Just as an add on, I bought 2 camellia's from aldi today, bushy, well rooted specimens in a 2 litre pot for £3.99 each. So far I haven't found a better deal anwhere either online or the GC. They had some standard rosemary there which I regret not buying for £3 and some flower seeds for 69p.
They had loads of roses there as well all cheap and as busy bee said, with a bit of tlc they would be great.
Gardening doesn't have to be expensive. Oh and cross check prices between websites. T&M are selling some blackberry canes for £5 more(£12.99), whilst crocus are selling exactly the same product for £7.99 same size pot! Postage is higher with T&M as well usually £5.65, crocus charge £4.99, and they can't blame carriers or the post office for the difference in charges.
I fail to see the justification for the price difference so it pays to shop around from the comfort of wherever you decide to sit.
re planting seeds. You canr just start any seeds in a greenhouse now, unless it is heated. It is too early to start half hardy plants like Dahias and begonias without heat.
There are ashtrays of emulsion, for the fag ends of the aristocracy.
I have never had a problem with T&M, apart from them being a bit dear, and not always having seeds I want in thier range. I would give an 8/10, however, if you shop at Tesco,and have a clubcard, you can get loads of stuff virtually free. And I just received a free offer plant that I had forgotten about, and it is in 2l pot, very well rooted, and showing buds. Quality has always been good for me, although they are dear if using real money, which is probably what allows them to do the Tesco thing.
Mark, thanks for that about Van Meuwen, I had wondered whether they are related as they are noe on the Tesco offers and the site looks very similar.
I also have had some great plants from the discount stores, (almost all of my bulbs come from discount stores or B&Q sales) and got some lovely plants on ebay in Nov, small but great price, and growing away strongly,even was able to take cuttings which have rooted and grown on (albeit in a heated, lit prop.)
The most notable example was an Escallonia 'Apple Blossom', It cost £2.49 and gave me 10 cuttings, of which all have taken extremely well,(100% strike rate!) just been potted on and moved to frost free gh, and are already half the size of the mother plant that I bought. By my reckoning, that makes £25 worth of plants for £2.49. Not bad for a small scale, unknown grower. Which reminds me that I haven't sent a review yet! They sent 10 small plants, and combined the postage, which was if I remember rightly, 99p or so, and the plants were here within 2 days, happy, healthy, well grown and ready to go. As hardy evergreens, they could have gone out straight away. The original plants are out, in pots until I can re-arrange my beds for them, and are thriving.
So, definately shop around. Also, be cheeky and ask on here for plants. Many people, like me, Verdun,and others, need to divide plants. I can't throw them out. I give them to our school, friends and local charities, but have also given some away on this and other forums. I ask that you arrange the courier so that you know the plants are free, but a carrier like Hermes will collect from me to deliver to you for something like £10 for a 15kg parcel (depending where you live) That can be a lot of bareroot plants. However, as many of my plants were here before, or have been given to me, I can't always name the variety like others can, although they all make good fillers, and some good specimens. Pm me if interested.
As my add-on, I have to agree with Dave, in that I have learnt far more on here than anywhere else. This is a forum where no question is too basic, or too stupid. If you are a raw beginner, an answer will be given, then more details as you need them. If you are experienced, but need more, there is a wealth of it here, and everyone loves to share thier own. If you are an expert, then you are also a liar. Even people who the rest of us think as experts on a subject are willing and eager to learn more. We can all offer advice based on our own experiences. Beginners can help other beginners, but they can also help more experienced gardeners who may have become set in their ways. the beauty of gardening is that there is always so much more to learn, and the beauty of the internet is that it is all available at the click of a few buttons. AND WE CAN SHARE IT! New pests and diseases can be discussed before they spread too far. New plants can be spread and shared quickly, along with new ideas. Us gardeners are so lucky now. we don't have to wait years for new developements, ideas or plants to spread. we can have them NOW, and share tehm NOW. if anything will help our world and environment, it will be, ironically, through the medium of something that is not readily recyclable, or reusable. The computer in all of it's guises. But it has enabled us to discover the plight of bees and other pollinators, to put in place measures to help, and to capture the imagination of millions of people to try to save our planet in countless other ways. It has led to a serious revival in growing our own food, and plants to help in other ways. And this site is at the forefront of this, I really believe.
Sorry, now I'm off on one But sites like this could really help to save our world. Easily accessible, friendly, educational and FUN.you can't help but learn here. One day millions of years hence, the fossils will say 'Gardener's World forum wuz ere'!
Amen Gardenjeannie - well said!! Also Liseals not sure if anyone here has suggested that you send off for the offers in the GW magazine - they are usually from the main mail order companies, and although you do pay for the postage, it is still a cheap way of getting some plants/bulbs/seeds and trying out the suppliers. Oh, and car-boot-sales often have people offering plants cheaply.
Many of the GW offers are through T&M, it's obviously your choice whether to buy or not, but price checking other suppliers, and for the current clematis offer I did, you can get the same plants elsewhere cheaper and with less postage.
As an example of how well this site works and how helpful it can be is obvious. You asked a simple question, and just see the number of replies!
Posts
As long as you put them under cover in your greenhouse.
