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75% off seeds at Wilkinsons

Posted by on Thursday 7 July 2011 in frugal, growing | 10 comments

It feels a bit early (in general and earlier than last year) but various shops have started selling off their sow-by-2012 seeds cheaply.

I was near a Wilkinsons yesterday (I heart Wilkinsons – I nearly wet my pants when they opened a big store down the road from our old house in Leeds and it’s one of the things I miss most about living in Leeds. #sadconfession) and popped in to peruse their packets — all 75% off in store (they seem to be 3 for 2 on the website). I went a bit mad at first and ended up putting about a dozen of them back but I did buy…

That’s:

2 x dwarf french beans (Canadian wonder – 120 seeds per pack) = £0.25 a pack
2 x runner bean (white emergo – 40 seeds per pack) = £0.32 a pack
1* x broad beans (Bunyards exhibition – 50 seeds) = £0.56 a pack
3 x nasturiums (trailing single mixed – 35 seeds per pack) = £0.49 a pack
1 x onions (bunching ishikura – 375 seeds) = £0.32 a pack
1 x pepper (“sweet” mini red – 50 seeds) = £0.32 a pack
1 x beetroot (boltardy – 275 seeds) = £0.37 a pack
3 x cucumber (telepathy F1 – 5 seeds per pack) = £0.39 a pack
1 x phlox night scented (200 seeds) = £0.32 a pack
2 x sweet pea (mixed – 25 seeds per pack) = £0.56 a pack

So 17 packs of seed for £7.35, rather than nearly £30 – I’m quite happy with that.

* I would have bought more of these even though they’re branded so more expensive, but this is all they had

Combined with the (18) free packets I’ve collected one way or another this year, and what I’ve haven’t used this year and the seeds I’ll save from my Real Seeds purchases this year (achocha, special peppers etc), I think I’m about all set on the seeds front for next year already – perhaps some more broad beans (as they’ve been fab this year), some courgettes (as I don’t have much luck saving seeds due to being hybrids/cross-pollination, and we heart courgettes) and some basil, but that’ll be it. Hurrah! :)

Apparently Dobbies and the super cheap supermarkets (Aldi/Lidl etc) are heavily discounting their seeds at the moment too.

Have you started buying seeds for next year too? Have you spotted any other seed bargains out there?

10 Comments

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  1. Attila

    Yes I saw these too and some of the seeds I bought were sow by 2013. This year I finished a packet of radish seeds that were sow by 2006! The germination rate was about 50% so I just sowed them more thickly.

  2. Sooz

    I know where I’m going tomorrow! Wilkos by me has had seeds at 50% off for a while now (I got a lovely multipack of 6 ‘stir fry’ veg – mini sweet corn and herbs and pak choi and peppers) for about £1, but I could definately do with some more bargains!

  3. Jules

    Oh no! Don’t tell me that! The last thing I need is more seeds, but I can’t resist a seed bargain…

  4. Mo

    Great haul! Well done. I must pop in when I’m passing. We haven’t looked at seeds yet but always take up offers when we see them.

  5. kaye

    i bought a few packs of flower seeds an unneeded luxury…lol…but im sure i can squeeze them in somewhere or just tell OH they are herbs

  6. Jo

    On the day I read this, I knew I’d be passing near to a Wilkinsons so I called in and had a few bargain packets of seeds for next year. Thank you!

  7. Su

    I spent almost £5 and completed (apart from some tomato seeds) my seed buying for next year! I thought it was just my local Wilkinson’s though, as it’s been the victim of yet another ‘re-fit’ (aka can’t bloody well find anything & reduced range).

  8. louisa

    Glad everyone else got to enjoy the bargains too. I went back to the (tiny, rubbish) Shipley store yesterday and they were just about out of reduced veg seeds. Am kicking myself that I didn’t go to one of the giant stores in Leeds — my former local store in Armley would have had a great selection!

  9. Alison

    Dobbies… you shouldn’t have said that, I’ve been looking for an excuse to drive the 20 miles to our nearest (Shrewsbury) even though I’ve quite a few seeds still desperate to be used! I do miss Wilkinsons!

    I’ve only just realised that you keep mentioning the area I used to live in, I was in Silsden first and then moved to Steeton. Of course, I then moved to Saddleworth and now we have ventured to North Wales – near Chirk.

  10. louisa

    Sorry – hope I didn’t cause you to overspend :)

    It’s lovely up Silsden & Steeton way – lucky you for living up there :) We get our chickens from Silsden – half the fun of getting them is the drive up there :)

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