At Aldi this afternoon they had Veg plants, tomato, peppers, chillies,
aubergines and I think cucumber plants in 9 inch pots at just £2.99
and very good plants

On 17/06/2014 21:19, David Hill wrote:
At Aldi this afternoon they had Veg plants, tomato, peppers, chillies,
aubergines and I think cucumber plants in 9 inch pots at just £2.99
and very good plants

You need to catch them early though as they don't/can't water anything.
After a couple of days their stuff usually looks very sorry for itself

stuart noble wrote:
On 17/06/2014 21:19, David Hill wrote:
At Aldi this afternoon they had Veg plants, tomato, peppers,
chillies, aubergines and I think cucumber plants in 9 inch pots at
just £2.99 and very good plants

You need to catch them early though as they don't/can't water
anything. After a couple of days their stuff usually looks very sorry
for itself

Stuart,

I actually witnessed such a 'miracle' at my local Aldi's today - one of
their staff tidying up the stores outside display area *AND* watering the
plants, along with removing dead foliage and trays of dead plants.

I was so taken aback that I asked the young lady why was she doing such a
thing and the reply was ------ the big boss is coming today and he likes to
see the ouside displays looking tidy!!!!!

Lets hope that he didn't look too closely at the far end of their carpark
that was littered with discarded trays, packaging and bits of food from the
McDonalds and Kentucky Fried outlets next door that had been thrown from the
car windows of the local evening congregation of the local (and not so
local) boy-racers - that would have given him an apoplectic fit if he did.

On 18/06/2014 00:11, Let It Be wrote:
stuart noble wrote:
On 17/06/2014 21:19, David Hill wrote:
At Aldi this afternoon they had Veg plants, tomato, peppers,
chillies, aubergines and I think cucumber plants in 9 inch pots at
just £2.99 and very good plants

You need to catch them early though as they don't/can't water
anything. After a couple of days their stuff usually looks very sorry
for itself

Stuart,

I actually witnessed such a 'miracle' at my local Aldi's today - one of
their staff tidying up the stores outside display area *AND* watering the
plants, along with removing dead foliage and trays of dead plants.

I was so taken aback that I asked the young lady why was she doing such a
thing and the reply was ------ the big boss is coming today and he likes to
see the ouside displays looking tidy!!!!!

Lets hope that he didn't look too closely at the far end of their carpark
that was littered with discarded trays, packaging and bits of food from the
McDonalds and Kentucky Fried outlets next door that had been thrown from the
car windows of the local evening congregation of the local (and not so
local) boy-racers - that would have given him an apoplectic fit if he did.




The staff at Aldi seem a cheerful bunch, despite being seriously busy
most of the time. I imagine the philosophy re plants is that they
shouldn't stay around long enough to need watering if the price is low
enough.

On 17/06/2014 21:19, David Hill wrote:
At Aldi this afternoon they had Veg plants, tomato, peppers, chillies,
aubergines and I think cucumber plants in 9 inch pots at just £2.99
and very good plants


Their hanging baskets are very cheap.

On 18/06/2014 14:54, Martin wrote:
On Wed, 18 Jun 2014 12:57:03 +0100, Saxman
wrote:

On 17/06/2014 21:19, David Hill wrote:
At Aldi this afternoon they had Veg plants, tomato, peppers, chillies,
aubergines and I think cucumber plants in 9 inch pots at just £2.99
and very good plants


Their hanging baskets are very cheap.

One of the reasons that British growers struggle to make a living.


I thought the Dutch were the main reason for that?

"stuart noble" wrote in message ...

On 18/06/2014 14:54, Martin wrote:
On Wed, 18 Jun 2014 12:57:03 +0100, Saxman
wrote:

On 17/06/2014 21:19, David Hill wrote:
At Aldi this afternoon they had Veg plants, tomato, peppers, chillies,
aubergines and I think cucumber plants in 9 inch pots at just £2.99
and very good plants


Their hanging baskets are very cheap.

One of the reasons that British growers struggle to make a living.


All talk. "Poor me" and for "me" replace as 'Farmer', 'Grower', 'Nurseryman'
etc etc etc.

Have YOU seen a poor one? Latest Land Rovers. Foreign Holidays at the drop
of a hat .

Mike

.....................................

I thought the Dutch were the main reason for that?

On 2014-06-18 16:47:57 +0000, stuart noble said:

On 18/06/2014 14:54, Martin wrote:
On Wed, 18 Jun 2014 12:57:03 +0100, Saxman
wrote:

On 17/06/2014 21:19, David Hill wrote:
At Aldi this afternoon they had Veg plants, tomato, peppers, chillies,
aubergines and I think cucumber plants in 9 inch pots at just £2.99
and very good plants


Their hanging baskets are very cheap.

