I think this is getting silly. Is it?

[organic]

I've been going through the Garden Organic catalogue in something like alphabetical order while adding things to my basket on the website.

So far I'm up to K (kale) which is the next for me to choose, and have also added Potatoes, Spinach and Turnips.

I've still got to pick my Lettuce (winter and summer), Leek, Onions (spring and normal), Parsnip, Peppers (chili and sweet), Peas, Rocket, Squash/Pumpkins, Tomatoes and all my herbs.

The total so far is at £70.50 !

Now, I've been putting together an order that'll mean no need to buy seeds for the rest of the year (and probably none next year too, considering I'm using the square foot method so won't be planting more than I intend to take to harvest) but it still seems like an awful lot of money for "just seeds".
I've also picked early mid and late varieties to get nice long harvests.

Is that a normal amount or have I completely lost my mind?

I'm going out for a while now and will probably come back and cut down the shopping list a bit but still thought I'd ask if that's really a normal cost or what.

Cheers folks.

[binley100]

We did that last year then I went to wyvales sale with my list and got most of what I wanted for a fraction of the price. If you're not fussed about organic seed then may I suggest Wilkinsons, Lidl, Aldi etc........

[Lazgaot]

Yep, getting silly!

[snakeshack]

welcome to seedaholics anonymous,we all buy more than we need and most,myself included tend to go a bit berserk the first year.
some seeds keep a long while,others don't.
my gartenperle tomatos last year came from an 8 year old pack and grew fine
dont mention the parsnips though
try not to grow stuff you will not eat,if you haven't had it before buy some and try befor you grow then you wont end up with a barrow load of jeruslem artichokes(taste like snot and give you trumpet trousers)or loads of patty pan squash(wife won't touch them)
also try to simplify ,last year I grew 6 different types of courgettes,no one in their right mind can eat or give away that many courgettes,my neighbours were hiding from me by midsummer

[smallfrog]

Lol snakeshack.

I've brought about £20 worth of bits online and have had some left from last year.As well as saved a fair few from plants like my runner beans. Chatted to friends about what there planing to grow and am plaining to swap some plants when they get going.

Also going to a seed swap tomorrow to maybe get a few more cheaply.

The veg i wasn't going to grow eg toms i've just used the free seeds from the magazine. Lastly i signed up for bbc's dig in, look at the thread on here somewhere and it tells you how to get a few more free packets.

Worth saying alot of seeds will keep if stored well but parsnips and carrots need to be used up in the same year. I'm sure there are others but i don't know what they are.

last year my DH just pointed out i spent £50 on seeds and we only had a tiny bit in the back garden. He was unimpressed.

[chris]

I daren't say how much I've spent on my garden now.. the other week it was arond 2.5k if I remember correctly. I've now gone and spent more.

Oh, and I'm ordering some more fruit trees later today, dreading the credit card bill!

[Nicos]

If those are what you want to grow- and you can spare the money this year, then go for it, esp as you'll probably not buy any more seeds for the next 3 years!

- see ....that drops the price to £30-40 per year by the time you're sorted.

Think how quickly the price adds up at the grocers- esp with organic veg.
Nope- don't feel bad about the cost- you may not have much cash spare this time next year-( who knows??)

Just be aware that p**s**p seeds don't keep!

[rustylady]

welcome to seedaholics anonymous,we all buy more than we need and most,myself included tend to go a bit berserk the first year.

We all do it. I get the catalogues, make out my wishlist, get scared at the cost of it all, and then go through crossing out things I want rather than things I need. That brings the total down quite a bit. I also check out the local stores for seed, most of them do an acceptable range. And there's also the seedswap on here.

[ginger ninger]

Why not put your name down for the seed "Swap The Parcel" on here (I can highly recommend it), I joined last year and it saved me quite a bit of money, I've joined again this year its great, you can try a small amount of seed without going to all the expense of buying a full packet, then if you like what you've grown you can always buy the packet of seeds from the nursery, on line etc. This year I have much more seed to put in the parcel than I had last year, which I hope will benefit other "Swap The Parcel" peeps.

[Snadger]

We've all been there Organic! Just need to learn to temper your enthusiasm with a touch of reality!

[sarraceniac]

Don't kid yourself that you needn't buy any seed next year. I have dozens (or maybe hundreds, I daren't count) of packets but I still, whilst browsing or surfing, see stuff that I think 'looks interesting' and end up buying something new, just to try you understand. Some, i must admit, never actually get planted. I was told this was a novice's trait. 20+ years?

[taff]

I spent about 40 last year on real seeds, then I think I spent about another 30 adding up all subsequent seeds from visiting garden centers....then probablyanothr 15 from sales at said garden centers in october.
It's an insiduous habit, it sneaks up and grabs you by the throat and the wallet when you aren't looking.
I have plenty of seeds for this year though, but that didn't stop me from ordering another 12 quids worth of 'interesting' stuff last week.
We're all doomed!!!!! [in a scottish accent]

[organic]

Firstly, almost everything is something I already use in the kitchen. I've added a few things we've not used before, but mainly to ensure something resembling a year-round supply of greens. I'm trying to make this an "in season food" year so certain things we usually just buy from the grocers are off the menu.

I've heard before that courgettes are a prolific cropper so had only planned to get one variety, a reasonably long cropper if there is one, and then just wait until next year for the next crop.

Thanks for the tip about carrots and Parsnips.

As for buying seed next year... For the most part I wouldn't need to. The mainstay ones will still be OK (parsnips and carrots excepted of course) so while I might try a couple "just to see" - it'll just be a few pounds rather than tens of pounds.

I dunno who I'm trying to convince here though!

I think I might cut down on some of the mid season varieties (maybe stick with one early and one main potato, carrot and the likes and just store for the gap between them) - that'll knock a few bob off.

I dunno about things like Broccoli/Calabrese, Cabbage and the likes though. I'm not sure how well they keep, either on the plant on in a fridge/cupboard.

For the record - I think my girlfriend agrees with those of you who say that yes, it is getting a bit silly.

[flighty1]

rather than buy varieties to crop early mid & late season why noy just buy the one packet and sow at monthly intervals ie runner beans sown every 4 weeks rather than just the one sowing earlier in the year. Lettuce buy a mixed packet. You can also buy mixed packs of purple sprouting & no doubt other seeds thay should cut the bill a bit. Also try using non F1 hybrids which are expensive anyway & all mature at once. Standard seed IMHO seems to mature over a longer period. Also if you look for varieties which stand well or store well you should cut your seed bill further. And then you can still keep seed till next year. Another route to consider for the future is to join a local allotment group that has a members seed ordering scheme/trading hut. The society I belong to has a deal with Kings Seeds who give a good discount. One would assume there are other deals with other companies & membership is quite inexpensive, I pay £2.50 a year which allows me to buy cheap seeds & also cheap spuds canes fertilizers etc etc via the trading hut.
Hope you get it sorted & save a few pounds
enjoy your gardening

[Flummery]

Start out buying (at your nearest Wilko's or some such) the seeds you need to sow NOW. By the time you've got what you need of them sown (bearing in mind you'll probably want to do follow-on sowings) assess the space left. It's my experience that if you have a seed buying spurge you really don't get them all in that year. Then you're using old seed. Doesn't matter with some things but it does with others.
Then go out and get a few for April sowing.
Then get a few for May.

On-line seed ordering is insidious - it creeps up on you.

Remember that in April and May you'll need room for repeat sowings of March stuff.

Have a good think. Search your soul. Make sure you buy varieties you can save your own seed from. And never start a sentence with 'and' or end it with a preposition unless you can't think of anything else you can end it with!