[alancas]

greetings,has any tried out cheaper seeda and onion sets against dearer varieties?just interested to know if dearer heated onion sets are better and veggie seeds from tesco etc against good branded names,thanks.





Edit title for clarity.

[mumofstig]

I've never planted the heat treated sets so can't comment.
I bought japanese onion sets from a reputable seed company and they still rotted over winter

The seeds from Lidl, Aldi and the like are all as good as the expensive brands IMO. However the choice is usually very limited and you generally get fewer in the packets.

[Kleftiwallah]

I'm always willing to pay 98p for a duplicate packet of seeds rather than £3:99. 

Variety doesn't matter.

Cheers,    Tony

[Paul Plots]

I've never planted the heat treated sets so can't comment.
I bought japanese onion sets from a reputable seed company and they still rotted over winter

The seeds from Lidl, Aldi and the like are all as good as the expensive brands IMO. However the choice is usually very limited and you generally get fewer in the packets.

 I agree with you about cheaper seeds from supermarkets. They seem fine but limited in range - the big difference is (as you say) far fewer seeds in the packet. That works out well if you only need a few.

Quality wise? Not sure. 

Heat-treated sets... usually too dear for me so I risk it with the run of the mill and usually they do well.

Am I right in thinking heat treating reduces the likelihood of bolting?

[Goldfinger]

Whether you buy cheap or expensive seeds, either way, you're bound to lose some to non-germination or rotting etc.

I think with seeds etc, quality control is limited to a 'visual inspection', not like something mechanical that can be tested.

[SnooziSuzi]

I've found no difference in quality between seeds branded 'Wilko's' as opposed to 'Suttons' for example, (other suppliers are available ) and I generally find that the fewer number of seeds is a bonus to me because I don't like wasting seeds.

[Paul Plots]

I've found no difference in quality between seeds branded 'Wilko's' as opposed to 'Suttons' for example, (other suppliers are available ) and I generally find that the fewer number of seeds is a bonus to me because I don't like wasting seeds.

But I am soooo mean I keep them over for the following year (unless it's parsnip of course  )

[mumofstig]

Variety doesn't matter.

I think It makes a lot of difference 

[Willow_Warren]

My cheap Aldi seeds seems to be doing just fine... Esp the basil and parsley. Spring onions and carrots ok too.  But then I've not done a direct comparison. Fewer seeds is a bonus to me as I only plant a few of each thing, I've bought child versions of things for the same reason too...

 H 

[SnooziSuzi]

I was doing my shopping in the store-that-shall-remain-nameless the other day and looked at their seed display - I'm not paying £3.99 for a handful of carrot seeds!

I was shocked at the cost of the packets, but then people who don't know any better (and presumably have money to burn) would pay the price asked

[mumofstig]

Horses for courses 
For stuff like carrots and spring cabbages, I think the cheapies are fine.....but I'm a bit more fussy, so pay more, when it comes to things like tomatoes and peas.
Then, once you've grown them, you don't buy seeds again anyway. You save them, it's so easy to do

[Paul Plots]

Horses for courses 
For stuff like carrots and spring cabbages, I think the cheapies are fine.....but I'm a bit more fussy, so pay more, when it comes to things like tomatoes and peas.
Then, once you've grown them, you don't buy seeds again anyway. You save them, it's so easy to do

Are you able to successfully save seed from tomatoes?

Reason for asking is that we love Sungold F1 but I'm not so sure that seed saving is possible with these (he says showing his ignorance... again).

We often have tomatoes germinating in the flower bed from compost heap mulch but suspect these are from gardeners delight and similar.

[arugula]

But then what is expensive, when you compare it to how much you would pay for the equivalent tasteless carrots for example, were you to buy them ready grown for you.

[compostqueen]

I got some banana shallot sets from Wilko and everyone rotted

[GrannieAnnie]

Horses for courses 
For stuff like carrots and spring cabbages, I think the cheapies are fine.....but I'm a bit more fussy, so pay more, when it comes to things like tomatoes and peas.
Then, once you've grown them, you don't buy seeds again anyway. You save them, it's so easy to do

Are you able to successfully save seed from tomatoes?

Reason for asking is that we love Sungold F1 but I'm not so sure that seed saving is possible with these (he says showing his ignorance... again).

We often have tomatoes germinating in the flower bed from compost heap mulch but suspect these are from gardeners delight and similar.

The problem with the F1 varieties Paul, is that they don't usually grow true to type.  They could be a mixture of any of the varieties that went into the hyrbridisation or whatever they call it.

BUT, saying that, I would save a few and try it.  About 5 years ago I bought a packet of Floridity.  The catalogue didn't say they were F1, so I saved some seeds.  When I sowed them the following year they grew bigger than the originals, but they were still lovely, so I still save some each year, even though I now know they were F1.

Sometimes they grow bigger, sometimes they grow smaller than the originals, but I still like them and still grow them.

Try them and see what you get.  They may even be better! xx