Having taken on a small allotment (cost £8.50pa) I am horrified at seed
prices, not having grown vegetables for many years. Seeds could easily cost
5 times the rent.

Most seeds seem to cost £1-£1.50 a packet, even from the Wilkos etc.

I expected there to be lowcost online suppliers, but I googled in vain.

Please can anyone suggest a good value supplier for the basics, not F1s or
unusual stuff.

--
Stuart

Try EW Kings, slightly cheaper than most suppliers. Usually come in at under
£1 per packet for most normal crop varieties.

http://ecom.kingsseeds.com/

John

"Stuart Meier" wrote in message
...
Having taken on a small allotment (cost £8.50pa) I am horrified at seed
prices, not having grown vegetables for many years. Seeds could easily
cost
5 times the rent.

Most seeds seem to cost £1-£1.50 a packet, even from the Wilkos etc.

I expected there to be lowcost online suppliers, but I googled in vain.

Please can anyone suggest a good value supplier for the basics, not F1s or
unusual stuff.

--
Stuart

"Stuart wrote in message
Having taken on a small allotment (cost £8.50pa) I am horrified at seed
prices, not having grown vegetables for many years. Seeds could easily
cost
5 times the rent.

Oh easily, we spend more than that each year. Mind you with a rent as cheap
as that I would be over the moon.
Try £76 pa for 10 rods! (for broken/missing fences resulting in constant
vandalism.)

Just keep an eye open for bargains, Kings seeds seem cheaper but a bit
restrictive of choice. I've heard you get more seed in an Edwin Tuckers
packet but haven't compared them.
Personally it's more important to get good seed of a good variety rather
than worry about the price. No matter what you pay the crop is going to be
cheaper than buying it in the supermarket (and the cost of a Gym season
ticket). :-)

Mind you £2.99 for 6 seeds of Apache chilli is a bit steep.

--
Bob

www.pooleygreengrowers.org.uk/ about an Allotment site in
Runnymede fighting for it's existence.

Price of seeds:
Go to LIDL if you have one near you. Their veg and flower seed
packets are 29p or 49 p and seem just as good as any other.
Their Kohl Rabi variety was recommended by Bob Flowerdew.

Pam in Bristol

"...... Having taken on a small allotment (cost £8.50pa)...."

Stop thinking of the cost of the seed, they are still the cheapest part of
growing, think of the return per £1.00 on seed, should be £20.00 to £30.00
per packet, and if you swap plants with other allotment holders then could
be more.
Just think yourself lucky you pay such a LOW rent.

Hi David

Certainly the seed cost is a small part of the potential value, but it looks
to me as if it is a major part of growing costs, given my 'free' labour.

I am seeking product value, in this case I don't need fancy marketing etc,
just a good value for money supplier, simple product list, no fancy
packaging. Does anyone have any experience of the NSALG seed scheme? I can't
find any info on prices and my Allotment Society while belonging to NSALG
doesn't run the scheme
--
Stuart

"David Hill" wrote in message
...
"...... Having taken on a small allotment (cost £8.50pa)...."

Stop thinking of the cost of the seed, they are still the cheapest part of
growing, think of the return per £1.00 on seed, should be £20.00 to £30.00
per packet, and if you swap plants with other allotment holders then
could
be more.
Just think yourself lucky you pay such a LOW rent.

On Thu, 22 May 2003 19:47:00 +0100, Pam Moore
wrote:

Price of seeds:
Go to LIDL if you have one near you. Their veg and flower seed
packets are 29p or 49 p and seem just as good as any other.
Their Kohl Rabi variety was recommended by Bob Flowerdew.

Asda and B&Q also have cheap own-brand seeds.
--
Stuart Baldwin
news\at/boxatrix\dot/co\dot/uk

Bob wrote in message

Just keep an eye open for bargains, Kings seeds seem cheaper but a bit
restrictive of choice. I've heard you get more seed in an Edwin Tuckers
packet but haven't compared them.