One of the reasons that British growers struggle to make a living.


I thought the Dutch were the main reason for that?

And those hanging baskets look cheap, imo. There's a paucity of plants
in a green plastic bowl which the plants rarely fill or cover.

'One' of the reasons. Tesco sells plants, B&Q sells plants - many
others sell plants, sometimes badly looked after and of the bog
standard type but they're cheap, so... As one small nursery owner
said to us "I don't sell bread or paint so why are they allowed to sell
plants?" I'm glad to see there's a strong movement for supporting
British cut flower growers as opposed to buying foreign imports
automatically. I hope more gardeners support small nurseries because if
they don't, an awful lot of plants will be lost to the 'every day'
gardener of the future.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

On 19/06/2014 15:07, Sacha wrote:
On 2014-06-18 16:47:57 +0000, stuart noble said:

On 18/06/2014 14:54, Martin wrote:
On Wed, 18 Jun 2014 12:57:03 +0100, Saxman
wrote:

On 17/06/2014 21:19, David Hill wrote:
At Aldi this afternoon they had Veg plants, tomato, peppers, chillies,
aubergines and I think cucumber plants in 9 inch pots at just £2.99
and very good plants


Their hanging baskets are very cheap.

One of the reasons that British growers struggle to make a living.


I thought the Dutch were the main reason for that?

And those hanging baskets look cheap, imo. There's a paucity of plants
in a green plastic bowl which the plants rarely fill or cover.

'One' of the reasons. Tesco sells plants, B&Q sells plants - many others
sell plants, sometimes badly looked after and of the bog standard type
but they're cheap, so... As one small nursery owner said to us "I don't
sell bread or paint so why are they allowed to sell plants?" I'm glad
to see there's a strong movement for supporting British cut flower
growers as opposed to buying foreign imports automatically. I hope more
gardeners support small nurseries because if they don't, an awful lot of
plants will be lost to the 'every day' gardener of the future.

I suppose the answer to that is nobody is stopping the nursery owner
selling bread or paint, or used cars for that matter. Sad state of
affairs I know but they call it the free market

On 2014-06-19 18:43:26 +0000, stuart noble said:

On 19/06/2014 15:07, Sacha wrote:
On 2014-06-18 16:47:57 +0000, stuart noble said:

On 18/06/2014 14:54, Martin wrote:
On Wed, 18 Jun 2014 12:57:03 +0100, Saxman
wrote:

On 17/06/2014 21:19, David Hill wrote:
At Aldi this afternoon they had Veg plants, tomato, peppers, chillies,
aubergines and I think cucumber plants in 9 inch pots at just £2.99
and very good plants


Their hanging baskets are very cheap.

One of the reasons that British growers struggle to make a living.


I thought the Dutch were the main reason for that?

And those hanging baskets look cheap, imo. There's a paucity of plants
in a green plastic bowl which the plants rarely fill or cover.

'One' of the reasons. Tesco sells plants, B&Q sells plants - many others
sell plants, sometimes badly looked after and of the bog standard type
but they're cheap, so... As one small nursery owner said to us "I don't
sell bread or paint so why are they allowed to sell plants?" I'm glad
to see there's a strong movement for supporting British cut flower
growers as opposed to buying foreign imports automatically. I hope more
gardeners support small nurseries because if they don't, an awful lot of
plants will be lost to the 'every day' gardener of the future.

I suppose the answer to that is nobody is stopping the nursery owner
selling bread or paint, or used cars for that matter. Sad state of
affairs I know but they call it the free market

Actually, we couldn't sell bread because there would be a million
hygiene rules attached; we couldn't sell paint because it's highly
inflammable etc. and as to used cars, 'change of use' probably wouldn't
allow it. We're only allowed a Tea Room because it's an adjunct to the
Nursery and "operates only when the Nursery is open". For example,
when we kept hens, I asked if we could use the eggs in the Tea Room.
No. We couldn't. But people who have their own hens can feed the eggs
to you at their B&B breakfasts but we can't give you a poached egg on
toast, or use them in cake making. However, we could sell them marked
as 'ungraded'! If anyone can make sense of the thinking behind all
that and tell me this country encourages small businesses......they
should be running the country with a large pair of scissors for all the
red tape.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

On 20/06/2014 09:09, Martin wrote:
On Thu, 19 Jun 2014 20:38:56 +0100, sacha wrote:



but we can't give you a poached egg on
toast, or use them in cake making. However, we could sell them marked
as 'ungraded'! If anyone can make sense of the thinking behind all
that and tell me this country encourages small businesses......they
should be running the country with a large pair of scissors for all the
red tape.

