Lots more Sneaky Ways to save the pennies

Brie

Sallygirl said:

This is a heads up for those who like to grow a few veg etc. I went to Wilco yesterday and they have reduced their veg and flower seeds dramatically. They are now priced between 4p and 25p presumably because they don't want to store them until next year. They are in a box next to the tills rather than in their normal place in the shop. the seeds are dated 2024 and 2025. They won't last long at those prices : )

check the expiry dates - some seeds last longer than others.  I suspect the fleshier the shorter the shelf life as far as I'm aware.  So pumpkin seed may be a couple of years.  Poppy seeds 100 years +.

Sallygirl

Brie said:

Sallygirl said:

This is a heads up for those who like to grow a few veg etc. I went to Wilco yesterday and they have reduced their veg and flower seeds dramatically. They are now priced between 4p and 25p presumably because they don't want to store them until next year. They are in a box next to the tills rather than in their normal place in the shop. the seeds are dated 2024 and 2025. They won't last long at those prices : )

check the expiry dates - some seeds last longer than others.  I suspect the fleshier the shorter the shelf life as far as I'm aware.  So pumpkin seed may be a couple of years.  Poppy seeds 100 years +.

All the seeds I looked at were dated 2024 and 2025. That is a good long time from now until expiry...

in_my_wellies

Brie said:

Sallygirl said:

This is a heads up for those who like to grow a few veg etc. I went to Wilco yesterday and they have reduced their veg and flower seeds dramatically. They are now priced between 4p and 25p presumably because they don't want to store them until next year. They are in a box next to the tills rather than in their normal place in the shop. the seeds are dated 2024 and 2025. They won't last long at those prices : )

check the expiry dates - some seeds last longer than others.  I suspect the fleshier the shorter the shelf life as far as I'm aware.  So pumpkin seed may be a couple of years.  Poppy seeds 100 years +.

I have broccoli growing dated 1983. I planted 12 and 11 grew into strong plants. Bought in the days when you got around 2000 seeds in a packet. At this rate I have enough for my lifetime. The packet is just labelled 'broccoli', no variety in those days. They grow very tall, around 5', much taller than modern varieties 

kimwp

Brie said:

Sallygirl said:

This is a heads up for those who like to grow a few veg etc. I went to Wilco yesterday and they have reduced their veg and flower seeds dramatically. They are now priced between 4p and 25p presumably because they don't want to store them until next year. They are in a box next to the tills rather than in their normal place in the shop. the seeds are dated 2024 and 2025. They won't last long at those prices : )

check the expiry dates - some seeds last longer than others.  I suspect the fleshier the shorter the shelf life as far as I'm aware.  So pumpkin seed may be a couple of years.  Poppy seeds 100 years +.

A friend who worked at a famous seed bank said that they experimented with keeping seeds in different containers and that kilner jars were the best. I'm told dry and cool (over dark) is the key - I keep mine in a kilner jar with a couple packets of silica gel in the fridge. (Note that I'm not an expert gardener and haven't done any experiments to prove this method)

Primrose

,ve been growing vegs for years so have a large accumulation of half used seed packets t any one time, some dating back to Year Dot. The secret is to store them in a cool, dry and preferably dark place.

With the cost of seeds now one can,t afford to throw half used packets away even if they're quite old
to test their viability, a couple of weeks before planned sowing time, sprinkle just a few on a piece of damp tissue paper resting on a plate and keep it moist in a warm place.  If the seeds start to sprout you know yiu,re likely to be in luck.

f you have several different seed packets, draw circles in biro before wetting the kitchen tissue and write the name of the veg in the circle if you can,t differentiate between the seeds. Many are tiny and look very similar.  Doing this saves disappointment sowing seeds which don't grow in compost trays or soil and you save valuable growing  time if your seeds fail to germinate . 

 

leftatthetrafficlights

Primrose said:

,ve been growing vegs for years so have a large accumulation of half used seed packets t any one time, some dating back to Year Dot. The secret is to store them in a cool, dry and preferably dark place.

With the cost of seeds now one can,t afford to throw half used packets away even if they're quite old
to test their viability, a couple of weeks before planned sowing time, sprinkle just a few on a piece of damp tissue paper resting on a plate and keep it moist in a warm place.  If the seeds start to sprout you know yiu,re likely to be in luck.

f you have several different seed packets, draw circles in biro before wetting the kitchen tissue and write the name of the veg in the circle if you can,t differentiate between the seeds. Many are tiny and look very similar.  Doing this saves disappointment sowing seeds which don't grow in compost trays or soil and you save valuable growing  time if your seeds fail to germinate . 

 

What a brilliant idea @Primrose!

I'll definitely be doing this in the future - my dh is always trying to throw ood seeds out so having a cheap way if checking their viability will save me a fortune! 😁

Siebrie

I have a sock basket, where ALL socks go after laundry. Then, I sort them and put them in the appropriate drawers.

I started this when I realised my Mum, when my parents were staying with us for a month, put the socks in the drawer without its match. I could never match up any socks....

newlywed

Siebrie said:

I have a sock basket, where ALL socks go after laundry. Then, I sort them and put them in the appropriate drawers.

My aunt had one of those and if you moaned you were bored then guess what job you were given!

Brie

Siebrie said:

I have a sock basket, where ALL socks go after laundry. Then, I sort them and put them in the appropriate drawers.

I started this when I realised my Mum, when my parents were staying with us for a month, put the socks in the drawer without its match. I could never match up any socks....

I've not thought about it but OH was amazed when we were first married and I did the laundry and matched the socks.  I never did ask what his mom did. (certainly wouldn't have been his dad!!).  Now OH does the laundry about as much as I do he insists that the socks are matched before they go on the line to dry!!

wondercollie

I'm with your husband, you have to match the socks up when you hang them up to dry.

That way you KNOW which one the washing machine has stolen