Where do you buy seeds from?

[Moopmoop]

I have been having a look on seed websites today and it's becoming more and more obvious to me how expensive seeds are. So below I'll tell you where I find the cheapest seeds.

Ebay, I often use colint976 - trading as Seekay Hort Supplies. Good man.
T+M - I am not fussy about varieties so I just buy whatever is on offer, usually 49p.
Moreveg - just discovered these, haven't ordered yet but seeds are cheap.
Wilko's - even better around August time, seeds at least half price, starting about 39p.
Poundland - packs of eight kinds of seed £1.

Although all of these seeds are cheap none of them have let me down and I don't believe they are any worse quality than the seeds at least twice their price.

Where do you use and why?

[Alison]

I'm very particular about what varieties I grow and like to grow unusual stuff / types in particular so seek out suppliers who fit with that brief. I also like to buy open pollinated whenever possible so that I can save my own seeds (thereby saving money next year and also getting plants that are adapted to my conditions), finally I try to support companies with a good ethos (think Real Seeds) which, although more expensive, stock some great stuff so I treat myself to a small order most years. In addition to this I swap seeds with friends / family and eagerly await my HSL seeds every Christmas . I buy very little on impulse but enjoy spending ages deciding what I'm going to grow and planning it all - have been going through my stash this afternoon to work out if I need anything new and to be honest it's just looking like it might just be single figures this year which is a real bonus.

[VirginVegGrower]

I'm very particular about what varieties I grow and like to grow unusual stuff / types in particular so seek out suppliers who fit with that brief. I also like to buy open pollinated whenever possible so that I can save my own seeds (thereby saving money next year and also getting plants that are adapted to my conditions), finally I try to support companies with a good ethos (think Real Seeds) which, although more expensive, stock some great stuff so I treat myself to a small order most years. In addition to this I swap seeds with friends / family and eagerly await my HSL seeds every Christmas . I buy very little on impulse but enjoy spending ages deciding what I'm going to grow and planning it all - have been going through my stash this afternoon to work out if I need anything new and to be honest it's just looking like it might just be single figures this year which is a real bonus.

Same here TBH

[Snadger]

I used to love Netto's 19p a packet seeds for the basics. Good quality Kings seeds from what I remember.

Alas our local Netto store shut down!

Still like Kings seeds but have to pay a bit more.

I've bought Suttons recently because dobbies had a half price sale on and Thompson & Morgans because i had a £10 voucher!

I've got all my main ones now and will just buy the others in dribs and drabs as I need them.

PS Moreveg seeds are cheap but you don't get many in the packet!

[Alison]

Although slight update on the seed order for next year - has now made double figures...........

[Moopmoop]

Yes I remeber, I've still got a few Netto's packets left. Planning on sowing them next year actually. Moreveg - I noticed there's not many in the packets but more than enough for me, got no children yet and O/H not interested in veg.

[SarzWix]

I buy tomato seeds from Amishland Seeds in the US because she has lots of heirloom varieties from around the world and she gives loads of info about them all, plus they're reasonably priced and always grow well. Chillis and peppers I buy from specialists like Ready to Grow and South Devon Chilli Farm. Peas and beansI get from HSL (Heritage Seed Library) and then save seeds for following years. Carrots and squash and various brassicas come from Real Seed Co. Leeks, I've tried to save seed from HSL varieties, not sure if I've got it right yet Other bits and bobs like beetroot, chard, onions etc come from free seeds on GYO magazine. So really, I guess I like to shop around, and prefer heirloom varieties of most things rather than the highly bred F1 types, so that if I like something, I can save seed for subsequent years.

[Bigmallly]

I'm a cheapskate so it's £ shops, Aldi, Lidl, B&M. The only online company I use is Moreveg.

[Thelma Sanders]

I use DT Brown fair prices for mostly basic seed varieties and no p&p to pay,and Premier Seeds Direct on ebay, plus I save what I can easily.
Bought packets store for a good few years, so I'm not afraid of bigger packets if I know it's a variety I like. For example this year i finished using a packet of mixed lettuce from Seeds of Italy that was 5 years old.....I will replace it this year - cos 5 years worth of lettuce for £1.95 can't be bad

[Alison]

For example this year i finished using a packet of mixed lettuce from Seeds of Italy that was 5 years old.....I will replace it this year - cos 5 years worth of lettuce for £1.95 can't be bad

I have seed packets that are far older than that which I still use, do a viability test on them before you bother replacing (unless you fancy a change), you might be surprised how well they germinate.

Doh, just re-read your post, must learn to read properly, was sure you'd said that you were just replacing them cos they were 5 years old when you clearly say you've finished the packet

[solway cropper]

Seed from any DEFRA registered supplier must meet certain germination requirements so it really doesn't matter where you get it from as most of the 'names' buy theirs from the same wholesalers.

We seem to be mainly in agreement and tend to buy from the smaller businesses which offer a much greater variety and usually cheaper prices. I've never had a problem with shops like Wilko and Lidl and buy my common or garden varieties from them. Things like Boltardy beetroot and White Lisbon onions are the same wherever you buy them, but I do like people like Nicky's Nursery and Real seeds as they actually seem to care about what they are selling.

[Peppermint]

Real Seeds have been the most reliable seeds in my short experience. Plus I love the ethos. If something is recommended for cold climates then it definitely works up here . Turnips, Kale and Golden Acre cabbages have been brilliant. I even managed to get Latah tomatoes to produce in a potting shed.

I do have habit of picking up seed packets as I go and I've found Lidl's to be very reliable. Their meteor peas, sugar snap peas (sugar bon bon) and marigold seeds have been brilliant. I've saved seeds from all of these this year, and its fingers crossed that these will work but I'll be buying some more anyway because they were so cheap and produced brilliant crops.

[FROSTYFRECKLE]

Another customer of Real Seeds and I'm a member of the HSL. Any other seeds I need I can usually get from the GYO mag or seed swaps/VSP.

[Kristen]

I buy pretty much all my Vegetable seeds from my local Garden Group garden centre (formerly Wyevales). For the last umpteen years they have had a 50p-per-packet sale in September and there is still plenty to choose from at that time. Maybe watch out for things with short viability, like Parsnips, but I still get perfectly respectable germination from [an unopened packet of] Parsnip seed in the second year.

Where I can buy in reasonable bulk, or share-with-a-friend, I buy from Moles. They tend to work out a lot cheaper, per seed, and have free postage (except on bigger things like Peas & Beans and green manure)

I try to support companies with a good ethos (think Real Seeds) which, although more expensive, stock some great stuff

Need to be careful with the URL for that one

Great Vegetable Seeds from The Real Seed Catalogue

because there is also a Real Seed Company that sells Cannabis seeds

[BUFFS]

I bought my years seeds from vegetableseeds.com,at 50p for most packs,i got all my needed seeds for less than £6,and post free,so thats me sorted,unless,i might see something else,the day i stop being curious about seed catalogues,i will pack up gardening...