Grow Your Own Magazine

pigletwillie · #1 (**permalink**) 14-01-2007, 05:51 PM

We all do it,

promise ourselves that we have enough seeds to last until the next decade and don't really need to buy any more but the following situations occur that make us buy some seed anyway.

That recipe on tv or the article in the Sunday supplements gives you ideas for yet more crops to grow so out come the catalogues.

People recommend a different variety of carrot for example and you just have to try it too, even though you have your usual seed in the seed box and your quite happy with it, but you get the urge to buy some.

A chance visit to Wilko's to buy baby wipes takes you past the seed display and as they are only 39p a packet you buy some, well lots.

The situations are endless and I know that if I visit Melton Mowbrays Farmers market on a Tuesday, despite all of the best intentions not to, I will visit that stall that sells seed packets at 3 for £1 and will finally give in and spend at least a quid.

Is it seed fever and how many of you have it?

Mrs Dobby · #2 (**permalink**) 14-01-2007, 05:53 PM

We definitely have it, I think we've enough seeds to plant half of the 20 plots on our allotment! Mind you, better too many than too little!

bramble · #3 (**permalink**) 14-01-2007, 06:13 PM

i think all gardeners have it, especially if they seem to be at a "bargin price" or if someone tells you they grew that variety and it was "just great". Think it comes with the job as does hoarding all kind of odd bits and pieces that "just might " come in handy in the garden or the greenhouse.
Just relax and go with it, you could be doing something worse.

rustylady · #4 (**permalink**) 14-01-2007, 06:27 PM

Yes, I have it too!! I have packets of seed all organised by month to sow (thanks to my daughter), but as you say it only takes a visit to the supermarket, garden centre, or a look at the seed catalogue and you're sure to find something you desperately need!

At least we're not harming anyone, and you never know you may find something really good that you wouldn't have tried otherwise. As for me, I can't wait to start sowing. However I'm being patient because I know I will run out of windowsills if I start too soon and the winter's been so mild I have this horrible feeling that we're due some really hard frosts

smallblueplanet · #5 (**permalink**) 14-01-2007, 06:32 PM

Seed Fever, seed fever!!??? I don't know what you mean??????

Just love buying foreign pkts when on holiday, or via ebay. Makes ordinary veggies seem exotic, well or at least a challenge....never have properly translated the Beit Alpha cucumber packet written in Turkish! But the cucumbers are great just like the ones you get in the Med. area.

trousers · #6 (**permalink**) 14-01-2007, 06:50 PM

piglet, Wellie is as guilty as you we have seeds a-plenty......ps.a bit fresh around around the turnips dont you think old chap!!!

pigletwillie · #7 (**permalink**) 14-01-2007, 06:54 PM

Dont we look just swell in our pants Trouser(less)s. You bugger you.

I didnt twig what you had done at first, but hey, let it all hang out I say.

Lesley Jay · #8 (**permalink**) 14-01-2007, 07:20 PM

Just brilliant Trousers!! (I increased the screen size for a good look!!!!)

Poledragon · #9 (**permalink**) 14-01-2007, 11:23 PM

I have an obsessive seed buying habit. *sigh* DH dispairs... but he obviously doesn't understand the thrill of it all.

In October, I went through all my seeds, and decided the only thing I 'needed' to buy was fresh carrot seed. I even saved my own Tender & True parsnip seed this year, so I could strike that perennial purchase off the list.

Since then I've probably placed about five orders for seeds, plus had my Heritage seed library offerings delivered. And I haven't been anywhere Lidl or Wilko for a while - they always tempt me to buy something.

Don't even mention eBay...

GeordieVik · #10 (**permalink**) 15-01-2007, 08:51 AM

I've been sorting through my seeds this weekend, and have 64 packets!!!! Some are left over from last year, and 15 of them are flowers, but still

!

I think I'd better STOP!

Vik

Shortie · #11 (**permalink**) 15-01-2007, 09:20 AM

Yup... Guilty although will definately not be vege seeding it any more thia year. I think it was Snadger who posted last year about Wyevales doing seeds for 25p. I 'popped in' to take a peek as it were, and walked out about an hour later with somewhere near £16 worth of childrens and adult veg and flower seeds

What I'm doing now instead is buying plants for my garden to try and get that up and running after last year's veg fest (hence my lottie now to free up my garden for flowers). So far this year I've bought 2 fruit trees, a rose, a mock orange and 'Plena' (

). Same problem, different symptom....

Earthbabe · #12 (**permalink**) 15-01-2007, 11:32 AM

Definitely guilty and its spreading to include fruit bushes, bags of seed potatoes, saved seed.

Mr E just plants what I tell him.

AAARrrrrgggghhhh!!!! just realised I haven't got my shallots sorted yet.

HappyMouffe · #13 (**permalink**) 15-01-2007, 01:55 PM

I try to persuade my OH that it's much cheaper than buying lots of Jimmy Choos or handbags, and he can't really complain, as he's just taken up photography.

Had to buy some more yesterday, as I was worried I hadn't got enough lettuce seeds (after all, there's only about 1000 in each packet!!), and ended up getting some more tomatoes, as they looked interesting - orange banana and some wierd furry white ones. Oh, and some peppers. And squashes. Really, I need to take over at least 2 other allotments to make room

My name is HappyMouffe and I'm a seedbuying addict

Poledragon · #14 (**permalink**) 15-01-2007, 02:09 PM

Furry white ones? Wapsipinicon Peach, perchance? They're slightly furry, although not very white - more palest yellow. The girls said they were very tasty though, good acid and fruity.

As for counting packets of seed - I daren't start. Those little boxes from Ikea, well, there are 6 or 8 of them out there in the seed fridge, absolutely stuffed with seed (most are very small packets with maybe a dozen or so seeds in each - blame eBay), plus I bought the medium homestead package of seeds from Baker Creek Heirlooms in the US last year (and in 2004), plus I save a lot of my own seeds, especially tomatoes and beans...

Maybe I should use this enforced rest whilst I wait for this stubborn baby to make an appearance to go all 'anorak' and catalogue what seeds I actually have? That ought to take me a while

supersprout · #15 (**permalink**) 15-01-2007, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HappyMouffe

ended up getting some more tomatoes, as they looked interesting - orange banana and some wierd furry white ones

orange banana - mmmmmmmmmmmmmm

I grew this one by accident last year, from a box of 24 label-less tom plants @ £5 from Whispering Trees - can't wait to get seed in for this year. Smooth, soft and sweet, intense flavour

Don Vincenzo · #16 (**permalink**) 15-01-2007, 02:36 PM

Yes I am in the same boat,
I wanted to buy 2 grape vine plants for diversity, I ended up with twentyfive.......problem... problem....where I can put them? oh yes I can sell half and I can get all my money back and some profit.....greedy greedy...No I will keep the lot and I will sell the cuttings as twentyfive grape vines plants should give me 25 gallons of my own wine........( Chateau Don Vincenzo ) I only need 10 extra rods and I will be okay.......maybe

Don Vincenzo

madderbat · #17 (**permalink**) 15-01-2007, 11:57 PM

As relative newbies we are not too badly off, but still haven't grown all that we had last year, and have bought more. Every time a fellow lottie holder gives us a 'taste' of somthing I think, 'must grow that next year' At this rate Mr MB will be on his second lottie soon!
No possible room for grapevines though, too busy making fruit and veg wines: 'Shattered Smith'!

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