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Author Topic: Where to get the 'best' seeds  (Read 4117 times)

ricardodba

  • Joined Apr 2015
Where to get the 'best' seeds
« on: January 11, 2017, 06:30:53 pm »
Hi Guys,

Im planning my veg and fruit growing for this year and wondered which seed supplier is the best?

Some of the suppliers seem considerably more expensive than others. Is there that much difference in quality?

Cheers.

Scotsdumpy

  • Joined Jul 2012
Re: Where to get the 'best' seeds
« Reply #1 on: January 11, 2017, 07:14:11 pm »
I go for moles seeds or kings. Moles have excellent customer service - orders arrived very quickly. Their seeds come in packetsof larger weights or seed count with little or no ggrowing instructions and seem to last for 2 or 3 years. They seem geared up for growers rather than gardeners. Kings seeds have good green manures, good growing instructions on thecseed packets and some varieties have larger packets. Both have great catalogues and fairly easy to usecweb ordering. Hope this helps

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Where to get the 'best' seeds
« Reply #2 on: January 11, 2017, 07:34:53 pm »
Some companies have very basic choice of varieties, whereas others have endless different choices.
Some sell Organic seed, some don't.
The Real Seed Catalogue  www.realseeds.co.uk  sells non-hybrid and heirloom varieties of good quality seeds grown in Wales (ie not imported from the continent as most seed is these days) which are not expensive.  They encourage you to save your own seed from their varieties and seem to be a good, ethical company.
That said, where I live has very specific growing conditions and over the years I have refined my choice down to just a few varieties which I know do well here.  I buy from companies I know sell what I want, such as DTBrown, Mr Fothergill, Chase Organics and Thomson and Morgan (but T&M doesn't have any dates on packets), occasionally Marshalls, (but they tend to coat their seeds).  I buy by mail order not from shops, as you can't know if seeds for sale in shops are kept under the best conditions.
« Last Edit: January 11, 2017, 07:38:29 pm by Fleecewife »
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waterbuffalofarmer

  • Joined Apr 2014
  • Mid Wales
  • Owner of 61 Mediterranean water buffaloes
Re: Where to get the 'best' seeds
« Reply #3 on: January 11, 2017, 07:38:11 pm »
Hi Guys,

Im planning my veg and fruit growing for this year and wondered which seed supplier is the best?

Some of the suppliers seem considerably more expensive than others. Is there that much difference in quality?

Cheers.
I fopund fothergills very good quality, also I tend to go with T&M who also do excellent quality. I suppose what works best for you. Over the years I have bought random varieties from different producers, supermarket own brands and even poundland, pick the ones which do best and keep buying.
the most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, loving concern.

Rosemary

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Barry, Angus, Scotland
    • The Accidental Smallholder
Re: Where to get the 'best' seeds
« Reply #4 on: January 11, 2017, 07:47:31 pm »
I've bought most of ours from The Real Seed Company thsi year

ricardodba

  • Joined Apr 2015
Re: Where to get the 'best' seeds
« Reply #5 on: January 11, 2017, 08:04:01 pm »
thanks for the replies. The real seed company is the one i have been mainly looking at,with lots of different options and good info but seem a little more expensive than others. But I dont mind paying extra if the quality is better etc.

Oh and what seed compost is best?

« Last Edit: January 11, 2017, 08:11:19 pm by ricardodba »

waterbuffalofarmer

  • Joined Apr 2014
  • Mid Wales
  • Owner of 61 Mediterranean water buffaloes
Re: Where to get the 'best' seeds
« Reply #6 on: January 11, 2017, 09:45:38 pm »
I have always gone with levingtons compost and never had any problems with it :) however recently I have been using other kinds, cant think of a name though..... but it will come to me :thinking:
the most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, loving concern.

