To think a lot of people are buying stuff they have no idea what to do with.

[Hurricane10]

I've just been looking for vegetable seeds online. All the sites I've looked either have delays or are not currently taking orders.

I've been GYO for years, I had an allotment till a couple of years ago when I gave it up cos I changed jobs and couldn't get to it so often. I still grow as much as I can in containers at home.

Now my Broad beans are coming on nicely, my onion sets are sprouting and I will be planting potatoes in buckets next week but I wanted some squash and brassica seeds.

I suspect that many people ordering GYO stuff have no clue what they're doing, just like I suspect many of the people buying flour have never made a loaf in their life and the seeds, if sown, will never bear fruit as they think you just need to stick the seed in some compost and harvest a crop a few weeks later.

I noticed tomato seeds are all out of stock, unless you're in the far south it's too late to sow tomatoes and get a crop before September.

[Craftylittlething]

And some of these people might just discover a lifelong love of baking or gardening. It’s frustrating but wouldn’t it be nice if we all come out of this a bit more self sustaining?

[Toothsil]

Totally agree, in fact I overheard a woman in Tesco a couple of weeks ago saying to a friend that she'd picked up a few packs of spaghetti, she'd never used it before and didn't have a clue what to do with it but she'd heard everyone was buying pasta and spaghetti and there was some spaghetti left on the shelf so she got it 🙄

[Hurricane10]

I should say I'm in Northern Scotland and my toms and peppers were sown in January and I still don't expect a crop till August.

[TorysSuckRevokeArticle50]

Probably, I fully accept that the seeds me and 5 yo DD have sown this week may never bear fruit, but it was an activity we could do together, we used it as part of her science curriculum and she has an ongoing activity to look after them and try her best.

Luckily I thought to include cress as one of the seeds which gives us a pretty guaranteed positive outcome.

[awkwardbuttons]

We had to buy seeds because the person who usually propagates them for us is self isolating. I'm quite looking forward to it and bought the bits I needed a while ago now.

I suspect you're not wrong though. I know people who live entirely on ready meals who have bought yeast and flour "just in case". It makes me cross because it deprives people who would actually have used it and there is no doubt that it will be binned in a year or so. They are already commenting on how they're having no trouble getting bread now.

[BiarritzCrackers]

I thought people might be buying seeds who normally buy plants later in Spring; thinking ahead to garden centres not being open. I didn't think to do that until it was too late! and now feel a bit disappointed that I won't be having tomatoes this year. Suppose I could have a bash at growing from an actual tomato..

[BiarritzCrackers]

I was a bit peeved at all the chickpeas and yeast being bought up, as I normally make falafel once a week or so, and homemade pizza almost as frequently. Still no chickpeas anywhere in our shops!

[Hurricane10]

Crafty, You could well be right, I'd like to think so.

I think the reality is that most people will stick some seeds in compost and think they will just grow, when the reality is everything has to be "just right" for them even to germinate, never mind produce a crop. It's like nurturing little, delicate babies.

Likewise flour. It's one thing watching Bake Off, another when you follow Paul Hollywood's instructions and still end up with something that would pave an Aberdeen street (speaking from experience).

[TroysMammy]

Last year I planted beetroot, chard and kalettes amongst other things. We are still eating them and the chard has now got new growth.

I've only just planted tomato seeds same as last year and I had an excellent crop by August and made passata to freeze and chutney at the beginning of September.

[FourTeaFallOut]

I mean, they have the whole knowledge of the internet in the palm of their hand, they'll figure it out.

[Hurricane10]

Biarritz

Piss right off, really?

I'm not moaning about people learning to GYO, that was me a few years ago.

I'm "suggesting" that it's basically panic buying by people who aren't going to make the best of it, like flour.

[MissPoldark]

I’ve had a go at growing stuff in the past and planned to take it up again this year long before all this kicked off.
I realise how difficult it is, I have previously come to the conclusion that it should be left to the experts. I would hate to waste the seeds but I’m hoping most of it will be successful.

[Fatted]

Yes, we'll at least they are trying OP! God forbid people try to use this time as an opportunity to forge new interests and hobbies, especially with their young children!!

My DH did exactly as you said. He doesn't expect them to grow much, but it's something nice for him and the DC to do together in the garden while everyone is stuck at home. Would you rather that he just plonked them down in front of the telly instead?

[glueandstick]

Really struggled to get seeds this year. Flour is a nightmare. Really wish those who panic buy would just piss off. Saw so many people saying they’d just bake their own bread innit and bought self raising...

[MissPoldark]

Get it with the flour though. I’ve had the same thought. It’s no time to be experimenting with stuff that seems pretty scarce at the moment.

[HasaDigaEebowai]

I’m in the midlands (north) and I never do my tomatoes until now. Never had a problem with them. Clearly lots of people have bought seeds who don’t usually. That’s good though

[MaybeDoctor]

Well, only people who are really serious gardeners should have access to seeds. Likewise, it’s only people who do ‘proper’ exercise who should be allowed out...

Honestly, if this situation gets a few more people into gardening, baking or exercising then how can that be a bad thing?

[Hurricane10]

Tr;oyMammy

Where abouts are you? My tomato seedlings are about 2" High after 2 months (started on radiator then on windowsill when they got true leaves) and I know I won't get a useable fruit till August.

[Branster]

But surely when you started gyo you were just as inexperienced? Let them experiment!
As for making bread, well, most will fail and never try again (like I did many years ago).
These activities are available for everybody to try, and they are a great equaliser.

[redapplegreenapple]

I plant my tomato seeds the last week of March/ first week of April every year and have tomatoes throughout the summer. The seeds say to plant them Feb-April. I keep them indoors though.

[Branster]

Sorry OP, I apologise as I misunderstood your post.
Yes, many things will go to waste which people invested in as a means to occupy themselves and family with during this extended period.
Good intentions but, like you, I suspect a lot of people will loose interest along the way.
Can I thank you for this thread, it reminded me of a box we keep in the garden shed full of seeds we never used. Kids went through a gardening phase two houses ago and the box has been with us for 10 years. I can feel renewed interest being stirred.

[BiarritzCrackers]

Hurricane10 I didn't say that!! I was nice.

[BiarritzCrackers]

@Hurricane10 even.

[SudokuQueen]

It is stupid. They should be buying things they use all the time. It's not like there is a shortage on bread.

But it will be funny to see the ones trying to bake bread with plain flour and wondering why it failed. You'd think people could read recipes from the Internet but they really can't be trusted with that. I mean, so far they can't be trusted to know to wash their hands after touching bins, so I wouldn't trust them with a recipe.