Buying seeds off the net...

[Curvy Vixen]

Spotted this in the Daily Mail today...it just makes me feel a bit better about the fact that it's obviously not me planting them properly!!

Gardeners beware: Why packets of seeds sold on the web can be a dead loss | Mail Online

[lainey lou]

Thanks for that CV, haven't seen you about for a while?

[di]

The awful thing is that the worst culprits are the bigger(supposedly more trustworthy)companies!I got quite a lot online this year from a smaller family run business & they were all fine.I guess the family run ones have more to lose if they don't supply the decent stuff.
I was chatting to a chap that used to work for one of the really big seed suppliers~he now buys cheapy seeds from wilkies etc)Anyway,he was saying they used to test the seed for germination & any that had over 90% germination they'd throw a load of the previous years seed!I won't name the company in case they sue me!!

[Curvy Vixen]

I normally buy plug plants from the local centre but had decided to brave seeds this year. Think I still will and maybe do my own little experiment...

Thanks lainey lou...nice to be missed Just been really busy at work but it's calming down again now. I have popped in from time to time but it's getting more frequent again thank God!

I spent last night making green tomato chutney so getting into my autumn phase now

[jackie j]

I dont buy any on line and most of what I have bought in garden centres and the like have been ok. If they have failed then I buy plants, mine tend to fail cos I'm rubbish at watering ie I forget. I am saving seeds this year and hope they will be ok. I am sending some to other peeps on here so hope they are ok. Appologes if not

[Alison]

I buy almost all mine online and never really had any problems, last year had some T&M, some Real Seeds and some Nicky's Nursery's and all did well. The only truely duff pack I've had in the past few years was one from a garden show thing from a fancy chilli stall where only one germinated and then I managed to kill it - they were Purple Tiger, OH was very keen to grow them so I bought another pack from somewhere else and got 100% germination that time.

[Alice]

Thanks for posting that Curvy Vixen but I think it's misleading for them to suggest it's got anything to do with buying on the web. Those seeds are on sale everywhere.

[lynda66]

well most of my seeds have been johnsons suttons or wilkies, and theres only really the onions, leeks and parsnips that were a bit crap, but i think it has something to do with the soil in the back garden, as i planted the rest of the packets in the front and they have grown really well, the wilkies leeks have just not bothered in either garden, but i planted a different type a few weeks ago in the front and they have germinated fine ...... so i think a dud pack of seeds.

some of the best cheapest and most exotic seeds i've bought on ebay and had a fair amount of success, though the lack of sun probably played a part in why some haven't grown.