pgkevet

  • Joined Jul 2011
Re: Where to get the 'best' seeds
« Reply #7 on: January 11, 2017, 10:06:44 pm »
I'm cheap, mean and lazy. I look at seed packets for both price and quantity of seed. I have little interest in collecting seed myself although sometimes it just happens.. easy stuff from a pumpkin or runner beans.
I gave up playing and growing the 'latest' expensive exciting sounding stuff years ago and bear a grudge with T&M over exotic flower seeds from many years ago when i just played growing exotics for fun. Their germination rates were pants on those however pedantic and careful i was but other brands grew.
Now I mainly buy seeds from the bigger ebay sellers or may punt about in wilcos own etc if need a quick top-up. It's generally bog standard varieties I want anyway that come in bigger cheaper packets and will usually germinate for several years. Yes there are some seeds that have to be fresh
For sowing seed I use B&Q multipurpose compost.. its all I bother buying for seed trays potting on, greenhouse top ups etc. Mean but less lazy folk would probably use a mix of sand and mole-hill especially if they could sterilise the mole-hill. Go down to B&Q on old fart wednesday (if too young, borrow an old fart) and a 4x4 and load up with compost once a year
I hate pricking out so mostly grow in modules of a size that will go straight to the final spot rather than potting on. There are some exceptions.. some seeds are like dust and need a pinch spreading out over a tray or soem with very low germination rates. But for stuff like brassicas I expect v high germination and carefully drop 1 seed per module. Experts say put 2 sweetcorn per module and discard one.. I use one and get twice as many to plant out with perhaps 2% dud modules. Oh and leeks.. scatter 500 seeds over a foot-wide deep pot to germinate in the conservatory for a couple fo hundred to plant out.. but I never got on with old leek seed or old parsnip seed so sow half the packet and save the rest for a second sowing if it's a disaster.
If something doesn't come up when it should..resow,, worse case you have too much.
Things like toms or peppers I start sowing soon.. and doing repeat sowings every couple of weeks. It's to catch the lucky mild year when they survive in cold greenhouse before getting leggy indoors and I get an early crop.

Terry T

  • Joined Sep 2014
  • Norfolk
Re: Where to get the 'best' seeds
« Reply #8 on: January 11, 2017, 10:36:11 pm »
I use Moles Seeds where I want high volume, Simply seed and Mr Forgergills for smaller volumes and Real Seed for something a little different. If it is quality you are after, I wouldn't say Real Seeds are the best or particularly consistsnt, although I realise this is difficult wirh seed production.

Lesley Silvester

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • Telford
Re: Where to get the 'best' seeds
« Reply #9 on: January 12, 2017, 12:37:51 am »
I belong to Garden Organic's Heritage Seed Library and have just ordered my seeds for this year. You have to be a Garden Organic member then pay for a year's membership of the seed library and get six packets of seeds of your choice plus one lucky dip. Also buy from Chase Organics.

Alex_

  • Joined Jul 2016
Re: Where to get the 'best' seeds
« Reply #10 on: January 12, 2017, 10:29:41 am »
The best? Are you trying to start a fight  :roflanim:

Everyone will back their favourite supplier. Mine is Realseeds.co.uk

Bionic

  • Joined Dec 2010
  • Talley, Carmarthenshire
Re: Where to get the 'best' seeds
« Reply #11 on: January 12, 2017, 11:02:12 am »
I have used T&M's for the last few years but not had a great deal of success and then found out that my sister calls them T&M no show seeds.

Have changed to Sutton's this year but haven't planted anything yet
Life is like a bowl of cherries, mostly yummy but some dodgy bits

YorkshireLass

  • Joined Mar 2010
  • Just when I thought I'd settled down...!
Re: Where to get the 'best' seeds
« Reply #12 on: January 12, 2017, 01:09:07 pm »
I support Real Seeds as a local ethical company as much as for quality produce.
Many years ago I had a batch of all sorts from Otter Farm and hardly anything grew - of any species :/ I haven't ordered since.
I've topped up or just fancied some of the bog standard T&M, Fothergills, and Wilko own-brand ones and all have been reasonable.


Compost I find really variable and troublesome, the best by far is Dalesfoot (again for the source/company as well as the product) but ye gods I need a better wage to really switch to that.

 

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