I do not begrudge anyone who can make an honest living from selling plant seeds. They provide a useful service to us gardeners.
In most cases, market forces will determine prices.
However, specialist and rare seeds occupy a different category.
If I were to put my mind to growing, say, a record breaking giant pumpkin then I would leave nothing to chance.
I would need to maximise each side of the nature vs nurture coin in order to achieve that goal.
This means 120+ consecutive days of commitment to the plant (watering, feeding, pruning, pest, weed and disease control) even if some of the tasks were automated.
If I were going to expend this amount of time, money and effort into it then why would I chance it with questionable seeds of unknown origin - the answer is I wouldn't.
In fact, I would seek out the record breaking growers who have appeared on TV and buy the seeds directly from them. I would pay the £100.
Of course, seeds are subject to genetic variation but the growers who produce these giant veg know what they are doing. They hand pollinate using a male flower from the same plant then they seal up the female to prevent cross pollination - the seeds will retain their genetic giant trait as a result.
Since us gardeners are all potential sellers of veg seed (collected from our home grown veg) then I would advise against creating a rod for your own back.
Other types of seed I wouldn't mind paying a little more for are authentic oriental veg seeds.
None of the seeds sold commercially in Europe for veg like bak choi, leaf mustard, mooli etc are authentic. They are similar varieties but not the same.
Maybe it's not such a popular sport with the fairer sex is because they're not very good at it ?! (waiting for a low level nuclear explosion in reply )
in 1999 gerry checkon a female set world record for biggest pumpkin 1131 lbs her husband final set his own world record pumpkin record a few years later.
when comes to giant vegetables I prefered to compete in watermelon and tomato categories.
though a bit out of date the on the articles and clippings my research binder on giant vegetables growing runs over 600 pages.
my favorite article on giant vegetables was titled "old king spud and his entourage" in Christian science monitor nov 8 1946 on p2 written by the writer Ima Solanum Tuberosum EMS
There are people who are very competitive and enjoy the challenge of being the best at something. Regardless of the cost. World class tennis players spend huge amounts of money travelling the world to compete, dog and cat lovers do the same to exhibit their animals, gardeners spend their money and time trying to grow huge specimens of various plants, ie Giant Gooseberry, Longest leek, Parsnip, Carrot, Heaviest onion etc. Dahlia, Fuchsia and Chrysanthemum growers spend hours titivating their blooms and paying for grow lights, it just depends on personal preference. It does become an obsession, resulting in addictive spending of huge amounts of money on single seeds all in the name of being the best. There is also a world wide camaraderie between competitors to share and enjoy. There are then the majority of gardeners who happily grow food and flowers to eat and enjoy. The vast majority of enormous veg. are inedible, tough and tasteless.
There have been a couple of articles on GW over the years about people who 'specialise' (ie become obsessed with) a particular aspect of horticulture. One featured someone maintained a manicured lawn (I think he mowed it every day or every other day), another was about sweet peas and another about growing giant veg.
Whilst I admire anybody who can take any skill to its pinnacle, the one thing that struck me was that all these people were male and they seemed to be truly obsessive. Family life seemed to revolve around their hobby. No holidays allowed during growing season and I think one of them (probably the veg grower) needed to tend his beloved twice a day so even a decent day out wasn't on the cards for his family. He seemed to be quite proud of that fact and his wife just rolled her eyes and smiled.
I'd have taken a carving knife to his pride and joy....
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
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Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
In most cases, market forces will determine prices.
However, specialist and rare seeds occupy a different category.
If I were to put my mind to growing, say, a record breaking giant pumpkin then I would leave nothing to chance.
I would need to maximise each side of the nature vs nurture coin in order to achieve that goal.
This means 120+ consecutive days of commitment to the plant (watering, feeding, pruning, pest, weed and disease control) even if some of the tasks were automated.
If I were going to expend this amount of time, money and effort into it then why would I chance it with questionable seeds of unknown origin - the answer is I wouldn't.
In fact, I would seek out the record breaking growers who have appeared on TV and buy the seeds directly from them. I would pay the £100.
Of course, seeds are subject to genetic variation but the growers who produce these giant veg know what they are doing. They hand pollinate using a male flower from the same plant then they seal up the female to prevent cross pollination - the seeds will retain their genetic giant trait as a result.
Since us gardeners are all potential sellers of veg seed (collected from our home grown veg) then I would advise against creating a rod for your own back.
Other types of seed I wouldn't mind paying a little more for are authentic oriental veg seeds.
None of the seeds sold commercially in Europe for veg like bak choi, leaf mustard, mooli etc are authentic. They are similar varieties but not the same.
1131 lbs her husband final set his own world record pumpkin record
a few years later.
when comes to giant vegetables I prefered to compete
in watermelon and tomato categories.
though a bit out of date the on the articles and clippings my
research binder on giant vegetables growing runs over 600 pages.
was titled "old king spud and his entourage"
in Christian science monitor nov 8 1946 on p2
written by the writer Ima Solanum Tuberosum EMS
World class tennis players spend huge amounts of money travelling the world to compete, dog and cat lovers do the same to exhibit their animals, gardeners spend their money and time trying to grow huge specimens of various plants, ie Giant Gooseberry, Longest leek, Parsnip, Carrot, Heaviest onion etc.
Dahlia, Fuchsia and Chrysanthemum growers spend hours titivating their blooms and paying for grow lights, it just depends on personal preference.
It does become an obsession, resulting in addictive spending of huge amounts of money on single seeds all in the name of being the best. There is also a world wide camaraderie between competitors to share and enjoy.
There are then the majority of gardeners who happily grow food and flowers to eat and enjoy. The vast majority of enormous veg. are inedible, tough and tasteless.
Whilst I admire anybody who can take any skill to its pinnacle, the one thing that struck me was that all these people were male and they seemed to be truly obsessive. Family life seemed to revolve around their hobby. No holidays allowed during growing season and I think one of them (probably the veg grower) needed to tend his beloved twice a day so even a decent day out wasn't on the cards for his family. He seemed to be quite proud of that fact and his wife just rolled her eyes and smiled.
I'd have taken a carving knife to his pride and joy....
You are an obsessive
He/She is deranged