Allotments 4 All

I'm afraid I'm not surprised at all. I no longer buy live plants from T&M, however tempting, just seeds and equipment. The quality of the plants I received was poor and made worse by unreliable delivery. One time the order had clearly been despatched at just the right time to spend a long and very hot Bank holiday weekend in a Post Office depot. Another time there was a special offer on buying three dahlia "Bishop of Llandaff": the "1 x 3" on the consignment note was represented by a single tuber. I complained and they eventually sent me a replacement - three unlabelled tubers that were obviously not the Bishop and proved to be bedding dahlias.

So I no longer give the opportunity to disappoint me.

I'll try again, in the hope that they're able to provide an explanation for the differences at least. I waited 9 months for them to be delivered! They kept delaying the order. I wonder if there was a mix up somewhere in the supply chain.

Thanks for the advice :) there's a cool(ish) slightly shaded area near some fruit trees that I should perhaps utilise and leave the more open beds for beans?. Or put the peas in pots at home, it's very shady here with some afternoon sun, they might prefer it... the allotment can get very hot. Have you experimented with sprays to keep the mildew at bay? I've read people have success with dilute peroxide and seaweed on sweet peas, apparently the mildew is intolerant of an alkaline environment, though sweet pea foliage is quite different to that of edible peas.

Vetivert and Jan, yes but it only worked here.  In Rushden not so much, because of bad mildew.  Here we do not get that same mildew.  I know that some people have done it successfully in England for an autumn harvest with a July sowing.  It is worth an experiment, but clearly not with precious peas.  Good luck. 

Wow, Vetivert. That's an amazing list of possibles. There are so very many varieties there which are completely new to me and which hold such exciting promise! Good luck indeed for a good season of growth and with combating the drought which seems to be settling in for many at the moment.

On the pea question, I guess one factor is how many seeds you have of the varieties in question. If you have enough to hedge your bets and try some seeds now and keep some back, it seems worth having a go. Have you got anywhere half shady to protect against the worst of the summer heat. I imagine plentiful watering would help ward off the worst of summer mildew.

I'm thinking Galina has experience of later growing of peas and will offer a far more informed, experience-based opinion.

Quote from: Vetivert on May 13, 2025, 19:20:16Thank you for organising this again Jan and count me in please :)


The Chinese Pink Celery I included last year appears to have crossed with a plant of Chinese White Celery, or accidentally mixed. I was sure they flowered at different times and the white seedhead was discarded but must have been mistaken.

Anyway, it's quite fortuitious as the seedlings are a mixture of vivid pink, pure white, pale pink, and pinky green. Selection options!

I'm fairly sure my seedlings are all pink but I shall check again today.

It definitely sounds as though you were right in the first place, and were sent the wrong variety.

Can you take it up again with T & M, with more evidence to offer this time?  It's a pity you can't actually include taste in your evidence and that both varieties are ever-bearing, which further removes an area of possible evidence. But hopefully good Customer Service will take your word for the taste.

Back in the late summer of 2023 I ordered T&M's new strawberry, 'Just Add Cream', which were delivered and potted on in May of last year. https://www.thompson-morgan.com/p/strawberry-just-add-creamtrade/t72197pTM

They soon began to bloom, with large magenta double flowers and upright habit. The looked nothing like the description nor photographs, instead bearing a striking resemblance to 'Summer Breeze Cherry'.
https://www.thompson-morgan.com/p/strawberry-summer-breeze-cherry-everbearerall-season/wkf7884TM

Puzzled, I sent a query to T&M with a photo. They assured me that their horticultural advisor confirmed they were 'Just Add Cream'. I wasn't 100% convinced but dropped the matter. As long as they tasted good I was happy.

The fruit came and were a disappointment. Advertised as having a wild strawberry aroma, these were the blandest of all of the varieties I grow. I chalked this up to small, young plants and a bad season. Unfortunately the same is true for this year's crop.

The T&M webpage still shows plants that look nothing like the ones that were delivered to me. The ones exhibited at Chelsea are the same as T&M's marketing photos. https://www.pumpkinbeth.com/2017/05/chelsea-flower-show-plant-year-2017/#Strawberry_%E2%80%98Just_Add_Cream

Additionally, a licensee on the continent has images of the same plants being propagated.
https://in-vitro.pl/en/rosliny/just-add-cream/

Any ideas about this curious situation? Has anyone here grown this variety?

Oh and it's early days yet but I hope to gather seed from:

Lettuce
Gigant
Goldforellen
Wiener Maidivi
Gustav's Salad
Northern Queen
Loos Tennis Ball

Tomato
Jazz
Orange Jazz
Pinky
Chianti Rose
Primabella

Physalis
Schönbrunner Gold

Cucumber
Shintokiwa

Squash
Honeynut
Gelber Englischer Custard
Duobao (Chinese C. maxima for summer squash, like a vining Zapallito)

Chamomile
Bodegold

Opium poppy
Sokol

Cress
Wrinkled Crinkled Crumpled

Unnamed Leaf Radish (Looks identical to https://www.rareseeds.com/radish-china-jade)

Brassica hybrids and turnips (if they go to seed) e.g. Kizuna https://vitalseeds.co.uk/product/asian-greens-kizuna-mix-organic/

Pea
Jeyes (shelling)
Edula (snap) https://dreschflegel-shop.de/knackerbse-edula

Various French and Runner beans

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I do have many other peas that need renewing but it's getting a bit late now and the weather is unfavourable. What are your thoughts for sowing now in the hopes for a modest seed crop? - just enough to perhaps double the amount sown. Risky?

Thank you for organising this again Jan and count me in please :)


The Chinese Pink Celery I included last year appears to have crossed with a plant of Chinese White Celery, or accidentally mixed. I was sure they flowered at different times and the white seedhead was discarded but must have been mistaken.

Anyway, it's quite fortuitious as the seedlings are a mixture of vivid pink, pure white, pale pink, and pinky green. Selection options!