[RookieJim]

I was planning on buying mine towards the end of January but a plot neighbour mentioned that he's bought/ordered his already?

When should I be looking to buy mine, now or in the new year?

Cheers
Jim

[arugula]

You're likely to get a better choice if you buy sooner. This year, with the poor crops for many, there are added concerns about lack of seed stocks and increased prices. I'd buy now and save them until chitting time, they will keep well if you store them properly - cool and dark.

[DD.]

I always get mine in the New Year.

Problem is that this year people are panic buying due to possible shortages as it was a bad season.

I get mine from a local nursery, so they will not be available until next year anyway, but I suspect the choice will be more limited.

There's nothing to stopping you ordering now, if the company is a decent one they will not deliver until the New Year anyway.

I refuse to pay postage costs on spuds!

[Lottiman]

I would order them now if you are getting them on line /delivered as I'm anticipating there will be fewer variety's of seed on offer. Me myself allways collect my seed potato's from a local garden centre that carry a huge 180 variety selection but they won't be in untill I'm guessing the end of january, but I will phone them to check delivery date and go get them as soon as they are in.

[JayG]

I buy mine from a local garden centre as soon as I'm aware they are there (usually early January.) They then sit quite happily on a cool, light, north-facing windowsill until planting time (finally chucked the spares away in August this year when I realised they weren't going to get planted!)

I'm prepared to have to compromise on variety though assuming the reports of poor yields and panic buying feed through to the shelves.

[fatcat1955]

Buy before midnight tonight from T&M and get free P&P. Many varietie's £2.99 For 20 Tuber's

[shokkyy]

I always buy from my local Wyevale because they have a huge choice and also sell some varieties loose, usually in January. I also refuse to pay postal charges on spuds. I'll be very surprised if the choice and availability of varieties on display this year is any different from last year. I suspect they'll just put the prices up a bit

[mumofstig]

I'll be very surprised if the choice and availability of varieties on display this year is any different from last year.

You may be unpleasantly surprised then  I hope not,  but see page 3 of

this document   from the Seed Potato Classification Scheme

[Yorkie]

Our association shop manager has already ordered our standard spuds for next season - he is not offering the wider range of 'to order' varieties because of low stock fears.

[fatcat1955]

http://www.farmersguardian.com/home/arable/arable-news/no-shortage-of-potato-seed-despite-challenging-season/50846.article
But if you read this report (if the link work's) Then we should be ok for our seed spud's.






edit to fix long link

[pdblake]

I usually pick mine up off the local market when they're 'in season', but this year I ordered online from Kings, to be delivered in jan/feb. A few minutes after I'd ordered they were marked out of stock (not surprised though, four lots of 2.5kg and pack of ten for a tenner).

[BabbyAnn]

In the past T&M have offered free p&p over the festive season which I've often taken advantage of but I have to confess that I decided to order them early from elsewhere to be sure I got the varieties I wanted.

[/quote]

Problem is that this year people are panic buying due to possible shortages as it was a bad season.

I did wonder if this wasn't a rumour released by potato merchants to get people to put orders in quick (not just gyo folk but any farmer intending on growing potatoes next year)

[shokkyy]

The local farmer that produces the sacks of spuds I buy to eat has massively increased his prices this year. However, he told me the main reason for that was that when he came to harvest the crop the land was too wet to drive machinery onto so he had to lift the crop the old fashioned way, using manual labour, and that's very expensive for him. Because of this and because he waited an extra month hoping the land would dry out enough for machinery, he was later getting some varieties lifted for sale but in the end his crop has been close to normal.

[Poolcue]

From the allotment shop as per normal.No excessive P@P to pay.