Thursday 8 September 2011

What A Bargain

I always visit Wyevale Garden Centre at this time of year as they reduce all their seeds to 50p per packet and I stock up ready for next year. The seeds I bought this year should have cost me £42.14, I saved £35.64. Amongst the seeds are five types of tomato. One of the varieties I've chosen is Ferline. I've grown this before and it has good levels of blight tolerance, which will be more important to me next year as I plan to grow some plants outdoors. I also stocked up on Gardener's Delight, a favourite variety. The other three varieties are ones I haven't grown before, Black Cherry, Gold Nugget and Pannovy. All these tomatoes can be grown outdoors.

I also bought some onion seed, Bedfordshire Champion. I've always grown onions from sets but thought I'd have a go at growing them from seed next year. I've heard people say that they get a better crop from seed rather than sets so we'll see, they'll have to do well to improve on this year's harvest.

Other seeds which I purchased, which are new varieties for me, are carrots - Resistafly and Sweet Candle, dwarf bean - Purple Teepee, salad onion - Furio, and cucumber - Swing. I haven't ruled out another trip there once I've checked my seed box and see what I'm missing.

17 comments:

  1. Wow, sounds like a fantastic bargain! I wish I had a Wyevale near me.
    I endorse your choice of Ferline. I think it is a superb variety. Not so keen on Black Cherry though. I found that the fruits very very prone to splitting.

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  2. I did the same thing a few weeks ago at our local Wilkinsons where everything was 75% off. I think I went a bit over the top - but everything will get used.

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  3. I always find that they haven't got what I really want but still buy what I don't really need! Flighty xx

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  4. You have picked up some bargains there Jo. I dare not visit Wyevale as my seed box is bulging at the seams. 'Purple Tepee' is a most tasty bean and it's exciting watching them turn from purple to green when you drop them into boiling water :)

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  5. We're lucky in that a group of us on our allotment site are members of the NSALG- for groups of 10 or more it's only £2 a year and we get seeds half price from Kings when we send in a group order. We never decide what to grow 'til the end of the year but for more focused gardeners (like you must be) buying seeds now is certainly a bargain.

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  6. Full marks from a fellow bargain hunter!

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  7. I did the same thing last weekend, got a few bargains but didn't find everything I wanted. I am also going to try onion from seed for the first time, but could only find onions I'd never heard of, and no red ones.

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  8. Dear Jo, You are such a Savvy Seed Shopper! And it doesn't matter what sort of growing year it was, to a gardener 'there's always next year'. P.x

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  9. I love bargains and seeds sales...though after the last two years and learning what grows well in my soil I am starting to be a little more selective. After all it doesn't turn out to be a bargain if you get no return from it!!

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  10. Good bargains, I'm off to our local Wyevale this afternoon so will check out the cheap seeds. I grow Sweet Candle as it's the best show variety of stump carrot and it tastes really nice as well.

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  11. Maybe I'll have to find a Wyevale! We have always mail ordered our seeds before, and saved some, but those are such a bargain.

    Pomona x

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  12. I still call it Wyevales but it's actually The Garden Centre Group, Mark. Thanks for the warning about Black Cherry, I'll keep my eye on it.

    I'm like a kid in a sweet shop when I see all these seeds on offer, Elaine. I've tried to be a bit more selective now and only buy things which I know I'll use.

    That's the problem, isn't it, Flighty? I do manage to find lots of things which I'll use though, so it's a good saving.

    We can't resist bargains like these, Su. I still haven't checked my seeds, they'll be sold out by the time I go back.

    It would be nice if the purple beans would keep their colour when cooked, Anna. I find they always turn the water a really dirty colour, not very appetising.

    I don't know about being more focused, Sue. It's a case of grab what I think I'll like to grow next year. It sound like the scheme which you're a member of is a good idea, you get to peruse the Kings catalogue at your leisure and make your decisions in comfort.

    Thanks for visiting, Bridget. I love bargain hunting.

    I've never grown red onions, Rachael. I've heard of Bedfordshire Champion, that's why I chose them, but I've never grown them before. We'll have to see how we each do next year.

    That's very true, Pam. I'm always excited by the prospect of a brand new growing year.

    You do find out what does well for you as time goes on, Tanya. I'm just starting to be a little more selective over what I grow, though I do still like to try some new things each year.

    I've never grown Sweet Candle before so I'm glad to hear a good review, Damo. Hope you picked up some bargains at Wyevale.

    The only seeds I've ever saved are tomato seeds, Pomona. I think saving seeds is the biggest bargain of all.

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  13. Some other seed companies offer discount to gardening groups usually of about 50% on seeds.

    I know Dobies, Thompson and Morgan and Suttons do. The problem is that I'd end up managing orders for all four companies so we generally just apply for discount from Kings.

    If you can get a group together on your site and create a club then you could do the same. With Kings you need to join the NSALG but I don't think that is necessary as far as the other companies are concerned. If you join the NSALG though you do get some other benefits such as support if you are ever in dispute over your allotment etc.

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  14. Thanks for that info, Sue. I think our allotment association have some link with Kings as they sell their seeds in the allotment shop at a reduced price, but not as cheap as half price. It would get confusing if you were managing orders from four different companies. Our allotments are spread over four different sites and there's only six plots on our site so I'm not really involved in the grand scheme of things.

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  15. Thanks for the tip- im going to track down a Wyvale this weekend!

    Never had much luck growing carrots- they always seem to come out distorted or really small.

    Good luck with your purchases!
    Owen

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  16. Thanks for visiting, Owen. This is the first year I've had any success with my carrots. I hope you manage to find some bargains this weekend.

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