GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post - Gardening Which report on seeds

Stewart Robert Hinsley · 30-09-2007, 10:03 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening

In message , Sacha
writes
On 29/9/07 23:08, in article ,
"Martin" wrote:

On Sat, 29 Sep 2007 22:55:35 +0100, Sacha
wrote:

On 29/9/07 22:17, in article ,
"Martin" wrote:

On Sat, 29 Sep 2007 20:17:03 +0100, Malcolm
wrote:

In article , Martin
writes

In the case of seeds the results are meaningless. The history of
the seeds
is
also important.

So what do you know about the history of the seeds that you buy?

I know where and how I bought them, how long I had them before I used them.

The question is what did Which? who claim to be experts in testing know or
care?

I think there's a bit of confusion about what Which were doing. They were
being you or me or anyone buying seeds. If anyone buys seeds off the shelf
today for sowing in two week's time, they do NOT know how those seeds have
been kept, how old they are, how fresh they are etc. Nor do you if you buy
off the shelf.
Which sent the seeds to a lab which treated all seeds in the same way, which
is probably the only way in which they differed from the average gardener in
Hampshire who will not be doing the same as his counterpart in Scotland. It
was the only way to get a fair result, also. YOU might know more about your
seeds than many do, especially beginners. And given that sales of vegetable
seeds have risen very considerably in the last few years, perhaps it's
appropriate for beginners to have some guidance.

Surely what the readers want to know is whether Which?'s results are typical
of
what the readers will experience doing the same. This sort of testing doesn't
provide an answer, unless you really believe that all Unwins seeds are poor?
If
not then what is the point of such testing?

If they bought seeds off the same shelves - or the virtual shelves -
available to the ordinary gardener, then the results were typical, surely?
The point of the testing is simply to do the testing. I would think Which
considers that to be their only brief. After that consumers can make up
their own minds as to whether to buy seeds from x, y or z, or whether to mix
them up from a, b and c. What the test has shown is that people buying
seeds from 15 different sources may well find that the seed is dead and
then, if they have a poor germination rate they're better informed to make a
fuss about it with the seedsmen.

One question about the viability of seed bought in retail outlets would
be whether the variation is due to the seed merchant, or to the retail
outlets.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley