Do you sometimes feel your being ripped off.

Discussion in 'General Gardening Discussion' started by pete, Mar 8, 2008.

  1. pete

    pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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    Just a thought, but are we paying far too much for seed.
    This is a plant that I first grew in the early eighties, I can remember that it wasn't particually rampant but there was always lots of seed in the pods at the end of the year.

    [​IMG]

    as you can see I've just bought a packet of seed, it cost �£3.15.
    And guess how many seeds I got.
    [​IMG]

    I make it eleven, for �£3.15, that has got to be the biggest rip off of all time.
    But I'm not saying which seed company it was. :D
     
  2. jjordie

    jjordie ex-mod

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    Agree with you Pete -
    Just a big rip off!
    I expect we're paying more for that foil
    wrap than for the seeds themselves.
    They didn't used to be in sealed envelopes
    why do they need to be now?

    (I'm glad you didn't tell us which company it was :D )
     
  3. Kathy3

    Kathy3 Gardener

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    oh!! Pete i only hope they grow now,
    thats awful,does it tell you on the packet how many seeds you are getting,at that price i really hope you enjoy them [​IMG]
     
  4. Celia

    Celia Gardener

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    I've just bought some B&Q own brand bedding dahlias for 98p; seems a little more reasonable.
     
  5. daitheplant

    daitheplant Total Gardener

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    Rhodochiton is a beautiful plant but not worth �£3.15 for 11 seeds.
     
  6. pete

    pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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    Nope, I've been done, as we say round here.

    If they dont grow, (and the packet states, "easy to grow"), I will feel even more ripped off.
    It never struck me as the easiest of things from seed.
    We shall see.
     
  7. Ethansmum

    Ethansmum Gardener

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    I bought a packet of perennial poppies from their competitor. It cost roughly �£2.20 odd, I got a couple more seeds than you- about 16. To be fair the catalogue said 45, but really 16 isn't even half. To think how many seeds are produced in one pod, they could have been a bit more generous :( I've sown 8 but none of them have germinated yet, Woe is me :(
     
  8. daitheplant

    daitheplant Total Gardener

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    Ethansmum, if the catalogue specified 45 seeds that is the MINIMUM number that should be in the packet. Contact the seed company and complain.
     
  9. SweetP

    SweetP Apprentice Gardener

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    Not only are they charging extortionate prices
    but there doesn't seem to be so many suppliers now.
    Haven't seen Bees Seeds for a few years now or Cuthberts.
    Perhaps as they have the monopoly they feel it is
    ok to charge as much as they like because there's not many places to go.

    :(
     
  10. daitheplant

    daitheplant Total Gardener

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    SweetP, you`ll find that the likes of Bees, Cutheberts and Browns, have all been bought out by Sutton`s, T&M and Mr Fothergills.
     
  11. SweetP

    SweetP Apprentice Gardener

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    That's what I thought - so we just don't have a great choice now!

    [​IMG]
     
  12. daitheplant

    daitheplant Total Gardener

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  13. pete

    pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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    I think we have a better choice on the internet, I've bought the odd packet from US seed companies, but the postage can be a bit stiff.
     
  14. daitheplant

    daitheplant Total Gardener

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    I think the best bet is sites like this, where members help each other out. [​IMG]
     
  15. Helofadigger

    Helofadigger Gardener

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    David I think you are right gardeners in general are very generous folk they will give helpful advice and seeds away with ease.
    Shame that the seed suppliers aren't as generous!Hel.xxx.
     
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