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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: Digeroo on September 02, 2009, 11:02:54

Title: Seeds expensive cheaper source
Post by: Digeroo on September 02, 2009, 11:02:54
I have come across a company called Tozer Direct.  They seem to sell much more seed for your money particularly for F1 varieties.

An example is Carrot Flyways T&M price £3.29 for 500.  But Tozer price is £2.75 for 5000.  Nearly 1/12 price.

Has anyone any experience of Tozer Direct Seeds? 

They sell chantenary carrots at £2.35 for 10gm which I reckon is about 7500 seeds, while T&M charge £1.89  for 2500. 
Title: Re: Seeds expensive cheaper source
Post by: 1066 on September 02, 2009, 11:36:06
personally I haven't used Tozer, but I'd check out how much both companies charge for postage. Sometimes companies make up the difference that way - not always tho  :-\
Title: Re: Seeds expensive cheaper source
Post by: ceres on September 02, 2009, 11:38:50
False economy unless you can use that amount in a season or share the quantity with others.
Title: Re: Seeds expensive cheaper source
Post by: Flighty on September 02, 2009, 11:43:47
Digeroo would you use all the seeds? If not what would you do with them? I agree with Ceres!
Title: Re: Seeds expensive cheaper source
Post by: saddad on September 02, 2009, 13:47:34
If you have trouble with germinationof carrots... and end up sowing several times you could soon go through them...  ::)
Title: Re: Seeds expensive cheaper source
Post by: ceres on September 02, 2009, 14:25:16
I wouldn't.  I don't grow sufficiently large quantities of carrots (or anything else) to use that much seed even with poor germination rates.  Perhaps if you're growing to sell or for large/multiple families.
Title: Re: Seeds expensive cheaper source
Post by: plot51A on September 02, 2009, 15:20:28
It looks a good site to me Digeroo. Not interested in the carrots personally, but do like to grow Wisley Magic runner beans (a T&M exclusive according to their site) and they are much cheaper from Tozer. They also have a big range of winter squashes at good prices. Postage £1.65 so doesn't wipe out your savings!
Title: Re: Seeds expensive cheaper source
Post by: Digeroo on September 02, 2009, 16:50:27
No  I don't need that number of carrots, Other half and me eat about two or three each per day, so 1500 carrots more than enough, so about 2000 seeds is sufficient.

I just do not like the thought that I am being ripped off.  The F1 varieties are not that expensive.  Did not have a major issue with root fly but with 50 allotments I am sure they will soon become an problem - had to give up garden carrots a few years ago.

Germination in allotment fine but in garden major slug issue.  I think they get hoovered off before you see them, so have to sow quite thickly to get any carrots.

Squash/courgette seeds last for years, so a bigger packet is good value.  I am sure I can find some takers for the spare seeds. 

Presume they do not come in vaccuum packs.
Title: Re: Seeds expensive cheaper source
Post by: Barnowl on September 02, 2009, 17:55:06
I used Tozer for 2009 sweetcorn and a courgette. Yes, too many seeds but I hand them around and they had a variety of sweetcorn they'd developed which I wanted to try (TZ6157).

Tozer charge £3.05 for courgette Midnight F1 (50 seeds)  - POD charge £2.05 for 10, so for a quid extra  a) I'd plenty of seeds in case I messed up germination or started too early and got caught out by the weather and b) I'd plenty to give away at minimal cost.

ps I have some TZ6157 and Kite spare for 2010,  PM me in a couple of months - bit busy to send out  at the moment.

Title: Re: Seeds expensive cheaper source
Post by: Digeroo on September 02, 2009, 18:05:23
Was the seed quality good? 

Quotewhich I wanted to try (TZ6157
Were you pleased with this variety?  Good Flavour?
Title: Re: Seeds expensive cheaper source
Post by: chriscross1966 on September 03, 2009, 00:28:39
I probably didn't need to be told about that site.... I might just need another plot for all those squash :-)

I will not buy seeds, seeds are the little death.....
Title: Re: Seeds expensive cheaper source
Post by: PurpleHeather on September 03, 2009, 10:56:02
No doubt people get fed up with me harping on about seed prices but here goes again.

Wait until next year when Netto, Lidl, Aldi and B&M get their stock in and load up your stock from theirs. (Wilkinsons went up in price this year but they may have learned. I noticed they had loads left when the others had sold out)

The packs are all far less than 50p each and there is more than enough seeds in a pack for at least a year or two for one family and if not it does not cost an arm and a leg to get a few more packs.

There is nothing what so ever wrong with the seeds other than you wont get a load of 'different' items like purple cauliflowers and pink peas.

I doubt that I will need to buy any next year because I have some carefully re-sealed packs from last year (even last years parsnips germinated) and the year before which I have re-used this year. But I probably will, seedaholicism strikes all us gardeners.

Keep your eyes peeled for when they get the stocks in, they soon sell out.
Title: Re: Seeds expensive cheaper source
Post by: raisedbedted on September 03, 2009, 11:21:41
Have already got most of my seed requirements for next year from the end of season sales, huge choice of varieties including F1's and the large Bean & Pea packs all at 50p a pack.

Failing that I buy from seeds of Italy/Franchi for their larger packs.  Online seed catalogues just have me reaching for the credit card FAR too easiliy....
Title: Re: Seeds expensive cheaper source
Post by: Barnowl on September 03, 2009, 11:50:55
Quote from: Digeroo on September 02, 2009, 18:05:23
Was the seed quality good? 

Quotewhich I wanted to try (TZ6157
Were you pleased with this variety?  Good Flavour?

Germination rates were good for the Sweetcorn: 11 out of 11 for T6157 and 9 out of 10 for Kite. There were also 11 Swift (from the OrganicCatalog) of which 8 germinated.

I meant to do a second batch but left it too late and then also left the initial batch in the root trainers a bit too long. Sweetcorn doesn't like having its roots constrained and subsequently 'stop' for a bit when planted out, so mine are a few weeks late in maturing - I probably won't start harvesting until next week - but the plants are sturdy and healthy.

Funnily enough Swift, often described as very good on this forum, had 2 of the 8 planted go t 30%  mortality rate once planted out. The survivors look ok though.

Only sowed two Midnight F1 seeds. Both germinated and the one plant I grew matches what it says on the tin - fairly upright/non-sprawly and produces good looking and good quality fruit.  Not a prolific producer compared to some varieties, but that's not a problem :) I'll be growing it again.