Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: rowlandwells on December 01, 2020, 17:35
-
have you ordered all your next seasons seeds yet if so and have you gone for some new varieties to try next year hopefully I've ordered all my seed I need but I'm still looking through the catalogues as you do :D the wife said no more seeds >:(
and do you do an allotment plan for planting next year I'm thinking on the lines of crop rotation that i think is most important for our next years planting schemes
-
Yes, I have all my seeds, except for sweetcorn that is on back order, I expect that to come from Marshalls, with some potatoes I ordered, ages ago.
With everything that's going on this year, I thought it would be better to order early to make sure I got what I wanted.
Yes, I do a rotation plan on my laptop, but it isn't always strictly followed, if I'm honest.
It usually gets to the stage that I'm bunging stuff in wherever there's a gap :lol: :lol:
-
Not got them all yet. I order my seeds from premier seeds although I could buy them locally. I just like their service even though I have to pay for postage it is not too much and cheaper than at a GC .
I still have one or two things some herbs and maybe some new Parsnips. But in praise of PS I ordered 9 different packs of seeds three of which were F1's and the lot including P&P was £10.99 contrast that with one packet of Guernsey parsnip seed I bought at the local GC last year ... €3.75
-
Not got them all yet. I order my seeds from premier seeds although I could buy them locally. I just like their service even though I have to pay for postage it is not too much and cheaper than at a GC .
I still have one or two things some herbs and maybe some new Parsnips. But in praise of PS I ordered 9 different packs of seeds three of which were F1's and the lot including P&P was £10.99 contrast that with one packet of Guernsey parsnip seed I bought at the local GC last year ... €3.75
Difficult to beat Premier-Seeds-Direct for price or quality , have used them for a few years now.
Think i have my seed needs covered and with a bit of luck i will get a compost delivery tomorrow ! :)
I was lucky to get last years supply just before lockdown and am taking no chances this time.
-
Hi,
All sorted except for spuds, have gone from 1 to 3 plots this year but even so have gone a bit overboard as have loads. First time orders from Real Seeds, DT Brown, King Seed plus bought a book from this site and KG subscription both which had free seeds with them. Think I have enough for a couple of years, will be trying lots of new veg, melons, watercress, popping sweetcorn, chillies and red onions to name a few, plus more herbs. Also some Sarah Raven flower seeds which were a gift for new cutting patch.
I've done a plan based on starting crop rotation but as most of the plots weren't used this year, too over grown and had to clear the original plot. I'm not going to be too fussy. KG have a free sowing planner in this months edition which will be going on the garage wall to keep me on track.
Liking the addition of the snowfall on the site
-
Mrs Growster and I have a sort of ritual each year, where we make a list, then pop out to our favourite GC for a chat and a collection.
This year was different, but our friend there just called by after a phone call, 'whooo-hoooed' over the gate, left them in a carrier bag and we chatted as normal at exactly 6'8" distance! They then set up a 'click and collect' operation, and our chum tipped me off when the next lot was coming in, and everyone in the village got what they wanted!
We just feel that all these small businesses need every bit of trade they can get, and it's not as if we're buying more than a dozen packets anyway!
(It wouldn't have been like that when we had the allotment, as the arguments about such delicacies as salsify or PSB would have meant an international summit meeting, quotes from Marshalls etc., and a check on the overdraft facility...)!
-
Ordered via the allotment society, you get a 20% discount. Ordered some seed potatoes from them as well. Want to order some of those purple flesh potatoes to freak out my grandchildren. Husband wants to try some Kalletes so I've ordered a packet of seed. Also contemplating asparagus but not sure. Have a plan for next year but like all good plans it is open to change.
-
I've ordered some of my seeds but not all. I do a crop rotation on my first half plot. I only took over my second half last year but it's likely to be for the crops that I couldn't fit into the first half. although the rotation won't be as strict, there will definitely be something in place. I still need to get sweetcorn and probably some other pumpkin / squash.
-
Are you supposed to do that now? I normally get seeds around late winter/early spring, or sow the ones I bought last year. There is a seed swap around late winter/early spring where I can look for seeds. I'm wondering if it is possible to order seed potatoes around new year because I want to try starting off earlies in the greenhouse in early February.
-
If you leave ordering potatoes until new year, some varieties may be sold out. If you know what you want, I'd order them asap. They don't usually get delivered until January even if you order them now.
-
Everything ordered and just waiting for them to arrive. Ridiculously early for me but I don't want to get caught out if the grow your own craze is still around.
And it kept me occupied for an evening. :nowink:
A new variety I'm trying is the tomato Honeycomb. It's a new sungold type which apparently has less splitting. I spotted it in a catalogue and while searching for the cheapest supplier I found this video that mentions it!
https://www.allotment-garden.org/garden-diary/7010/a-video-on-new-varieties-coming-soon/
-
I found this video that mentions it!
https://www.allotment-garden.org/garden-diary/7010/a-video-on-new-varieties-coming-soon/
Ah! from one of John's news updates :)
-
Have I ordered all my seeds - in theory yes, but you know how it goes :blush:
I did a stocktake and checked I had enough newish seeds for everything and ordered new supplies or replacements for what failed that test. I have seed spuds on order and a stash of compost and fertilisers just in case it is all still a bit mad next year.
Somehow, I keep finding myself looking at seed sites though ??? I have resisted so far .... but .....
-
I went out into my workshop the other day with a view to being ruthless with my seed collection and throwing anything that was not in date away... I did throw some out but still retained quite a few on the well they germinated this spring rule :lol: stupid I know but I can do and early sowing with them nothing to lose if the have had it ... into the bin... which was what I was going to do in the first place... but never say never :lol:
-
Think I might need to order another allotment looking at my seed box. :lol:
-
Think I might need to order another allotment looking at my seed box. :lol:
hahaha! Do you wish you'd kept the other one, now?
-
Haven't handed in the keys yet - paid up till end of year. All depends on whether I feel like paying for 2 come January and what the consultant says about replacing the second knee.
-
You're all putting me to shame! Apart from the potato order, I've done nothing yet :(
-
come on John get cracking there's only around 4 months before we all start sowing and then there's those potatoes to order not to mention the sundries :lol:
-
A small order from Real Seeds and my usual Heritage Seed Library choices.
I have ordered seed potatoes from DT Brown as our potato day is cancelled.
Any other new seeds will be coming from the seed circle on this site.
The rest are saved from my own plants
-
Ordered my seeds and potatoes in October .just had an email from D T Brown to say that the Lady Christi potatoes are cancelled because of crop failure substituted with Acoustic ,potatoes gone rotten in ground and storage ,Looking at different internet sites a lot of potatoes are not available so get orders in quickly .
-
Check out Potato House (http://potatohouse.co.uk/) - excellent quality, lot of organic varieties and friendly :)
They've a great taster offer on Sarpo too - https://potatohouse.co.uk/product/sarpo-6-tuber-variety-pack/
Extra £3 off that with the voucher in the December newsletter (http://www.allotment-garden.org/newsletter/)
-
Still waiting for our commercial suppliers to send us the list of seeds they are offering at a reduced price ... might drop them an email to see when it's due to arrive.
-
Started sorting through to get the seed order done. After this year's desperate begging and scraping because I left things late - next year I hope to be more organised. :blush:
-
Started sorting through to get the seed order done. After this year's desperate begging and scraping because I left things late - next year I hope to be more organised. :blush:
Good luck with that :lol: :lol:
-
An interesting one - Tamar Seeds has a notice up saying that the company can't supply international orders and that includes Northern Ireland. Someone on another forum an allotment holder in Eire can't get his seeds from his normal suppliers in the UK this year or his spuds from Scotland. It's to do with the phytosanitation requirements to prevent the import and export of diseases along with the seeds.
We got a phytosanitation notice to say that the seeds met with the appropriate government decrees on our Kings Seeds order for the allotment association this year.
As most packets of seeds came with a notice saying that they meet with all relevant EU legislation over recent years - well who knows what will be in the garden centres next season.
-
Basically until 31st December you can sell or buy seeds in Europe but after Brexit takes effect we're no longer part of the single market so import/export regulations apply. I've just stopped offering delivery of our books with free seeds outside of the UK because of this.
The status with Northern Ireland is more confusing, my attitude is to send it and see :wub:
-
Basically until 31st December you can sell or buy seeds in Europe but after Brexit takes effect we're no longer part of the single market so import/export regulations apply. I've just stopped offering delivery of our books with free seeds outside of the UK because of this.
The status with Northern Ireland is more confusing, my attitude is to send it and see :wub:
You realise, John, that you've just instigated a new criminal investigative layer of policing!
I can see it now 'Coated Seed-Feds' swoop on budgie enclave...
'Tuber-Cop' chips in with pictures of vinegar smugglers...
and
'F1 seeds join Bernie Ecclestone in promoting faster-growing plants'!
-
<<<GROAN>>>
Sorted out the seed order yesterday - remarkably small as I've a lot in the store. Just hoping everything turns up now. Might head off to the garden centre later to stock up the potting compost before the post-Christmas lockdown.
-
Our chum at local GC told me that it's been a very difficult year for compost distributors as well as all the other suppliers!
I've been doing a major clear-out of a load of old stuff in the roof, and found an old Marshalls order from 7th December, 1989!
