Brand new - garlic

[pollyanna24]

I'm brand new to gardening, but there is a handy spot about 8 foot x 17 foot at the end of my garden which I am planning to use as my veg patch. Think that's what the previous owner used it for and all.

Where is the best place to get seed from? I would like to plant some garlic, onions and maybe some winter peas or beans for now and see how I get on.

I've seen a few websites, but how long can you store the seeds or bulbs for? There is one packet of onion seeds with 200 seeds. I'll never use all that on my little patch!

[martini]

Hi Pollyanna24 and welcome to the Vine - you could have a look at this recent thread

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...=Seed+companys

and also Kings, Thompson & Morgan, Dobies and Mr Fothergills. There are many more seed companies - try doing a search on the Vine. I'm not sure how long you can keep bulbs for before you plant them as I'm only just beginning myself, but you'll get plenty of helpful advice on here. Good Luck

[Lesley Jay]

Hi Pollyanna! Welcome to the grapevine - known by me as the mad house!!

With onions you will be far better to buy onion sets. The problem is that you are a little late to order them The same goes for garlic. Try phoning Dobies and see if they have any autumn planting onions or garlic left. 0870 112 3625 Onion seeds are sown at Christmas for planting next year.

I can post the sites of the companies that I use for seeds. Seeds will keep for a few years.

[sewer rat]

Alternatively, you could always try local Garden Centre - we have two in the town - one stocks all you are looking for in way of flowers fruit and veg and will go out of their way to help you, advise you, and get stuff in specially for you - the other - much bigger, absolute sh*t !

[shirlthegirl43]

If you have a Wilkinson's nearby you can often get onion and garlic from there. I got my onion sets from there and garlic bulbs from Wyevale.

Good luck and prepare to get hooked!!

[Earthbabe]

Hi pollyanna 24 and welcome to the Vine. I bought a pack of 50 from Wilkinsons for 90p. Bulbs and sets don't keep long so they need to be used in the year you buy them. Ie if you buy now, you plant now. Same with spring planting.

Good luck. You should be able to get something, you may just have to shop around.

[Bex]

I got my garlic from Wyevale, £1.49 or maybe £1.99 for three bulbs. Meteor peas are suitable for sowing now I got these from Wyevale aswell.

[nick the grief]

Hi Pollyanna, welcome to the vine. What you do with your seeds is buy a big tub of Flora from ASDA & they give you a sandwich box free, put all your seeds in that & keep them in the door of the fridge. They will be OK in there for a few years but the germinatin rate will decrease every year.

LJ is right about the onions, unless you are mad (like me) & have heated greenhouses & a propagator & want to get out of doing the washing up at Christmas , I'd go for sets. You may still find some Autumn ones around the Garden Centres ( one just outside Peterborough had some last week ) but failing that wait till spring & plant some then.

Are you going to have it as one plot or what? If it's only 8 ft wide you may struggle with raised beds as they will only be 2ft wide by the time you've put in a path

[Mrs Dobby]

Hi Pollyana, welcome to the vine! I'm sure you'll find it a great place, lots of friendly grapes with heaps of advice!

[dexterdoglancashire]

Hi Pollyanna and welcome to the Vine! I got my garlic from the people on the Isle of Wight - and I've got some onion sets from Thompson & Morgan.
I keep my seeds in a very large sandwich box with lid - reading Nicks advice this is OK - good job - my OH got me a load of seeds from Wilkinsons which I'm going to use next year! DDL

[dexterdoglancashire]

Nick - do I have to keep them in the fridge? my box of seeds is HUGE! can I keep them in a cool, dark place instead? else, its less beer in the fridge for OH! DDL

[nick the grief]

Cool is OK they shouldn't need the dark as they are in packets (hopefully) Fridge is best, now you know why I drink Tea

[dexterdoglancashire]

Thanks Nick - I tend to use the fridge for keeping my tinnies in! Actually, seriously - my garlic in pots has started to sprout - is this OK? should I keep them covered up with compost? DDL

[flopsybunny21]

I have just brought some garlic and some onion sets for winter this year, so keep the fingers crossed at this is the first time Im trying them over winter. Something kept digging up my onions that I grow in a fishbox over the summer, don;t know if it was trhe cats or the hedgehogs. So Im hoping they will leave the winter ones well along

Anyway I also ended up getting japanese onion sets in wilkinsons, you can't get them in Ni except for mail order and they cost around £5 as opposed to 90pence at wilkinson, bit of a difference.

Wish me luck with the onions

Laura