Where to buy seeds?

[TFSRM]

Can anyone recommend the best place to buy vegetable seeds? I got mine from Thompson and Morgan this year and most were ok but none of the tomatoes came up. I'm put off Mr Fothergills because of the issue with courgettes this year. I'm also looking for sweetpeas if anyone has recommendations for those.

Sorry, I just buy from all over and haven't noticed any particular problems. Maybe it was due to lockdown that you had probs and they ran out of good stuff and sold the not so good rather than only the best.

I’m wanting to try more unusual varieties next year so thought I might give these guys a go

www.realseeds.co.uk/beans.html

I did use them once before but had a bad year so didn’t tend the garden as much, what I did have was good though

TFSRM what was the issue with courgettes this year? Our courgette plants (bought from ASDA) didn't do at all well this year but usually we have a huge glut and are over run with them so it's interesting other people have had issues too.

I buy seeds from Wilko or supermarkets and don't have a problem. Our French beans and stringless beans have gone mad this year and we are still picking them. My marigold and lupin seeds did amazingly too and my catnip plants are flourishing.

@AnneOfCleavage They had to recall one batch of seeds as the courgettes were bitter and caused stomach aches. www.mr-fothergills.co.uk/Home/Product-Recall-MRF/

I get most of my seeds from Sarah Raven, and Moose Seeds.

TFSRM aha I see. Nothing like our issue then.

I use Real Seeds as well. They're great.

Thanks everyone. I think I'll try Real Seeds for vegetables and Sarah Raven for sweetpeas.

And my courgettes were rubbish too but I didn’t give them much attention as I don’t like them very much.

Another vote for Real Seeds. They are really good.

I use a mix of real seeds and kings seeds - both are great.

Kings seeds are great for sweet peas. Try plants of distinction if you want something more unusual or single colour poppyseeds or other annuals.

We got chilli seeds from Real Seeds and they've been great, so another recommendation!

Another vote for Real Seeds and Kings for vegetables, Kings has been my go-to for years. I really like Seedaholic and Chiltern Seeds as well. Thompson & Morgan do £1/packet offers every now and I pick up stuff in those sales.

Also look I for specialist suppliers for some things. I get chilli seeds from South Devon Chilli Farm each year and have just placed an order for seed garlic from Isle of Wight Garlic Farm to give them a try.

Chiltern seeds for sweet peas - they have a lot of the incredibly scented older varieties. Good service and good price.

Although Unwins are reputedly the sweet pea specialist.

I wish people would stop recommending Real Seeds. They're only a tiny company, and one year they had to ration seeds because they couldn't meet supply. Though I think they've now accepted that they have to get bigger, and the supply issues are sorted. I'd recommend the "Mortons Secret Mix" of lettuces for the sheer fun of every lettuce you grow being a different type, shape or colour, the giant mange-tout peas, and the Asturian Tree Cabbage which carries on for years if you just pick leaves not the whole head.

Then Chiltern for anything I can't get from Real Seeds.