Some seeds need a longer growing season to get the best results.
very happy
just got 10 orange pyracantha for £8.49 off eBay
Just as an add on, I bought 2 camellia's from aldi today, bushy, well rooted specimens in a 2 litre pot for £3.99 each. So far I haven't found a better deal anwhere either online or the GC. They had some standard rosemary there which I regret not buying for £3 and some flower seeds for 69p.
They had loads of roses there as well all cheap and as busy bee said, with a bit of tlc they would be great.
Gardening doesn't have to be expensive. Oh and cross check prices between websites. T&M are selling some blackberry canes for £5 more(£12.99), whilst crocus are selling exactly the same product for £7.99 same size pot! Postage is higher with T&M as well usually £5.65, crocus charge £4.99, and they can't blame carriers or the post office for the difference in charges.
I fail to see the justification for the price difference so it pays to shop around from the comfort of wherever you decide to sit.
I now avoid using T&M or their sister company Van Meuwen, quality is very variable & half of my purchases from them last year were wrongly labeled.
re planting seeds. You canr just start any seeds in a greenhouse now, unless it is heated. It is too early to start half hardy plants like Dahias and begonias without heat.
for the fag ends of the aristocracy.
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
I have never had a problem with T&M, apart from them being a bit dear, and not always having seeds I want in thier range. I would give an 8/10, however, if you shop at Tesco,and have a clubcard, you can get loads of stuff virtually free. And I just received a free offer plant that I had forgotten about, and it is in 2l pot, very well rooted, and showing buds. Quality has always been good for me, although they are dear if using real money, which is probably what allows them to do the Tesco thing.
Mark, thanks for that about Van Meuwen, I had wondered whether they are related as they are noe on the Tesco offers and the site looks very similar.
I also have had some great plants from the discount stores, (almost all of my bulbs come from discount stores or B&Q sales) and got some lovely plants on ebay in Nov, small but great price, and growing away strongly,even was able to take cuttings which have rooted and grown on (albeit in a heated, lit prop.)
The most notable example was an Escallonia 'Apple Blossom', It cost £2.49 and gave me 10 cuttings, of which all have taken extremely well,(100% strike rate!) just been potted on and moved to frost free gh, and are already half the size of the mother plant that I bought. By my reckoning, that makes £25 worth of plants for £2.49. Not bad for a small scale, unknown grower. Which reminds me that I haven't sent a review yet! They sent 10 small plants, and combined the postage, which was if I remember rightly, 99p or so, and the plants were here within 2 days, happy, healthy, well grown and ready to go. As hardy evergreens, they could have gone out straight away. The original plants are out, in pots until I can re-arrange my beds for them, and are thriving.
So, definately shop around. Also, be cheeky and ask on here for plants. Many people, like me, Verdun,and others, need to divide plants. I can't throw them out. I give them to our school, friends and local charities, but have also given some away on this and other forums. I ask that you arrange the courier so that you know the plants are free, but a carrier like Hermes will collect from me to deliver to you for something like £10 for a 15kg parcel (depending where you live) That can be a lot of bareroot plants. However, as many of my plants were here before, or have been given to me, I can't always name the variety like others can, although they all make good fillers, and some good specimens. Pm me if interested.
As my add-on, I have to agree with Dave, in that I have learnt far more on here than anywhere else. This is a forum where no question is too basic, or too stupid. If you are a raw beginner, an answer will be given, then more details as you need them. If you are experienced, but need more, there is a wealth of it here, and everyone loves to share thier own. If you are an expert, then you are also a liar. Even people who the rest of us think as experts on a subject are willing and eager to learn more. We can all offer advice based on our own experiences. Beginners can help other beginners, but they can also help more experienced gardeners who may have become set in their ways. the beauty of gardening is that there is always so much more to learn, and the beauty of the internet is that it is all available at the click of a few buttons. AND WE CAN SHARE IT! New pests and diseases can be discussed before they spread too far. New plants can be spread and shared quickly, along with new ideas. Us gardeners are so lucky now. we don't have to wait years for new developements, ideas or plants to spread. we can have them NOW, and share tehm NOW. if anything will help our world and environment, it will be, ironically, through the medium of something that is not readily recyclable, or reusable. The computer in all of it's guises. But it has enabled us to discover the plight of bees and other pollinators, to put in place measures to help, and to capture the imagination of millions of people to try to save our planet in countless other ways. It has led to a serious revival in growing our own food, and plants to help in other ways. And this site is at the forefront of this, I really believe.
Sorry, now I'm off on one
But sites like this could really help to save our world. Easily accessible, friendly, educational and FUN.you can't help but learn here. One day millions of years hence, the fossils will say 'Gardener's World forum wuz ere'!
Amen Gardenjeannie - well said!! Also Liseals not sure if anyone here has suggested that you send off for the offers in the GW magazine - they are usually from the main mail order companies, and although you do pay for the postage, it is still a cheap way of getting some plants/bulbs/seeds and trying out the suppliers. Oh, and car-boot-sales often have people offering plants cheaply.
Many of the GW offers are through T&M, it's obviously your choice whether to buy or not, but price checking other suppliers, and for the current clematis offer I did, you can get the same plants elsewhere cheaper and with less postage.
As an example of how well this site works and how helpful it can be is obvious. You asked a simple question, and just see the number of replies!