Seed/potato suppliers ?

[wetwalnut]

I have an allotment, and have so far chosen to go with the norm and order seeds and potatoes through the allotment, as they get a good discount.

The supplier was kings, very cheap.

I have had many dissapointments this year including carrots, mangetout, beans and potatoes. All but the potatoes have had very poor germination, and I have recently learned that the seed and the supplier is to blame.

Potatoes have just been riddled with eel worm, I think.

Iam now looking for a new supplier, any suggestions ?

I have ordered many catalogues.

[Thelma Sanders]

I doubt if the seed is responsible for all the failures you've had this year. The weather has been very strange, hot when it shouldn't have been and then cold at night even in midsummer.
I couldn't recommend just one supplier, as I use several...just ordering the varieties I prefer, rather than only the varieties on offer in any one catalogue.

[northepaul]

I agree with the above post, wetwalnut, regarding the weather.
I'm afraid its simply trial and error to get things to grow anywhere. Eg, I had really good success this year with spuds and runners, but no luck at all with squash or salsify.

[zazen999]

When you select your potatoes, select eelworm resistant ones and you should see a marked improvement.

[sewer rat]

I don't think that you can blame Kings for all the failures - they are a very reputable company with a lot of happy customers - they also sell bulk to farmers - and have a range of organic seeds too.
However, regarding potatoes - there is one supplier I have no hesitation in recommending -Tattieman, who occassionally visits this site owns and runs JBA Potatoes, based in Annan nr Dumfries. Huge range of varieties, high quality tubers, reasonable rates, and their website is really informative about each variety, growing techniques etc. They even have a potato forum where you can ask any questions you want on the subject..

[Alison]

I've had my spuds from Tattieman the past few years too and they quality has been excellent, had a bit of a delivery problem a couple of years ago but that wasn't his fault, rather the delilvery company hadn't left a note and the neighbours didn't tell me they had a parcel, very annoying and somewhat embarrassing for me as I'd been complaining to the supplier! Had to apologise for that one.

Re Kings though, they're good, I get all my standard seeds from them and get very good germination. That said, I had to resow carrots this year as it was so dry the first time they didn't survive. Not the fault of the supplier but one to blame on the weather. Likewise, the eelworm isn't the fault of the seed potatoes.

[wetwalnut]

Thanks for your thoughts, but I have experimented with kings seed and t&m seed. T&m seed germinTed as expected. I will try unwins growsure this year.

[Potstubsdustbins]

I get my seed from several well known suppliers and find if I get poor results its usually my fault.

Colin

[Ananke]

Most people on my site had a really bad result with potatoes this year, they didn't all buy from the same supplier. My plot neighbour has dug up the rest of his and just left them on a path they are so bad tasting.

Mine were great but I only grew first earlies this year.

[binley100]

I buy my seeds from all over depending on what I want . This has been a strange year for growing and I think you can't say that one companies seeds are bad on the results of one year. Next year things will most likely be very different....

[Two_Sheds]

I have experimented with kings seed and t&m seed. T&m seed germinTed as expected.

That's odd, I usually have problems with T&M seed, not with Kings. I had trouble germinating a lot of flower seed, I was getting very patchy and low germination (about 10%).
About to complain to T&M, I decided first to try chitting the seed on damp kitchen paper like how I do my peas & beans.
Lo and behold, the bladdy seeds germinated just fine.

It was something to do with them once they'd gone into my compost, it wasn't the seed at all.

[Aberdeenplotter]

My potatoes in the ground were thumpers, in fact so big I'm having difficulty saving seed for next year. My exhibition ones in bags have been a disaster. Trying too hard I think