The legislation was an attempt to control salmonella. There are exceptions for
very small businesses.


That sort of red tape is also in place because in the past, too many
'entrepreneurs' have abused their positions. Not everyone is as honest
and noble as Sacha.

--
regards andy

On 2014-06-20 08:09:28 +0000, Martin said:

On Thu, 19 Jun 2014 20:38:56 +0100, sacha wrote:

On 2014-06-19 18:43:26 +0000, stuart noble said:

On 19/06/2014 15:07, Sacha wrote:
On 2014-06-18 16:47:57 +0000, stuart noble said:

On 18/06/2014 14:54, Martin wrote:
On Wed, 18 Jun 2014 12:57:03 +0100, Saxman
wrote:

On 17/06/2014 21:19, David Hill wrote:
At Aldi this afternoon they had Veg plants, tomato, peppers, chillies,
aubergines and I think cucumber plants in 9 inch pots at just £2.99
and very good plants


Their hanging baskets are very cheap.

One of the reasons that British growers struggle to make a living.


I thought the Dutch were the main reason for that?

And those hanging baskets look cheap, imo. There's a paucity of plants
in a green plastic bowl which the plants rarely fill or cover.

'One' of the reasons. Tesco sells plants, B&Q sells plants - many others
sell plants, sometimes badly looked after and of the bog standard type
but they're cheap, so... As one small nursery owner said to us "I don't
sell bread or paint so why are they allowed to sell plants?" I'm glad
to see there's a strong movement for supporting British cut flower
growers as opposed to buying foreign imports automatically. I hope more
gardeners support small nurseries because if they don't, an awful lot of
plants will be lost to the 'every day' gardener of the future.

I suppose the answer to that is nobody is stopping the nursery owner
selling bread or paint, or used cars for that matter. Sad state of
affairs I know but they call it the free market

Actually, we couldn't sell bread because there would be a million
hygiene rules attached; we couldn't sell paint because it's highly
inflammable etc. and as to used cars, 'change of use' probably wouldn't
allow it. We're only allowed a Tea Room because it's an adjunct to the
Nursery and "operates only when the Nursery is open". For example,
when we kept hens, I asked if we could use the eggs in the Tea Room.
No. We couldn't. But people who have their own hens can feed the eggs
to you at their B&B breakfasts

Are you sure that they can do it legally?
https://www.gov.uk/eggs-trade-regulations

I did ask the NFU at our local office and the girl there checked for
me. It's something to do with it being their own home, whereas we're
considered a 'catering establishment'. It's a minute change but an
important one.

but we can't give you a poached egg on
toast, or use them in cake making. However, we could sell them marked
as 'ungraded'! If anyone can make sense of the thinking behind all
that and tell me this country encourages small businesses......they
should be running the country with a large pair of scissors for all the
red tape.

The legislation was an attempt to control salmonella. There are exceptions for
very small businesses.

It's still a ridiculous way to do it, imo. Either way we could be
passing salmonella around, had that been an issue with our hens.
Whether we give it to people in cakes or sell it to them in boxes seems
immaterial!

--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

The legislation was an attempt to control salmonella. There are exceptions for
very small businesses.

It's still a ridiculous way to do it, imo. Either way we could be
passing salmonella around, had that been an issue with our hens.
Whether we give it to people in cakes or sell it to them in boxes seems
immaterial

I assume that Food Standards Agency inspectors regularly check that your kitchen
is clean. Regulations like the ones governing eggs are an attempt to ensure that
the food is too

As we are off the original topic I'll move a bit further away.
I hard boiled a couple of Brown eggs the night before last, when I took
them out of the water to shell them a lot of the brown colour on the
shell rubbed off to leave very pale shells, but not white.
I wondered is this is normal, it's not something I've noticed before.

On 2014-06-20 10:01:57 +0000, Martin said:

On Fri, 20 Jun 2014 10:02:47 +0100, Sacha wrote:

On 2014-06-20 08:09:28 +0000, Martin said:

On Thu, 19 Jun 2014 20:38:56 +0100, sacha wrote:

On 2014-06-19 18:43:26 +0000, stuart noble said:

On 19/06/2014 15:07, Sacha wrote:
On 2014-06-18 16:47:57 +0000, stuart noble said:

On 18/06/2014 14:54, Martin wrote:
On Wed, 18 Jun 2014 12:57:03 +0100, Saxman
wrote:

On 17/06/2014 21:19, David Hill wrote:
At Aldi this afternoon they had Veg plants, tomato, peppers, chillies,
aubergines and I think cucumber plants in 9 inch pots at just £2.99
and very good plants


Their hanging baskets are very cheap.

