Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Chatting => Frugal Living => Topic started by: Nige2Plots on November 12, 2010, 19:54

Title: Allotment shops
Post by: Nige2Plots on November 12, 2010, 19:54
Most allotment sites have them. I was wondering if we could compare prices to see the cheapest and most expensive items available across the country! Any takers?
Title: Re: Allotment shops
Post by: mumofstig on November 12, 2010, 21:17
good idea, I've been looking but haven't found my price list yet  :nowink:  :wacko:
Title: Re: Allotment shops
Post by: compostqueen on November 13, 2010, 00:58
the prices fluctuate quite a lot so by the time you have a delivery you have to adjust all the prices. Usually compost and weed killer that changes quite regularly.  Most lotty shops only operate on a cost basis and will add a very small percentage to cover operating costs. The folks in the shop are normally volunteers, well ours are  :)
Title: Re: Allotment shops
Post by: Aunt Sally on November 13, 2010, 20:02
Our association uses Mr Fothergill's for seeds and depending on how big the overall order is we generally get just over 50% discount.

The shop sell just about everthing from

Seed potatoes at £2.40 for 3Kg

Growmore and Blood Fish and Bone at £11 for 25Kg

to 4 metre wide fruitcage netting at 75p per metre.
Title: Re: Allotment shops
Post by: Nige2Plots on November 13, 2010, 20:13
Thank you Aunt Sally that's the spirit.
Our Humax 60 litre compost sells at £4.30 per bag and 6X pelleted fertilizer at £7.00 per100 Litre bag. I think both are great deals. The mark up on these is very little.
Title: Re: Allotment shops
Post by: compostqueen on November 13, 2010, 20:51
We use a discount seed scheme via NSALG and Kings Seeds.

Our compost is £4 for 70 litres but that's what we have in at the moment
Title: Re: Allotment shops
Post by: Aunt Sally on November 13, 2010, 21:06
What do you pay for lime Nige ?

Ours is £4.35 for 25Kg
Title: Re: Allotment shops
Post by: compostqueen on November 13, 2010, 21:08
Ours is £3.75

I think our shop is sounding a bit too cheap  :D
Title: Re: Allotment shops
Post by: Aunt Sally on November 13, 2010, 21:13
It does sound good value CQ.  If it's too cheap though it means the association has less money to spend on improvements etc.
Title: Re: Allotment shops
Post by: compostqueen on November 13, 2010, 21:15
It has to keep a fighting fund in reserve for fending off the developers
Title: Re: Allotment shops
Post by: Aunt Sally on November 13, 2010, 21:17
A few pence here and their on prices would hardly even be noticed and would boost the fighting fund.
Title: Re: Allotment shops
Post by: Nige2Plots on November 14, 2010, 08:06
What do you pay for lime Nige ?

Ours is £4.35 for 25Kg
I appear to have a bargain at £3.80 per bag :) Just noticed compostqueen's is 5 pence cheaper!
Title: Re: Allotment shops
Post by: mumofstig on November 14, 2010, 10:20
Not wishing to put the cat amongst the pigeons, but would prices in general, be a bit lower further away from London?
Title: Re: Allotment shops
Post by: Aunt Sally on November 14, 2010, 11:03
I can't see why they should be Mum.
Title: Re: Allotment shops
Post by: mumofstig on November 14, 2010, 13:40
More affluent areas, pay higher prices (that's how Tesco set their store prices)  ::)

The seed potatoes here are also £2.40 for 3 kg, onion sets are £ £1.10 for 3kg.

Haven't found the list for anything else. doh!
Title: Re: Allotment shops
Post by: Nige2Plots on November 14, 2010, 13:41
I can't see why they should be Mum.
Not wishing to put the cat amongst the pigeons, but would prices in general, be a bit lower further away from London?
A lot of our stock is bought  by mail order from various companies across the country. So I think that allotment shop prices should not vary that much.
MoS you posted whilst I was typing! That is a valid point for shop bought items I think.