I just remembered, if you have a Farmers Shop (like the Cornish Farmers (?)
in Wadebridge) then they do packets of seed at a very good price. Might be
more than you need, they are bigger than normal, but perhaps you could
arrange for some other plot holders to share.

--
Bob

www.pooleygreengrowers.org.uk/ about an Allotment site in
Runnymede fighting for it's existence.

Buy seed the first year, then save seeds in subsequent years.
I have done this with tomatoes, though my saved F1 hybrid
cucumber seeds would not germinate. A packet of lettuce seeds
lasts me three years. I planted seed potatoes last year, which
cost me more than I would have liked, but I've had as many
come up this year as I bought, simply because I left some mature
tubers in the ground by accident. Of course one cannot do this
indefinitely because of disease and the need for crop rotation.
I saved some potato seeds ( NOT seed potatoes ) from
my maincrop Desirees last year and these are now 6" tall with
tiny potatoes forming. Other thoughts; get tomato seeds from
shop tomatoes ( not tried this, but could work? ).

Andy
wrote in message
...
On Thu, 22 May 2003 19:47:00 +0100, Pam Moore
wrote:

Price of seeds:
Go to LIDL if you have one near you. Their veg and flower seed
packets are 29p or 49 p and seem just as good as any other.
Their Kohl Rabi variety was recommended by Bob Flowerdew.

Asda and B&Q also have cheap own-brand seeds.
--
Stuart Baldwin
news\at/boxatrix\dot/co\dot/uk

I favour the sharing large packets arrangement, but while our mob are very
friendly and exchange plants etc, apprarently they gave up on seed deals,
they got themselves in a hastle and it got to be too much grief for the
organiser.

Just got a Tucker catalogue, thanks for suggestion Bob
--
Stuart

"Sue & Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

Bob wrote in message

Just keep an eye open for bargains, Kings seeds seem cheaper but a bit
restrictive of choice. I've heard you get more seed in an Edwin Tuckers
packet but haven't compared them.

I just remembered, if you have a Farmers Shop (like the Cornish Farmers
(?)
in Wadebridge) then they do packets of seed at a very good price. Might be
more than you need, they are bigger than normal, but perhaps you could
arrange for some other plot holders to share.

--
Bob

www.pooleygreengrowers.org.uk/ about an Allotment site in
Runnymede fighting for it's existence.

"Stuart Meier" wrote in message
...
Having taken on a small allotment (cost £8.50pa) I am horrified at seed
prices, not having grown vegetables for many years. Seeds could easily
cost
5 times the rent.

Most seeds seem to cost £1-£1.50 a packet, even from the Wilkos etc.

I expected there to be lowcost online suppliers, but I googled in vain.

Please can anyone suggest a good value supplier for the basics, not F1s or
unusual stuff.

--
Stuart




Do you want some marrow seeds? Saved some from last year. If so, e mail
and let me have your address.
(Last year towards the end of June/July (can't remember exactly when) but I
purchased runner beans/french beans at Wilkinsons (75% off marked price),
but you can always save your own this year).

Hi Janet

Many thanks indeed.

Always loath to look a gift umm packet in the mouth, sad to say we have
already bought some :-( SO in this case, a sad decline.
I am planning for next year really, for which the end-of-season sale is a
very useful thought, many thanks.

Stuart

"janet.bennett" wrote in message
...

"Stuart Meier" wrote in message
...
Having taken on a small allotment (cost £8.50pa) I am horrified at seed
prices, not having grown vegetables for many years. Seeds could easily
cost
5 times the rent.

Most seeds seem to cost £1-£1.50 a packet, even from the Wilkos etc.

I expected there to be lowcost online suppliers, but I googled in vain.

Please can anyone suggest a good value supplier for the basics, not F1s
or
unusual stuff.

--
Stuart




Do you want some marrow seeds? Saved some from last year. If so, e mail
and let me have your address.
(Last year towards the end of June/July (can't remember exactly when) but
I
purchased runner beans/french beans at Wilkinsons (75% off marked price),
but you can always save your own this year).