One of the reasons that British growers struggle to make a living.


I thought the Dutch were the main reason for that?

And those hanging baskets look cheap, imo. There's a paucity of plants
in a green plastic bowl which the plants rarely fill or cover.

'One' of the reasons. Tesco sells plants, B&Q sells plants - many others
sell plants, sometimes badly looked after and of the bog standard type
but they're cheap, so... As one small nursery owner said to us "I don't
sell bread or paint so why are they allowed to sell plants?" I'm glad
to see there's a strong movement for supporting British cut flower
growers as opposed to buying foreign imports automatically. I hope more
gardeners support small nurseries because if they don't, an awful lot of
plants will be lost to the 'every day' gardener of the future.

I suppose the answer to that is nobody is stopping the nursery owner
selling bread or paint, or used cars for that matter. Sad state of
affairs I know but they call it the free market

Actually, we couldn't sell bread because there would be a million
hygiene rules attached; we couldn't sell paint because it's highly
inflammable etc. and as to used cars, 'change of use' probably wouldn't
allow it. We're only allowed a Tea Room because it's an adjunct to the
Nursery and "operates only when the Nursery is open". For example,
when we kept hens, I asked if we could use the eggs in the Tea Room.
No. We couldn't. But people who have their own hens can feed the eggs
to you at their B&B breakfasts

Are you sure that they can do it legally?
https://www.gov.uk/eggs-trade-regulations

I did ask the NFU at our local office and the girl there checked for
me. It's something to do with it being their own home, whereas we're
considered a 'catering establishment'. It's a minute change but an
important one.

It doesn't say anything like that in the regulations.
The regulations are ineffective any way as salmonella still exists in mass
produced eggs. There was a report saying so published recently.

As far as I can see B&Bs should be treated the same way as your tea room.

I'm waiting for Janet's interpretation.


but we can't give you a poached egg on
toast, or use them in cake making. However, we could sell them marked
as 'ungraded'! If anyone can make sense of the thinking behind all
that and tell me this country encourages small businesses......they
should be running the country with a large pair of scissors for all the
red tape.

The legislation was an attempt to control salmonella. There are exceptions for
very small businesses.

It's still a ridiculous way to do it, imo. Either way we could be
passing salmonella around, had that been an issue with our hens.
Whether we give it to people in cakes or sell it to them in boxes seems
immaterial

I assume that Food Standards Agency inspectors regularly check that
your kitchen
is clean. Regulations like the ones governing eggs are an attempt to
ensure that
the food is too

They run a check every year and can make spot-checks 20 times a year if
they want to. You never know when they're coming, nor should you. They
are, of course, interested in cleanliness and hygiene of the
establishment. But one inspector who came about 4 years ago was
completely unaware that he hadn't seen the largest area in which the
public sit! It was only when I offered him cake to go with his coffee
while he wrote his report, that he said "oh I didn't realise this room
was here". He was sitting right beside the entrance! But the chief
interest is indeed in food hygiene practice, fridge temps etc. I
understand entirely the reasons for the regs re eggs but to be able to
sell them on the Tea Room counter but not use them in the Tea Room
kitchen is simply silly! However, it's just not worth flouting the
rules because if one does and is found out, it would probably mean
instant closure. As it is, we keep our local milkman happy by buying
vast quantities of milk and dozens of trays of free range eggs from him
all season! ;-)
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

On 2014-06-20 11:28:16 +0000, David Hill said:


The legislation was an attempt to control salmonella. There are exceptions for
very small businesses.

It's still a ridiculous way to do it, imo. Either way we could be
passing salmonella around, had that been an issue with our hens.
Whether we give it to people in cakes or sell it to them in boxes seems
immaterial

I assume that Food Standards Agency inspectors regularly check that
your kitchen
is clean. Regulations like the ones governing eggs are an attempt to
ensure that
the food is too

As we are off the original topic I'll move a bit further away.
I hard boiled a couple of Brown eggs the night before last, when I took
them out of the water to shell them a lot of the brown colour on the
shell rubbed off to leave very pale shells, but not white.
I wondered is this is normal, it's not something I've noticed before.

Never seen that. I hope they hadn't dipped them in cold tea! ;-)
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon