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Are seed potatoes really worth it?
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Message 1.Â
Posted by chrisbucks (U14300604) on Friday, 13th January 2012
Seed potatoes this year seem to cost about £2 per kg, whether bought from garden centres or by post.
On the other hand a bag of Desiree main-crop potatoes bought this weekend from the local supermarket cost around 70p per kg. I know all the arguments about seed potatoes being certified virus-free etc, but does this protection really justify a price differential of almost 300%, and what really is the risk these days of potatoes bought from a reputable source like a major supermarket being infected by a virus.
If your potatoes do become infected, do you even lose the crop, or does it just contaminate the ground for subsequent years plantings. -
Message 2
Posted by BigDave (U3975543) on Friday, 13th January 2012
Hi there, I got mine from the hollybush (if you know it) they cost the same as last year but they have cut the bag size by 1/2k less this year.....we then went to B&Q my better half looked at them in there and they wanted about £6 for the same weight as we got for £3.
Whatsthemarrow... -
Message 3
Posted by Tee Gee (U10012255) on Saturday, 14th January 2012
To a point I agree everything connected with gardening seems to be rocketing in price.
Prices seem to have risen dramatically since the media have put emphasis on " growing your own" and when you watch Monty & co it seems cost is no object to them when you see the tools and materials they use.
So is it any wonder commerce has gone the way it has?
When I came into gardening it was mainly for economic reasons and that's apart fom the other benefits that gardening gives I.e. .it was mBuch cheaper to grow your own.
The commercial people have found a niche market and they a milking it ( in my opinion)
Regarding the potato issue as it happens I buy my seed potatoes at 45p per pound ( around £1 per kilo.) as I am part of an allotment consortium who buy bulk direct from a wholesaler.
Is. It worth it you ask?
I think the answer is in how good a crop you get, for example I usually crop about 7-10 times the amount I sow so that based on store prices I am paying about 10-15p per kilo for my potatoes
If I were buying my seed potatoes in at the prices you have quoted then they would cost me at least twice as much,which still works out cheaper than green grocer prices.
I think one must consider the other aspects of growing your own and that is; more choice,fresher product,exercise and the pleasure in knowing that......you grew them your self.
Having said all that ......Yes! Things have become more expensive but sadly that has been brought on by market forces so the only option we seem to have is to shop around,and or alter our views on the price of growing our own produce.
Over the last few years I have taken to saving a few tubers of the more expensive varieties such as PFA. & Charlottes to reduce my costs without losing quality.
This incoming year around 30% of my harvest will be from saved tubers.
So as i see it if we can' t beat them, then join them, and supply our own as well as grow our own.
This method is much different to using cooking quality tubers as I know I have only kept disease free tubers and stored them differently.
On another note; I rarely buy broad beans,Runner beans,tomato or Sweet pepper seed as I have satisfactory results from 'saved' seeds.
So as I said; I agree with you to a point but as I have described above with a little enginuity costs can be kept to minimum.
Having said that if I am buying seeds! I always buy best quality e.g. F 1's ( if available) as this again, generally gives me the best return for my money.
Note; I sometimes wonder if commerce sometimes plays a part in all this when they advise their customers .......that you shouldn't do this but do that, ......after all, it could be to their benefit if you follow their instructions
Or am I being too cynical ?
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Message 4
Posted by BaraGwenith (U14257539) on Saturday, 14th January 2012
Some potatoes are prone to pests and diseases. You cannot tell that from supermarket potatoes, they are treated with every chemical going to give clean potatoes for sale.
Why grow common-or-garden potatoes as supplied to the supermarkets when you can grow any one of the wonderful potatoes that will never be commercial croppers? Desiree and Charlotte are a case in point. We had a wonderful, tasty crop of Gladstone this year. I've never seen those on sale in the supermarket
Many garden shops/centres will sell you a handful of seed potatoes out of a sack. Grow lots of different varieties.
Digging your first new potatoes will put the cost of the seed in perspective. Go for those, not maincrop like Desiree and 'pretend' new potatoes like Charlotte. -
Message 5
Posted by Global_Worming (U14532104) on Saturday, 14th January 2012
I grow a lot of spuds, each year I start here
I have 2 areas that I experiment with types and growing conditions.
The maincrop -
Message 6
Posted by netherfield (U3897706) on Tuesday, 24th January 2012
While not trying to justify the price of seed potatoes,there are a lot of differences between pots going to a supermarket and from the seed suppliers.
The seeds have been stored in a cold store for quite a number of months and then packed and checked in to small amounts,very labour intensive, whilst the ones for the supermarket are likely delivered in 25 tonne loads and packed by machine.
On top of which the seeds can have gone through maybe 3 or 4 different companies all trying to take a profit,whilst the supermarkets can get deliveries direct from the grower. -
Message 7
Posted by Trillium (U2170869) on Tuesday, 24th January 2012
Seed potatoes pre-packaged in 2Kilo bags do seem to be all priced much the same all of a sudden...
No point going to the mainstream garden centres or B&Q. You need to find somewhere selling them in open sacks - this will be a lot cheaper. Your local allotment society may have an in-house shop where they do this. Or an older-style nursery/grower - like W Robinsons near Preston, or some traditional hardware stores. -
Message 8
Posted by John (U14257971) on Wednesday, 25th January 2012
Our local GC has 100 varieties in sacks at £1.50 per kilo and I reckon they are good value for money.
I have been a grower, roguer and govt. inspector of seed potatoes in the field and in the store and growing costs of seed are twice that of 'ware' potatoes.
That is before the cost of putting in little bags etc. -
Message 9
Posted by chrisbucks (U14300604) on Wednesday, 25th January 2012
Where is your GC located, John?
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Message 10
Posted by zoomer44 (U14019069) on Wednesday, 25th January 2012
Our local nursery is also selling them at 1.50 per kilo only a few varieties though. I bought six spuds for 61p at the weekend. (wilja)
Local spuds fairs also sell them reasonably cheap and singularly, if growing in bags this is ideal. Last year at our local fair they were 20p each. I usually put 5 - 6 spuds per bag. -
Message 11
Posted by lilylouise (U3205282) on Thursday, 26th January 2012
I buy our seed potatoes from here
I usually spend about £20.00 on seed potatoes - this year we are growing
Charlotte
Marfona
Picasso
Winston
Lady Chrystl
This may sound a lot of money but we have been using our own potatoes since July and still have 2 - 3 sacks left in the shed to use
- bargain I would say
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Message 12
Posted by John (U14257971) on Thursday, 26th January 2012
My GC is near Freuchie in Fife. I don't suppose we're supposed to advertise but they do supply online.
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Message 13
Posted by chrisbucks (U14300604) on Saturday, 28th January 2012
I guess to complete my original posting and finish off the chain, I've now bought 2kg of Desiree seed potatoes from the local GC, and have also bought the same type from my local supermarket. I'll grow both in adjacent allotment beds under as similar conditions as possible, and will report back in the Autumn on how well each type did.
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Message 14
Posted by Global_Worming (U14532104) on Saturday, 28th January 2012
Chris 3 seasons ago when I first started growing spuds this board was very busy and aggressive. I posted the same question. I might have well said I like colorado beetles. This pic is of Maris pipers we grew from Tesco's spuds
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Message 15
Posted by compo (U14259915) on Saturday, 28th January 2012
Following on from this, why are Potato Days so expensive? Our local one used to ask for £1 entrance, which seemed reasonable, but now it is asking for £2 per person just to go in. If there are two of you that's the equivalent of a 2.5 kg bag of seed potatoes. Why bother as there are quite a lot of varieties available elsewhere?
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