New let's grow veg mag

[Newton]

I am a bit confused about this mag. Is it different from GYO? Is it worth buying if you already buy GYO. It looks like a sister publication but could someone please explain the differences to me.

Cheers

[chris]

It is a sister publication yes, my wife was asking the same questions.. I'll give the mag/admin a nudge about your post so they can hopefully answer your question!

My guess is targetting a different demographic.

[Incy]

It also includes a whole heap of packets of seeds and is more aimed at the novice I think.

[veggiechicken]

Its not a monthly magazine (quarterly?) and has lots of "free" offers with postage to pay for the item. I bought it once.

[Mikey]

It also includes a whole heap of packets of seeds and is more aimed at the novice I think.

You don't have to be a novice to want a load of free seeds!!

[Alison]

You don't have to be a novice to want a load of free seeds!!

If they're anything like the seeds in the one I bought they are quite basic getting you started type seeds and comments above are valid it is a starter mag with some good but rather basic articles.

[Mikey]

I'm not sure what a basic veg is, the free seeds are Lettuce, tomato, parsnip, Parsley, Rocket, Carrot, Beetroot, Courgette, Basil, & Aubergine. Now of those I'd be unlikely to grow the aubergine but everything else would be staples as far as I'm concerned.

My only comment is I'd be unlikely to pay £8 for the magazine as that in my eyes is extortionate for a magazine, one might think you were paying for the seeds?

[Alison]

Sorry, Mikey, was more meaning the varieties, great if you want to grow those varieties but if you want something more unusual (say a different coloured veg etc) then you'll have to buy these anyway. Not bought many gardening mags recently but tended to end up giving away most of the free seeds as I'd either already got them or wanted to try a different variety. On a plus point, my friends often grew them so no waste

[Mikey]

Sorry, Mikey, was more meaning the varieties, great if you want to grow those varieties but if you want something more unusual (say a different coloured veg etc) then you'll have to buy these anyway. Not bought many gardening mags recently but tended to end up giving away most of the free seeds as I'd either already got them or wanted to try a different variety. On a plus point, my friends often grew them so no waste

Don't apologise bach, personally there isn't enough content to make me pay £8 for it. 68 pages, based on a principle of 60% editorial content, I'd have read it before lunch.

[veggiechicken]

AND the tomato seeds are Moneymaker - just the same as GYO will be giving away with next month's mag! Time someone had a word with the editors about their tempting offers!

[VirginVegGrower]

Agree it's pretty basic but perfect for a new GYOer, which I think is where the girls were coming from.

[Mikey]

I think the concept is flawed, in my first year full of enthusiasm I purchased seeds I wouldn't find on the supermarket shelves rather than those I would, such as Romanesco cauli, kohlrabi, chard, white beetroot the list goes on. I spent roughly £60 on seeds that year. D'oh.

To assume that someone starting out wants to do so by growing the normal looking items is a little naive in my opinion. Wouldn't they be better off seeing what the chefs are cooking on programmes and picking the most popular repeat items from those. For example tricoloured carrots, mixed salad leaves, and beef tomatoes.

[GYO magazine]

Many thanks for your questions and comments about LGV. Yes, it is a sister publication to GYO and we’ve only made plans to produce one issue this year. And you’re also right regarding the content, in that it is aimed more at beginner gardeners and so targets a different demographic to GYO, and one that will compliment this more established title. The title isn’t specifically aimed at GYO readers, so our promotions department organised free seeds that may occasionally duplicate those given away with LGV. The LGV magazine contains a combination of specific crop growing guides (10 in total, to offer growing instructions for the 10 packets of seeds we are giving away) along with more general advice on soil preparation, crop rotations and container cultivation. The price reflects the free seeds (worth £15.68), plus other offers that run in the title (worth a total value of £73).

[Mikey]

I'm sorry but that's just wrong, you can't say that the price reflects the free seeds. They are either free or they aren't! I find that quite abhorrent.

[VirginVegGrower]

I received one and although I would not purchase it owing to the fact that it is pitched at a growing newbie, it's at a price consistent with a paperback grow guide. That's what the magazine is. It devotes a page to each veg, as I remember and comes with a bundle of those same seeds, so for someone who wants bog standard but reliable varieties it is quite a good buy.