[themoog]

Please could I pick brains about seed potatoes? I didn't get my plot last year until Easter so this is my first year of getting early spuds in. I've got a quarter plot in total so only have a small space for spuds and won't want to buy loads of the same variety.

Where do you buy your potatoes from? Where is good value and reliable?

Thanks

[mumofstig]

Hope you have an allotment shop so you can get your spuds there.

The p & p from the seed catalogues make them a bit expensive.

Or you can wait and see what varieties they have in your local garden centre or even at Wilko if you're not too fussy variety wise.

[odd shapped veg]

Hope this does not sound too snobby but for the past five years of gardening I have always bought my potatoes from Marshall-seeds.co.uk. I have always bought from them because my dad has always bought from them. I can pick from the catalogue the variety I want and get then delivered to my house. I have to buy 12Kg of spuds and the P and P is £3.50. I could not drive and park to a garden centre or town for that.

[DD.]

I have to buy 12Kg of spuds and the P and P is £3.50. I could not drive and park to a garden centre or town for that.

But you also have to bear in mind their cost, not just postage. They are charging £6 to £7 for 2 kg that would cost me only £2 at Wilcos or my local nursery.

What did your 12kg cost,? I've just tried a dummy purchase of 12 kg of Arran Pilot - a pretty standard spud. Cost £34.20 - £12 from Wilcos or local source. That's a whopping £22+ saving!

[meterman]

Look at the smaller g/c's etc i found one that sells them loose with limited space this allows you to grow more varietys. I grow 2x early,1x second early and 3x main varietys total 44 seed cost last season £3.60.

[Quetzal]

FWIW 12kg of Arran Pilots from Tuckers would be £16 plus £6 postage according to my catalogue.

What sort of range do Garden Centers tend to stock in the spring? I'm keen to try some specific types (Belle de Fontenay, Ratte and maybe Rooster) which I couldn't get through my allotment assoc.

[DD.]

Exactly meterman.

At the place I go to you can buy as many or as few as you want - still only £1 a kilo. I went mad with the numbers of varieties last year as I wanted to trial what did well in my soil and resisted the slugs.

I know what I want this year!

[garddwr]

I love trying to find a bargain with growing your own and I think thats what makes it worth it and you can say oh I grew theese for £____ and a bit of time and effort

[DD.]

What sort of range do Garden Centers tend to stock in the spring? I'm keen to try some specific types (Belle de Fontenay, Ratte and maybe Rooster) which I couldn't get through my allotment assoc.

It just depends on pot luck!

Wyevale near us stock a limited range of 'popular' varieties and are relatively expensive, compared to a family run business not far away which stock about 90 varieties.

[annie b]

Exactly meterman.

At the place I go to you can buy as many or as few as you want - still only £1 a kilo. I went mad with the numbers of varieties last year as I wanted to trial what did well in my soil and resisted the slugs.

I know what I want this year!

OOh Dave, where do you go then?I 'm not far from you...adn £1 a kilo sounds fantastic. What varieties do they sell?

[compostqueen]

Wilko stock small bags of lots of varieties, I was quite surprised at the choice they had last year

All our local garden centres sell them but I get mine via the lotty shop, and swops with friends

[DD.]

Exactly meterman.

At the place I go to you can buy as many or as few as you want - still only £1 a kilo. I went mad with the numbers of varieties last year as I wanted to trial what did well in my soil and resisted the slugs.

I know what I want this year!

OOh Dave, where do you go then?I 'm not far from you...adn £1 a kilo sounds fantastic. What varieties do they sell?

You expect me to remember them all! :shock:

It's Brookside Nurseries, Cropston Road, Anstey.

[compostqueen]

  think man, think  

[DD.]

Well, as it happens, I thought & Googled!

Now, they've not done this before, but here's a pre-order form, you can do it by weight or number, have them delivered or collect them.

Price has gone up a bit to £1.25 a kilo. There are 85 varieties.

Note that Pink Fir Apple and the Sarpo Varieties are the same price, usually they are far more expensive.

No Ambo- they did best last year! :cry:

http://www.brooksidenurseries.co.uk/spw.php?unit=kg

[scousemouse]

I've just ordered 4 or 5 different varieties from Thompson & Morgan.  They are more expensive but I've always been told they offer better quality seeds.  Plus, they offer more of the heritage varieties which I'm keen on growing.  I ordered International Kidney, King Edwards, Sharpes Express, and sample packs of Pink Fir Apple and Skerry Blue (5 tubers each).  This cost me just under £18 before postage.  

I don't think our lottie shop sells seed potatoes unfortunately, but it's very traditional and I like the thought of experimenting with the "exotics"!

Although last year's spuds (as a beginner) came from B&Q - Pentland Javelin and Desiree and they were the same price as the packs of 20 from T&M - £3.99.  They were fine.  The late Charlottes I grew didn't do so well, although what spuds I did get tasted fantastic.