Catalogue information.

[pigletwillie]

Right then guys and gals, Its peak seed, fruit and seed potato catalogue time and I am sure everybodies finger is on the debit card and ready to order.

What information do you want like to see in the catalogues,

full write ups on new varieties,
yield, storage and use of variety
Delivery charges, how to pay
Photos
Hints and tips
Recipes
Paper or online

Any other ideas

[BrideXIII]

Nicely Done oh Moddish one

hints and tips definitely, and full planting instructions up to how and when to harvest.
yield and use.
happy to use online, but prefer hardcopy for browsing curled up on the sofa.

some photos would be nice.

[SarzWix]

You are a lovely man aren't you

I like to see a good selection of new varieties, and heirlooms. For seeds I like a choice of F1 and Open Pollinated varieties.
If there is resistance/prone-ness to pests & diseases, I'd like an explanation of what those are, and whether the crops would be inedible if attacked.
I like to see reference to the nutrients available in each veg (ie which vitamins provided, and best way to cook to retain them).

I'll be back when I've thought about it

[Flummery]

I like to get cultivation tips - peas are peas but some are hardier than others, for example.
I like a bit of history (if the variety has much that is).
Basically, I like a good read!

[tattieman]

Great idea for a topic.

Information on what quantity is needed to plant a certain area.
Suitability to certain locations.
tolerences/intolerences of maybe growing by the sea,inland,heavy soil,sandy soil.

[FionaH]

Nicely Done oh Moddish one

hints and tips definitely, and full planting instructions up to how and when to harvest.
yield and use.
happy to use online, but prefer hardcopy for browsing curled up on the sofa.

some photos would be nice.

Yup what she said
Idiot proof instructions, and a what not to do list as well

[SarzWix]

In some catalogues, they have a tendency to put the pictures all round the edges of the page, in no order at all so it can take you 5 minutes to find the right pic. I find that infuriating! Put the picture right next to the relevant blurb!

I, personally, never take any notice of the 'how many needed for a specific area' info. I know that I'll rarely need a whole packet of seeds, and that a big pack of spuds does one bed, and a 5 pack will do a couple of big tubs

[bramble]

I would like to see some reference to the productivity of a plant' what length of time from sowing to cropping, and tolerence to pests and deseases.
Not asking for much, am I !

[smallblueplanet]

Gotta have pictures - prefer pictures taken by the seed grower if its a small company.

Like to have info on what makes one variety different to another, why its speshul!

Also really like to know a variety's pedigree/heritage.

I like this info in a catalogue or on a website.

[daleclarke]

I personally hate catalogue's as I think they are designed badly. I have eyesight problems which make it very hard to use, if I have to make a choice I would say Marshalls have got it about right, except there Sow/harvest tables could be more informative.

I have just contacted a big seed company about a PDF version of their catalogue and I think the reply I got I thought was not the seed company reply, but a publishers reply and as such is pretty much why the publishing industry is and going to suffer heavily when new web and portable publishing ideas come through and we stop trying to make web publications look like paper. This can be seen in the US where even NYT is close to collapse and niche magazines are going online!

Lets start having proper interactive online catalogue's with information, and information and even more information...and furthermore a PDF version of Grow Your Own, with the printing/posting cost savings passed on to the buyer instead of charging the same price.

[bluemoon]

I'd like the information to be universal for each seed variety in the catalogue as so often you have to read between the lines. One variety may have 'excellent flavour' for example whilst another has no mention of flavour at all. This means you have to assume the taste isn't really up to much. Same with terms such as 'heavy yields', 'very hardy' and the like; if there's no mention of something then you have to assume that it's a poor performer.

[SarzWix]

I personally hate catalogue's as I think they are designed badly. I have eyesight problems which make it very hard to use....

Lets start having proper interactive online catalogue's with information, and information and even more information...and furthermore a PDF version of Grow Your Own, with the printing/posting cost savings passed on to the buyer instead of charging the same price.

The trouble there is that that is encouraging people to rely on computer screens for all their reading needs. Which is actually bad for the eyes. It's much better to read from magazine/books/newspapers; these move as you're holding them and so excercise the eye muscle in refocusing with every move. Amongst other, optician-y, reasons, which I'm not qualified to explain, but have to do with light, contrast, squinting and blink rates

I think that paper catalogues still have an important place, but I do like online ordering. Especially with up-to-date stock information

[daleclarke]

Hi Sarah

I am afraid I have a problem with glossy paper I can not read it in artificial light and struggle in bright light. This is actually a very common eye problem. I have just brought Jamie Magazine all printed on nice matt paper, and what a relieve I was able to read it in bed, a great feeling.

So therefore I can only use the computer to read at night, I use a netbook now as many of my other Mags are now PDF. You can buy specially tinted VDU glasses as my Wife uses them at work, they make a great difference and her eyes are less tired.

[tootles]

I have just gone through my seed supply. One particular supplier gives loads of info on nutrition, cooking, storage etc - but no spacing guide!?! Now that would have been handy......

[Wren]

I think a wee bit more honesty would not go amiss.

Sub arctic plenty toms had rave blurb an yet most of us found them a huge let down, so more testing an more honesty about new verities please. Might seem like a wee thing but when you have wasted a whole summer growing a rubbish,not properly tested verity then it does not give you much faith in the blurb on other products.
special offers and clear pics are good with me and lets have a larger squash range please, plus the point that flummery noted.

Wren