How we grow and send your plants and seeds

Our plants get off to the best possible start with the combination of traditional horticultural skills and state of the art greenhouses equipped with computer technology to create the perfect growing environment.

Root-wrapped plants are generally field grown, and the rootballs are wrapped in plastic or netting prior to postage. Not supplied in pots.

Packaging

Cell-raised and pot-grown plants are normally shipped in blister packs to keep the root systems in place and the foliage protected in transit. This packaging is made from recycled PET and should be recycled after use. Where a pack of plants represents a collection of colours or different varieties, these can be identified by referencing the embossed letters A-F on the outside of the green packaging with the planting guide supplied. Some varieties are supplied with a strip of pre-printed labels that correspond to the embossed letters. These can be detached and stuck onto plastic plant labels or pots for future reference.

Bulbs

Bulb sizes determine the vigour of the plants and the number and size of the flowers produced. Wherever possible, we supply the largest sized bulbs available. Generally, the bulb size relates to the circumference measured in centimetres, eg 14/16 will have a minimum circumference of 14 cm and a maximum circumference of 16 cm. Sometimes bulbs are graded I, II or III, I being the top size bulb. As with all perennial plants, the heights and spreads given in the symbol are usually after 3-5 years' growth.

Many plants are protected by Plant Breeders' Rights, and when appears in the variety name, this denotes that an application for a plant patent has been submitted. Commercial propagation of these varieties is strictly prohibited.

Mini-plugs and plugs

Mini-plugs are raised from premier-quality seed and are supplied in black modular trays. Miniplugs (11/2-21/4") require potting on before they can be acclimatised to outdoor conditions and planted out into beds or containers. A free dibber is supplied to assist with removing miniplugs from their growing cells.

Plug plants (2-3") can be planted direct into their final containers but they must be protected from frost, or potted on into 31/2" (9cm) pots for 4-8 weeks or until the roots are well spread around the side of the pot.

Plugs are supplied in trays of 36 or 72 cells depending on the variety. We recommend that you have a supply of pots or trays and compost available prior to your plants arriving.

Jumbo plugs

This category covers a range of growing cells including Jiffy, glue plugs and paper pots. Sizes will vary according to the variety, but as a guide plants measure approx 3-5" (8-13cm) from root base to stem tip. Many varieties are raised from seed, unless the plants have been raised from virus-free cuttings, painstakingly hand-prepared by skilled nurserymen. Sometimes we have already nipped out the growing tip to encourage bushier growth and greater flower power.

Many of our perennial plants are supplied in 2" (5cm) mock terracotta pots. The plants are predominantly over-wintered and have a well-developed root system to give them a head start when planted out.

Bareroot and root-wrapped plants

Bareroot plants are field grown and the soil is removed from the roots prior to packing. They are usually despatched in a dormant state, appearing lifeless, but they are merely resting while the energy is stored in the roots. The plants are ready to come to life once planted and watered. Quite often plants that are supplied as bare roots are more mature and have a better developed root system than pot-grown specimens. As they are less bulky to pack and post, we are able to offer them at very reasonable prices. The plants often look unsightly on arrival, but this is perfectly normal and nothing to be alarmed about.

Seeds

At our independent seed-testing laboratory, where every batch of seeds is painstakingly checked, we make sure that our seeds will do just what it says on the packet and grow into healthy and productive plants. We aim to despatch your seeds within 7 days of your order being placed. Our seed packets are carefully packed in padded envelopes to ensure that they arrive undamaged. Our seeds are posted by 2nd class mail and you can usually expect delivery of your seeds 3-5 days from posting.

Have you ever wondered how we decide which veg to offer in our range? Take a behind-the-scenes look at our trial grounds and find out what we do to introduce new vegetables into our range! At Thompson & Morgan we test hundreds of different types of vegetable to find out which ones will be good enough to offer to our customers. It can take many years to get a new vegetable into the range - from the initial search for varieties to getting enough good quality seed to ensure that customers will get a tasty and healthy crop of vegetables. Click here to find out more about Thompson & Morgan's trial grounds.