Vegetable seeds at the ready

We generally send for our vegetable seeds just before Christmas. I like to be organised well in advance, it’s a failing I know. The Digger (because he does most of the digging) and I have our particular favourites. I do the climbing french beans, tomatoes, courgettes, peppers and cucumbers. He does the broad beans, onions, garlic, potatoes and brassicas. The rest we share between us.

As in past years most of our seeds have come from either Simpson’s Seeds, The Organic Gardening Catalogue or The Heritage Seed Library at Garden Organic. Let me elaborate on this as the last two are sort of connected and it can be a bit confusing.

Simpson’s Seeds carry a full range of vegetable seeds but specialise in sweet peppers, chillies and tomatoes. Their list of chilli peppers is outstanding. They also have a very good range of potatoes, some flower seeds and a few sundries. The seed catalogue is free on request.

The Organic Gardening Catalogue is produced by Chase Organics in partnership with Garden Organic (not as complicated as it sounds). Chase Organics produces commercial organic plant feed. Garden Organic is the UK’s leading organic growing charity and has been in existence for over 50 years. They manage three organic gardens which you can visit and their website is very informative. If you pay to become a member you can enter an online Member’s area and access fact sheets, forums and take part in members’ experiments. The catalogue has a full range of mostly organic vegetable and flower seeds as well as many garden sundries. It is free on request.

The Heritage Seed Library at Garden Organic is rather a special case. You must be a member of Garden Organic to have access to it. The Library “aims to conserve and make available vegetable varieties that are not widely available”. These include ex-commercial varieties and heirloom varieties that can no longer be legally sold. Basically you pay to join the Seed Library, receive a heritage seed catalogue and can order up to six free packets of vegetable seed.

No doubt you too have your favourite seed catalogues. I hope all those seeds you’ve bought do well for you over this coming season. Let’s hope we get lots of sun balanced by just the right amount of rain. Yeah right.