Buying Your Seed Potatoes from alanromans.com

 First Earlies      Second Earlies      Early Maincrop      Late Maincrop      Conservation Potatoes

We have sourced a wide range of certified UK seed potatoes at the best prices we can find. All are available in 1kg and 3kg nets. The majority are sized between 35mm and 55 mm in diameter. A few varieties, mainly long, narrow salads, start at 30mm. A few in short supply or round in shape may go up to 60mm. Our calculations show that the “average” net contains 13 tubers/ kg but this can be as low as 8 or as high as 20. More in the case of Mimi.

The majority are Super Elite or Elite grades (=EC2). A few, often for technical reasons, are only made available to gardeners at EC3 although these might well be from higher grade crops. All are fully labeled with producer’s nos. etc – in the case of Scottish seed this makes them traceable to part of a particular field. A few are English grown but the majority are Scottish. We, along with most of the main UK catalogues, have voluntarily agreed to use only UK or Irish seed and avoid tubers from countries with endemic Brown Rot and Ring Rot which are major threats to UK agriculture. Unfortunately this includes important seed producers such as Holland, France and Germany where some very popular varieties are grown. One or two companies, if challenged, are claiming that DEFRA “tests” make these imports acceptable, but, as only samples of tubers are tested in any consignment, this claim does not impress trade bodies within the UK, particularly in Scotland.

Most seed potato orders are subject to a basic delivery and packaging charge of £7.00 because parcel rates are based on weight and potatoes are relatively heavy. This is for all orders up to 24kg delivered to mainland UK. All islands, Ireland (north and south) and EC countries are subject to extra charges and these are added by our programme before the payment process. Please check these are acceptable before agreeing to pay as they are high relative to the cost of the seed potatoes.
Scottish seed potatoes are available, after a period of post harvest curing and cold storage, from December through to May, with our busiest months now being January and February. We will again be selling chitted Sarpo potatoes for second cropping from June to July. We do all potato packing ourselves, using draw string nets and bubble wrap. Orders are despatched in order of receipt as variety availability allows. Up to 10kg will be sent next day delivery in a sealed plastic outer bag. 11 -24kg orders will be send on 2/3 day delivery in recycled cardboard boxes. All orders to mainland Scottish Highland (includes parts of Aberdeenshire) will be sent on 2/3 day delivery. We plan to send a few times before Xmas and then most week days after the New Year (weather permitting). Many varieties are not available to us until early January. It will be important to unwrap the tubers from the bubble wrap as soon as possible but we do not anticipate potatoes being enclosed by plastic for more than 4 days. Delivery drivers will be asked to leave in an appropriate place if you give suitable instruction in the notes facility.

 First Earlies      Second Earlies      Early Maincrop      Late Maincrop      Conservation Potatoes