seed prices

Went into 'INSTORE' the other day and they were selling a whole range of Carters seeds both Veg and flowers. So whats the difference other than price - 50 Scarlet emperor runner beans = 1 pound in INSTORE and 2.69 in T&M's catalogue??

 

None at all, Cauliflower ears - but there's no guarantee with somewhere like Instore, that the seeds will be kept suitably, but if you buy them quickly, that's not a problem!! Same for their bulbs - I bought quite a few, including onion sets, yesterday from them - very good value, and they'l keep fine in my cold garage until it's time to plant them.

 

Yes thanks, I see your point but they're kept on a seed rack just like the seeds at our local garden centre (Suttons no less) and I presume by the sell by dates that it's fresh stock. I'll certainly look out for the onion sets which can't be ant different to any other onion sets.

 

I too have bought some limanthes (poached egg plant) because I read it was a good companion plant, so will put them round the edges of my plot. They were 90p. In Suttons They were around the �£2.00 mark. You may actually get a few less seeds, but lets face it - are you going to plant 1800 carrots?

 

The organic gardening catalogue is EXTremely cheap - it's a charity so prices are 40% less than T&M, and the like.

cheers

 

have you a web address for the organic gardening catalogue?

 

Here it is Sally - it's all you could wish for in a catalogue!

http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/feedback/catalog.php

 

LIDL and ALDI are selling very cheap veg and flower seeds now, unusual veg such as Kohl Rabi and Scorzonera all for 50p.

I used some last year and they germinated perfectly.

Of course http://www.alanromans.com and http://www.morevegshop.co.uk are both incredibly cheap, 50p!

 

Netto has cheap seeds also. Am trying some lidl ones this year.

 

I've just been looking at the links you gave, Sawfish, and find this info on Foil-sis on the ALan Roman site fascinating. Have you tried this? It sounds a very good idea.....

"Foil-sis(Branston's)
Categories > Foil-sis > Foil-sis(Branston's) > Foil-sis(Branston's)
Solanum sisymbriifolium selection
Thorny, inedible relative of potatoes which strongly stimulates potato eelworm eggs in the surrounding soil to hatch. The eelworm then find that they have nothing to feed on. In trials 50-90% hatch rates were achieved - a stronger reaction than that produced by potatoes themselves. The plant has a strong, attractive white flower. It can be chopped down to 6" in summer for composting and the regrowth will produce more beneficial root growth as well as more composting material. Assume all parts are poisonous.

Plants can grow more than a metre high but should be chopped for compost before this (wear gloves!). Treat as a half hardy annual or an outdoor tomato. Plant the tomato-like seeds spaced out in trays of suitable compost and keep the temperature above 10degreesC until germination. Plant in areas where potatoes will be grown in subsequent seasons as space allows or at 8"(20cm) intervals in rows 1'(30cm) apart. I intent extending the 4 course rotation in my veg garden to 5 by inserting them in after potatoes but before peas and beans. I will also plant them in any spaces in the non-potato sections."


TIME - I haven't come across Netto - is it like LIDL and ALDI?

 

Woolworths currently have buy one get one free on all seeds - brand is Mr Fothergills. Sounds like a good idea to me.

On the subject of bargains , i strayed into poundland again at the weekend:
seed tray propogators with clear lids - 2 for a pound,

plug trays - 5 x 20 for a pound.

3 standard seed trays for a pound.

Hard to understand how they make a profit really !

So now im all stocked up and ready to go.

 

So the thousand dollar question is .. If they can do it why not Suttons or Dobies. All the seeds are probably sorced from the same place.

 

yes Dendrobian netto is just like lidl etc....

 

I had a little look for Netto on-line, and discovered that they're pretty much the same - but none up here!! Good thing, really, since both LIDL and ALDI are springing up all over the place here!

I noticed on Sawfish's second link that thy do smaller quantities of the seeds, which makes it cheaper, of course - but that doesn't seem to be the case with the offers on the Mr F brand packets, etc.... maybe it's just that big chains like Woolies and the others can do a deal with the suppliers on the bulk purchases they make - but that can't make financial sense for the seed-growers, surely, if everyone starts buying from the cheap places....

Seems to me that it will be the same problem as the veg growers have with the big supermarkets, where the low prices are borne by the suppliers - which they can't keep up long-term, and are likely to go to the wall. As I understand it, an approach by one of the big chains with an offer to sell your goods via them is something to run from, as fast as you can! (And that goes for clothing and shoes, etc too - a big subject, and a worrying one, but unless we avoid buying things cheaply, it's not going to go away. And how many of us do that? I'm as guilty as anyone, but every so often the conscience pricks and I try to buy more from the "proper" sources.

Ok - off the hobby horse now, Dendy!! :rolleyes:

 

I buy from local shops - not big supermarkets. Unless of course I burnt dinner then it makes sense. It is very hard not to buy cheap clothes now. Of course you get what you pay for. I try to shop at m&s for clothes as I saw a programme once which showed they were paying their sources proper wages.
It must be so hard though for some families. I am on a low income, but I know there are worse than me.
If ev1 boycotted the supermarkets clothes then it might make them think. But lets face it, that isn't going to happen.

For seeds - i get loads of catalogues and choose a bit from them all. I do wish though that they made smaller packets that were cheaper, then I could afford more variety.

I did buy my limanthes from instore because that was the best offer i have ever found for it.