Grow Your Own Magazine

I have two catalogues delivered this week which is making pretty exciting reading.

As a newbie though having never ordered through any of them before, I wanted to ask should I order from them, or hang fire and buy from local garden centres nearer the time??

I would like to buy some potatoes from T and M, plus possibly other seeds, but wondered if I am better off waiting til nearer the time? Does anyone know if there are usually potato days in the north east (Tyneside or Northumberland) that would be better?

Also what about their reputation (T and M)?

Any advice before I take a plunge that I may regret?

I personally don't buy seed pots as i think they are expensive and use the small ones from the bottom of a sack of potatoes that i get from the local greengrocers ( his supplier and grower is only 15 miles from me) and are allotment commitee runs a seed sceam with kings been the supplier at about half the cost , and look on e-bay for job lots as there was 40 packets of seed for £20 inc delivery.
p.s also use garlic from tesco as seed !

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---) CARL (----
ILFRACOMBE
NORTH DEVON

a seed planted today makes a meal tomorrow!

www.freewebs.com/carlseawolf

now in blog form ! UPDATED 01 / 04 / 08

I wanted to plan next year now so I listed the seeds I already had and when they will be ready to harvest ect then I trawled the internet for varieties that would fill the gaps. In the end I bought all my seeds from Suttons - they're mostly £1 something for a packet and the delivery is free on all seeds. I've not bought any parsnips yet as they're supposed to be better bought near the time, and I probably won't buy seed potatoes because this year I chitted and planted bought spuds (don't know if it's worked yet though!)

I bought a lot of seeds from T&M when all their seeds were half price which meant they were mostly under £1 but this sort of sale may only be offered once or twice a year. You can also get good value seeds from B&Q and Wilko with their own brand, maybe in smaller manageble quantity.

Bigger garden centre also stock lots of seeds but I find the sale aren't always there and besides the variety per given vegetable isn't as big as you would find from catalogue and online.

Here the full list of suppliers for seeds
T&M
Suttons
Unwins Direct
Johnsons
Mr Fothergill
Real Seeds
Packet Seeds
Beans and Herbs
Seed by Size
Marshall
Dobies
Bakker
B&Q and Wilko own brand
Is there a Tesco own brand seed yet??

Look out for opportunity for seed swap in various local garden events.

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Food for Free

Or make sure you buy some heritage varieties so you can save your own seed! Very satisfying!

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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)

Try www.moreveg.co.uk - they do packets of small quantities (20 seeds, 12 seeds etc depending on varieties) and charge 50p for most - 75p for a few.

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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)

for heritage beans try www.beansandherbs.co.uk
We get onions and potatoes from the pound shop, the Desiree spuds were a superb crop this year
I've ordered some T&M using their money off coupons, otherwise wouldn't bother.

Its easy to spend too much in catalogues - I now make a list of what I need and then search for that, instead of looking at all the pretty pictures and saying I'll have that, and that, and that...if you don't see it, you don't covet it!

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

Thanks all of yu for your input. Much appreciated, especially that list of suppliers!

Thanks for the suppliers addies too.
Thanks for that link Flummery, a good price for the right amount of seed.

wow what useful info thanks everyone

I really like the Organic Gardening Catalogue. I came across them when I attended a workshop about green manure last year - at that time, they seemed to be the only ones supplying Comfrey seeds and Hungarian Rye Grass and Red Clover and Phacelia and Field Beans.
Also got very attracted to the unusual seeds they have - like Okra and the Asparagus seeds and other weird vegetables. Am not so sure about the organic trademark of the seeds, if that's important or not, but they also have some fantastic biological pest weaponry in their catalogue and profits go to charity. Seeds germinated very well, too.

http://www.organiccatalog.com/catalog/

I also like the workshops they are doing and they also have some heritage seeds and link up to the Heritage Seeds Library and similar.

Seed catalogues are like mail order catalogues. Lovely to look at and read, and as you go through them you really want to buy loads of stuff. I have to be really strict with myself. I look through, make a list of stuff I would like (with costs), and then go through it again and limit myself to stuff I need. and can afford (and don't have left over from last year). (I do usually add a few new varieties just to try, though)

I know what you mean, it can get addictive!!!

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Food for Free

I received a catalogue through the mail today. Seeds of Distinction. They have a lovely flower catalogue but i was really taken by the veg one. To me, the prices looked really good and the selection was great. There is a big section of heirloom tomatoes which are making a big come-back and an extensive selection of chilli peppers. Well worth a look i would think.

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And when you're back stops aching,
And you're hands begin to harden.
You will find yourself a partner,
In the glory of the garden.

Rudyard Kipling.

http://www.seedsofitaly.com/index.php
veggieginger's OH here, try this company. Loads more seeds per£.