Grow Your Own Magazine

Not that I've really investigated the prices on American seeds suppliers recently, do you think we could benefit from buying cheaper there with the weaker dollar.

On the other hand, could American seeds price be increased so that they are in line with other western countries. I will do the calculation sometimes. Also would welcome recommendations of American sites that are trustworthy (with the most recent orders only).

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Food for Free

I haven't ordered any seeds from America but I have considered it for pumpkins. Given growing huge pumpkins can be quite competitive over there I once found a number of sites selling seeds from true (Altantic) giants. From what remember these came it at up to $20 per seed from 1500lb-ers and the price decreased as the weight reduced. Just shows what a kiilling you could make if you successfully grew one! I just thought how gutted I'd be if a slug got it first Maybe somebody will be tempted trying to win the GYO 2008 biggest pumpkin section?!

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http://plot62.blogspot.com/

watch the import duty i ordered some (non-gardening) stuff direct from USA & got £15 duty on a $80 order still saved £25 though......

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The love of gardening is a seed once sown never dies ...

You're okay on importing stuff from outside the EU if the goods come to under £18. (Customs uses its own set exchange rate so don't cut it too fine!). If its a gift then you're allowed stuff to the value of £36.

Are you liable for duty on goods sent from non-EU countries?

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Manda.

"Wouldn't it be nice
For maybe an hour
To not have a care."

I find the postage costs are always prohibitive from the U.S... with everything. It seems to always double the cost of the item.

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~ What do I think of Western civilisation? I think it would be a very good idea ~ Gandhi

I think, with seeds being such a light item to send, the postage isn't usually prohibitive..............at least not on the seeds I've bought from across the pond!

What I would say though, is that seeds of plants that do well in the US of A won't nescessarilly perform well in the UK!

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My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

But I would make sure to buy seeds that is appropriate for UK climate so wouldn't go for anything that's too exotic. Parts of US are cold anyway so surely there must be something suitable for us, yes, no?

BTW which US sites have you ordered from? Some of our Grapes have ordered from Baker Creek with satisfactory service of at least seeds being delivered as this is the risk we take when we order from abroad.

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Food for Free

I get most of my non-EU seeds off ebay - here's one I recommend as having a good variety and a reasonable price plus reasonable p&p. (Although I'm sure some of the stuff has been exported from europe and we'd be importing it back again!

DAVES SEEDS AND PLANTS

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Manda.

"Wouldn't it be nice
For maybe an hour
To not have a care."

A number of my quilting friends order fabric from America. As long as they stick to the£18 limit they are ok. Fabric is at least half the price there so it's worth doing. However, I work on the principal that if we don't support our British quilting shops they will go under. I don't know if the same applies to seed merchants. I still use British suppliers though.

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Earth laughs in flowers. Ralph Waldo Emerson

www.vegheaven.blogspot.com

Updated November 30th - Mr Stinky's Excellent Adventure (and a Christmas Cake)

One of the types of seed I ordered from across the pond were Dill's Atlantic Giant Pumpkins. The postage was cheap but the Pumpkins were crap!
I agree that some parts of the states are cold but they still have longer warmer Summers than us don't they?

Some of the allotment holders close to me sowed B&Q's Atlantic Giants seed which came from British grown plants and faired a lot better in our climate. Lesson learned as far as I am concerned!

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My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)