Fruit and vegetable company

[andrewo]

The saga continues, I have had a braeburn from Marshalls (fantastic company and no complaints) but the Fruit and Vegetable company are a waste of space - totally. I ordered my trees in Oct 2005, promised them by the latest Feb 2006. Phone late Feb and they said they were still waiting on the suppliers (well, the weather has been bad, so gave them an inch), phoned them last week and was promised (promised?) despatch by 16th March - no sign - phoned today, had to make them take my address and name, to which they said I had received my trees in Nov 2005 (I work from home so this didn't cut any mustard with me), they declined to tell me who the courier was and offered to reship or refund. I went for a refund, sorry there is no excuse for bad management like this, in this day and age any parcel that doesn't fit through your letterbox should be signed for, so that the despatch company knows you have recieved it. This is the first and last time I will use this company and advise others waiting on fruit trees from them to phone them up and demand to know whether they have been despatched - it all smells very fishy.

[nick the grief]

I think part of the problem is that they have seen some gaps in the market & tried to fill them and been cought out with the "sucess" and have stretched themselves possibly.

It's a hard lesson learned Andrew and I'm sure your experience will travel a lot further than any good publicity they may hope for.

On a similar vain I ordered some plug plants from Gardening direct 3 weeks ago, 1 lot that I wasn't expecting till early April arrive last week & then I got the confirmation of my order yesterday, still better this way round than what you've had. I guess you'll be going to marshals again.

[pigletwillie]

If you live in Leicestershir try James Coles & Son in Scraptoft. They have 180 acres in Leicestershire devoted to growing trees and they actually supply a lot of the other garden centres etc.

I ordered a Victoria plum and it was dug up, root pruned and bagged up ready for collection in 4 days. It is a beauty, 5 years old and very nearly 10 ft high and a fabulous shape.

It has been in the ground for a few weeks now and is just showing buds forming.

[Lesley Jay]

I think that everybody will have bad experiences with seed and plant companies at some time or other. I wouldn't touch Marshalls or Dobbies with a barge pole after what happened last year.

[Jaxom]

I think that everybody will have bad experiences with seed and plant companies at some time or other. I wouldn't touch Marshalls or Dobbies with a barge pole after what happened last year.

Lesley I think you are right.
Dobbies have been my best supplier this year, with Garden Warehouse and Bakkers in joint second place. Can't compare from previously as this is my fist year for buying mail-order.
What happened with Marshalls and Dobbies?
Jax

[Lesley Jay]

We tried Dobbies last year for the first and last time. Out of three packets of tomato seeds not one single plant germinated. All my other tomato seeds from Thompson & Morgan germinated, every single one. The cabbage seed was dated 2003, the beetroot seed didn't germinate but to prove it wasn't the ground at fault I sowed a full row of OLD beetroot seed from T&M right in front of the Dobbies row and got a full row of beetroot. When we complained about the tomato seed they replied that they expect 75% germination but I expect 100% germination from seeds. After all the seed bill is not cheap. It wasn't just us. Someone else got the same tomato seeds and they didn't germinate. It's not good enough.
With Marshalls I ordered onion seedlings (expensive) and they arrived nearly two months too late for planting out and instead of being in special root trainers "for a good healthy plant" they arrived stuffed in a bag all the roots jumbled up and pretty poor plants. Again with their seeds poor germination. I got just 3 plants out of half a row of spinach seed. Only half a dozen fennel out of half a row of seed. The celeriac was poor and the spring onions were poor germination. I expect better. It is too late to re order from someone else and re sow in the middle of the season. I don't care how cheap their seeds are they should germinate.

[andrewo]

I must admit I love the organic garden catalogue - will stick with them for my seeds in future - never had any problems. I am surprised at Dobies and have had no trouble with Marshalls. I don't think you are too late to plant spring onions - you'll just get them in summer instead!

[Geordie]

Lesley,

I am pretty sure that a type of seed (eg tomato) has to have a certain % germination for it to become listed in these catalogues. The % does differ with the type of seed you are germinating. I am sure some independent body will over see this as well.

Just my personal point of view but I gave up buying from 'mainstream' catalogues years ago.....i get all my plants & seeds from local sources, smaller catalogues and/or websites, using a mix of heritage and newer varieties.

[Lesley Jay]

Geordie from now on I am just sticking with the seed suppliers that I like and trust.

[nick the grief]

Your right Geordie, all seed has to pass a germination test and mostly it is higher than 75% I think, the exceptions are carrots & parsnips and that is lower. That being said the way the companies store the seed makes a hell of a difference. If I can find the link I'll post it so that you can all see what sort of playing field we are on.

[Jaxom]

What sort of germination % does carrots have? The reason I ask is that I have noticed a difference between my pots in the greenhouse. The germination rate in an old packet of seeds, which are 5 years old, has been about 90% but a brand new packet of seeds seems to have a germination rate of about 50%.
Jax

[nick the grief]

It's a bit boring, but if you don't nod off ...

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2002/20023175.htm

[Jaxom]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Nick, thanks I think?
English is my first language and I do have an O'level in it, but I am sorry; who writes this stuff?
Where is a layman suposed to get the information they need with out nodding off
Any way I worked my way through it and I now want a medal Nay I demand a Medal
Results of reading for Carrots:
Carrot seeds have to be Minimum analytical purity 95%
Minimum germination (percentage clusters or pure seed) 65%

If anyone wants other seed information then I have done some note taking so just ask and I will try to help. Only information on analytical purity and Minimum germination will be given. Anything else and my head will explode!
Jax

[Lesley Jay]

Jaxom I got part way through it but I tend to scan when I read pages of information like this (which means I miss bits) so can you tell me germination for tomato seeds please.

[Jaxom]

Lesley here you go.
Tomato seeds, Minimum analytical purity 97%
Minimum germination (percentage clusters or pure seed) 75%
Jax