[Lynne]

I've tried to search on this, but no luck.

I am planning ahead and have been browsing catalogues for the potatoes I want to grow. Some on the old hands at my allotment have said not to bother sending off for them, just to buy them at the local garden centres.

What I wondered is whether garden centres have the same broad range that catalogues do? If I wait and they don't, I will be too late to order from a catalogue.

[Scribbler]

When I had my allotment I got my seed potatoes and onion sets from Woollies!

[GrannieAnnie]

I usually get my seed potatoes from our localish big garden centre, and they have a lovely range of spuds, even the pink fir apple that some on here love so much.  I haven't tried them yet myself, but I really will next year.  Plus they are a little cheaper than some catalogues.

The thing that puts me off buying from the catalogues is the price of the Postage.  E.G. Edwin Tucker's for potatoes and onion sets. over 2kg P&P is £5.50. But, saying that, If I bought all my potatoes and onions from them, its postage is the same up to 30kg,

Our petrol down to the G.C is cheaper than that though, plus I get to wander round and look at what I can't afford to buy!!!! lol  

But I do buy my onion and shallot sets from Wilko

[splodger]

last year i bought my spud seeds from kings - the p&p is only £1 - regardless of the size of order.

only downside is that for spuds you have to order at least 6kg - but i just split them with my dad - the seeds come direct from their supplier - and orders have to be in at Christmas time ish.

i ordered a few seeds too - which came seperately - but still only £1 p&p

i could find no fault in their seeds - they were of very good quality - and everything has flourished - even in this poor weather.

[smithyveg]

Whilst I'd agree that buying from your local garden centre or Wilko's is fine in as much as the spuds will be perfectly acceptable, you won't get an awful lot of choice as far as varieties go.

Sending off for new varieties allows you to try a different variety or two each year until you find one that suits your land or your taste buds, albeit they can be more expensive than buying locally.

[hermon]

the garden center may be expensive if you have got one get them from your local allotment shop. i get mine from thompson and morgan i think they are dear though.

[digital_biscuit]

Bought my spuds from the allotment shop. Not much variety, but very cheap and very good yields! Got onion sets from wilkos and home bargains and they were both very good!

[crowndale]

I like the variety you can choose from in the catalogues and expensive is a relative term when you consider the yields (in a normal year anyway!).  I am also planning on swopping varities to have a change of taste each year, though the desiree I just dug up may well make a reappearance next year, they are loverly!!

[muntjac]

get talking to local farmers thye grow different spuds yeaafter yea( well we does .if ya swap some other stuff with them you can usually get some seed spuds for nowt ,and dont neglect the super market spuds you can buy they do just as well in growing if you do your ground for the best results, why pay if you can barter or swap .  save the small ones from this year to grow next year keep em dark and cool check em regularly for rot