Too many vegetable seedlings?

[WendyS]

I grow some of my veggies from seeds but it's not always practical and I get frustrated that garden centres only seem to sell boxes of cabbages, sprouts,etc, in packs of 24 seedlings which is far too many for a small household to cope with. Do others get as frustrated as me that you can no longer buy strips of half a dozen seedlings at a time? I never seem to be able to find anybody at a garden centre willing to share a box with me. Who wants 24 cauliflowers all cropping at the same time?.

[nickmo]

WendyS - veg seeds by their nature tend to be really small - 800 + in a pack of carrots for example. these sell by weight of seed: http://www.seeds-by-size.co.uk/f-1veg98.htm and an online order that tells you how many to expect : http://www.greenchronicle.co.uk/acatalog/Vegetable_Seeds.html may be of help.

Only recourse is: pass on to a friend / join a gardening club and get into a seed exchange / don't sow them all / sow them all and freeze whats not eaten fresh.

The Suttons 'plant plugs' may suit as an option though: http://www.suttons-seeds.co.uk/index2.html?area=frame_menu_main.html&body=cffiles/search.cfm?cat_ca_ref=524&a=316&b=2&c=310&d=300&e=0 tells you how many per strip i.e. 5 courgettes etc. but you may find these in a good g/centre.

[WendyS]

Nickmo - once again thanks for a very useful answer. I looked at the Sutton veggie plugs site and was delighted to find they're offering celeraic which we use often in cooking, but I've never grown before. I've ordered a pack and any surplus I can't squeeze into my small vegetable patch, I will dot in amongst my flower borders which are always somewhat ecclectic since mini cucumbers, ruby chard and the odd beetroot plants jostle for space with geraniums !

[nickmo]

Hi wendyS - glad to help - one note - check growing amongst flowering plants won't cause any probs with disease, and remember veg are greedy plants and will take away nutrients from flowering plants, and there may be the odd conflict with soil ph requirements- but you probably knew all that anyway.....

Have a happy harvesting!