Minimum required information on seed packets

[marchogaeth]

Kristen got me thinking here http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ml#post1326701

So what is the minimum that should be on a seed packet so that a complete beginner could have a reasonable chance of growing a successful crop?

[Kristen]

That apart , I read somewhere that there are examples where seed company said "XXX" on their packets, years ago, and they still say that - copied [to the printers] from season to season - and the information is either suspect or plain wrong!

In the days of The Net it is a simple matter, when an error is found, to correct it. It rarely happens, companies publish the minimum and put far more effort into campaigns to get Facebook Likes etc. rather than quality information (I build big websites for a living, and that describes our clients to a T! Projects now run by Marketing, rather than IT, so emphasis has shifted from quality information to maximum gloss )

Doesn't answer your question though, sorry! and I agree, it would be helpful to have a good set of quality information.

In the other thread I mentioned Suttons information on a Runner Bean. I didn't mention (as not relevant there, but it is there!) that they had an INFO section and a picture of the Packet. The packet photo contains more information than the website page (which is a pain, as you have to ZOOM the photo to be ale to read the print ...) AND [I'm getting to my point now!!] the information on web page and Photo contradicts each other <sigh>

Link to the Runner Bean page:
Bean (Runner) Seeds - Scarlet Emperor - Suttons Seeds and Plants

Packet Photo

Link (in case it is reduced here): http://suttons.s3.amazonaws.com/p/198831b_3.jpg

And the text on the page is

"Sow in April under glass or cloches, or outdoors in May and June. Prolific, decorative plants thriving in well cultivated soils containing plenty of humus. Regular watering in dry periods will be amply rewarded by a heavy crop of delicious, tender young beans for table and freezing. (12-16 weeks maturity.) Packet sufficient for a double row of approximately 4.5m (15')."

[Penellype]

My prize for the least information on a seed packet goes to Plants Of Distinction for their Half Pint Peas:

Pea Half Pint

Dating back to the 1800s when there were several of these little devils. Useful for cloche growing, frame growing or even windowsill growing. Its cute beans bear a good feed of pods and above all its novel. 12".

When to sow
Early in the year and again a month later or even outdoors if you wish.

And thats it!!!
Beans? Its a PEA!

[Penellype]

Minimum info required:

Name of variety
Number of seeds
Packed in year ending, Sow by date
Info about months for sowing, planting out and harvesting
Sowing and growing instructions, planting depth and spacing
Any special requirements or suitabilities eg grows in pots, needs acid soil, full sun required
Eventual height and spread
Country of origin

[Potstubsdustbins]

The problem is it all costs money. Premier Seeds have what I think is a good way of doing things. There is good info on their web site and you can buy your seed in two sorts of packing, 1, a plain plastic bag with variety, amount of seed, packing date and sow by date. Or 2, in a paper envelope with full info.

This allows them to sell the seed in the plastic bag far cheaper to the more experience grower.

If the companies put all the info on you would end up with 4 seeds in a A4 envelope and the cost of seed to the consumer would rocket.

[TrysHard]

I just google everything and then have too much information - I then do what I have done in the past or use my Marshals Veg Guide.

[Kristen]

Premier Seeds have what I think is a good way of doing things. There is good info on their web site

I'm looking in the wrong place then (on the eBay page where the seeds are sold, is there a better source?) because although I buy seeds from Premier Seeds I've never seen good info on their web site.

I made a comparison between Premier Seeds info and Suttons in this post:
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ml#post1326695

[noviceveggrower]

I google a lot of my things as well. I find it gives a muppet like me needs a bit more info. The seed packets are good but some are a bit vague. Then I write it down in my gardening book so I can refer back to it.

[Kristen]

I looked at some Runner Bean seeds on various sites, in the order they came up in Google search for "Runner Bean Seeds"

Marshalls:

One photo of harvested beans (no photo of the packet). Sowing/Harvesting chart, good growing information on the actual variety page itself and also a link to a separate growing guide which is very comprehensive, including details/comparison of Runner/French/Dwarf etc..

The variety page also included a comparison chart of the cropping dates for all varieties sold, showing side-by-side which varieties were early/late etc. which I thought was useful


Suttons:

Photos of front & rear of packet and of harvested beans. Growing information on the page was limited, although combined with packet photo provided full information - bit of a pain having to zoom the photo to read it all though. Dunno if photo of packet shown for all/many varieties.


