buy as few or as many as you want ;D
Got mine from Alan Romans last year- ordered online and OH picked them up when in Fife to save postage. Very helpful site and huge number of varieties but I was surprised to see that he delivered them in plastic bags! Crop wasn't good, but I think that was down to the weather. Year before I got them from T&M, I think.
Tuckers
excellent choice, always good, even an organic range as well, very good prices, offer trial ranges as well of 1.5kg
Buckingham Nurseries always has a good range, and you can choose your own quantity. They have a weigh-and-pay system, with a print-out label describing the name and type (e.g. first early) so people like me don't forget which ones they bought after 5 minutes!
;D
I get my seed spuds from my local garden/ironmongers - Howards in Pontlottyn
I go to the 'Potato Day' at Shipley organised by the West Yorks Organic group:
http://freespace.virgin.net/yks.org/wyog6.html
They have lots of varieties (not all organic) to choose from at 15p per tuber (2008 prices).
Here is a list of more events that might be nearer to you - its this years but at least it will give you a lead:
http://thewhitchurchweb.org/potatoday/potatodays.htm
I went to the potato day at my local Notcutts, back in February.
loads of choice of varieties, at least 40 or so, and you could buy them individually at 20p per spud or in 2kg bags.
I got a little bit carried away (::) carried away in a garden centre, there's a surprise!) and bought a few each of lots of different varieties to see which grew and tasted best on my plot as this was my first year.
probably a slightly more expensive way of doing things, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself, rootling about filling bags and writing labels ;D
here in northampton we have no choice but local garden centres, a potatoe day somewhere near us would be great
That's right, Godfrey, we go to the Whitchurch one every year (their website takes a while to be updated, but it is always the last weekend of January). We usually try to put in just over 100 seed potatos, usually about 10-12 different varieties. That way we can have old favourites and try new ones. This year we couldn't go till the afternoon of day 2, which meant there was less choice, so put in an order with T&M to be sure and we'll go to the potato fair for the rest. They also have good stalls for other stuff, unusual seeds, plants etc.
Quote from: ruffmeister on October 09, 2007, 10:16:36
here in northampton we have no choice but local garden centres, a potatoe day somewhere near us would be great
The potato day at Ryton is worth a day out from Northampton.