Over thirty items, including 'Desiree' runner beans at £1.49, 'Montgomery' brussels at £1.35, and Calendulas at £0.65p!
I wonder when they'll arrive...
-
Yep - I've heard words about compost supplies at Garden Centres too.
-
Unfortunately, I never seem to have ordered all my seeds until it's too late in the season to sow anything else! I always give in to temptation when a seed catalogue is waved under my nose.
-
Must admit I had not thought about seed ordering , get Christmas out of the way and look forward to the days drawing out.
Have just look in diary , bought Charlott's second week of Jan and Desiree from Wilko third week ( 23rd )
Popped to our local GC today , they had a good selection of seed potatoes , is it too early to get them?
£3.99 per 2kg bag.
-
Popped to our local GC today , they had a good selection of seed potatoes , is it too early to get them?
£3.99 per 2kg bag.
If you've got somewhere to store them, in the dark and frost-free, but not warm enough to start them into growth, for about a month - then it's not too early :)
-
Thanks for the advice , trip to the Garden Centre tomorrow . Could wrap them up and put under the tree , with a tag for Mrs Tenhens :lol: :lol: Suspect turning down the heating may be pushing it !!
-
Think I might need to order another allotment looking at my seed box. :lol:
You may be aware that threads have been started on these pages on the subject of becoming a seedaholic :lol: :lol: The mods may have to move your post !! ;) ;)
Serious question , Is there the risk of a shortage of seed potatoes with all what's been happening , after my earlier post Mrs SWMBO said that we will get them in due course , thinks she's earmarked after Christmas.
-
Probably not.....
-
serious question , Is there the risk of a shortage of seed potatoes with all what's been happening
Some varieties seem to be in short supply, already, on the main supplier on-line sites....
Don't know if that is because many people, like myself, have ordered early 'just in case' or if they had reduced stock to start with.....
-
Some stocks seem short due to poor quality. It was a weird and tough growing year and seed tubers are basically fresh.
-
Got to the Garden Centre today and bought our seed potatoes , 4 bags Desiree , 3 Charlotte and 1 bag of Duke of York . Not bought the Duke before apparently good for roasting . Good selection on sale may go back and get more , so difficult to judge if you've got enough !!
-
Dobies seed order will be going in this week just for a few things that I need. I tell myself I need them but looking through my seed tin I probably don't. But then again it is Christmas so why not :D
-
Got everything I wanted from local Dobbies. They had good selection of seed potatoes. You have to watch predictive text. Nearly posted I had "every thong" from Dobbbies :mellow :mellow:: :mellow: :mellow: :mellow: :mellow:
-
Well that would have been a worthwhile trip :lol: ;)
-
Following earlier posts on this thread that mentioned Premier Seeds Direct , I'd thought I'd give them a go.
Placed an order last Thursday evening ( 7th ) Seeds arrived yesterday ( 12th ) 20 plus packs of seeds in secure packaging , order correct and in tact. Pleased and hopefully will have a good harvest.
I'm sure that other suppliers give similar service.
-
I'm a bit late coming to this post, but this is what we did...
We moved to Herne Bay back in June 2019, after living in the same house in London for forty years. With stuff all over the place the first thing we did was to put our name down for an allotment, even before we found the kettle. At the end of February 2020 we received a call inviting us to look at a couple of plots with a view to taking one. We took one, and set about clearing the overgrown and neglected plot. Three weeks later lockdown happened, and we had not bought many seeds. With garden centres and the allotment shop closed, with the whole country reeling from what had happened, we made do with whatever we could get.
Not wanting to get caught out again this year, we made our order as soon as the catalogues were available at the allotment shop (to take advantage of the discounts on offer). We have all those seeds and have already started sowing (mainly chillies and peppers). However... with two of us here, both keen on trying to fill our greenhouses with seed trays full of seedlings for the plot and our new to us garden, I think we will be buying more seeds all year!
As for growing something new this year, it is squash and pumpkins - never grown them before. We were given some by other plot holders during the year and were so impressed with the flavour and texture, compared with shop-bought, we are now looking forward (hopefully) to trying our own produce later this year.
Ralph
-
Went to Wilko (Wilkinsons) here in Wales today to buy bird seed, feeder and some odd veg seeds I'd forgotten to buy on line, and a couple of seed trays while we were out shopping for essentials. Not allowed to buy any garden stuff at all (non essential items apparently), but was allowed to buy the bird seed and feeder, just thought it was really odd, I'd have thought growing your own food might be an essential for some :)
-
It's all a bit mad out there! I can understand why they want to stop people browsing, comparing new tellies etc. but some things in the non-essential group are, to me, pretty important. Still, these things are sent to try us and they do :)