T&M

One photo of harvested beans (no photo of the packet). Detailed info on growing, contained all relevant points. Also recommended pollinators and plants to attract aphids away. Link to a comprehensive Runner Bean growing guide, although its comparison of varieties just identified main characteristic (dwarf / exhibition) so could be better and only 1/3rd of varieties sold were included. Video on sowing, description of harvesting etc.


Unwins

Photo of front and back of packet (with zoom), no photo of harvested beans. Very limited information in the text of the page; calendar chart of sowing/harvesting, no planting sowing details, no planting distances, so have to zoom the photo to read anything useful. Link to growing guides, but no relevant guide for Runners.

Several aspects of the site operated badly - broken links etc.

On balance I would say the information available was poor.


DT Brown

One photo of harvested beans. Sowing/Harvesting chart, but no other sowing / growing details at all.


Real Seeds

Sowing/Harvesting chart, but no other sowing / growing details at all.


Dobbies

Site crashed


Mr Fothergills

One photo of harvested beans. Sowing/Harvesting chart, reasonable description of growing details. Most prominent information on the page is celebrity endorsements of the variety ...


Kings Seeds

One photo of harvested beans. Sowing/Harvesting chart, but no other sowing / growing details at all.


Victoriana Nursery

Several photos of beans on the plant, and the plants (none of the seed packet). Good growing information.

[TrysHard]

What do we expect - in the past we would have been given some saved seed and told to bung em in the ground about May. Then over the years we would get better and be the one saying here have some beans bung em in the ground about May.

That is what I love about gardening the trial and ERROR

Oh and eating the beans.

[Kristen]

I expect something that enables a Newbie to have success . Personally I abhor trial and error - months of growing plants which I am expecting to give me a harvest to then find that I don't get a crop / don't get the crop that I expected / crop dies because I didn't do something correctly, and if such a scenario puts a Newbie off, trying vegetables / allotment for the first time, I regard that as a huge waste of an opportunity.

[TrysHard]

But there are so many variables, I would expect any newbie to at least read a book, surf the web, ask a neighbour or join a friendly forum.

I have been gardening for many years (intermittently) and I now consider it my hobby - I love reading books and surfing the web to get an overload of info.

[Guest]

But there are so many variables, I would expect any newbie to at least read a book, surf the web, ask a neighbour or join a friendly forum.

When I started I relied on the info on the packet and as such I would have thought this is your first port of reference for growing seed. I read books and magazines as well as watching programmes however these are not necessarily helpful on planting your seeds. i.e early peas (feltham first) v. main crop peas (greensage), broad bean (aquadulce) v broad bean (crimson) etc. etc. . Info on the packs should be specific to the variety within. As for books/mags, I remember reading my FiL g.y.o (1970's not our gyo) and the planting dates were so far out things change and up to date info is important especially for newbies and that is what should be on your seeds .

[Knight of Albion]

I think the information given by the established seed companies is more than adequate. It's only when you buy unbranded seeds from ebay and the like that you can run into difficulties, as these companies/individuals generally use unillustrated, minimal packaging. But then they are a lot cheaper.

In gardening, like life, everyone is going to make mistakes. The thing is to learn from those mistakes, move forward and be the better for it.

I think you can read all the books you like, but its getting your hands in the soil, experimenting, trying and yes, at times failing - but persevering, that makes for good gardeners.

[Kristen]

I think the information given by the established seed companies is more than adequate

From what I have been reading up of late that seems to be very much the case. When I were a Lad I suspect that the only seeds we had were from one of the Known Names ... the cheap stuff seems to leave a lot to be desired, by comparison. Why, I don't know, I can't believe it would be that hard for them to put together decent growing guides for their cheap seeds, otherwise punters are going to say XYZ Cheap Seeds didn't work, but Suttons (or whatever) did, simply because the information on Suttons (or whatever) enabled the grower to actually get a decent crop!

Worth having a notebook (or spreadsheet ) with Sowed on, Planted out on, First and Last harvest dates and Variety name, and a column for "Liked/Hated, Plant More/Less" etc. to be a guide in future years.