Us 'peasants' get our plants in many ways, some save the seed from tomatoes from last year, some buy seed and start them that way, all the garden centers sell plants at all the stages of growth and then we all have a bit of a swap, giving away our surplus plants. One of my neighbours travels about 20 miles to buy plants from a certified 'bio' grower. I have told him that my mate Francois has a 'bio' certificate and lives a lot closer but he is a funny chap, gets his cheese from 3 different shops. Goat cheese from one, soft cheese from another and hard cheese from a third.

@@harryfaber I don't have much interest in anything except tomato plants because the produce sold in parking lots around here is so cheap. (also, at the right time of year if you forget to lock your car at the store you may find it filled with zucchini when you return) And it makes me feel good to bypass all the government nonsense. I don't even go into three different isles in the store to buy cheese.

@@shedbythetracks I am a great believer in ignoring government.... Some people build old cars, some model railways, he is 'into' cheese. Dining with him is very educational, his cheese plate always has at least 4 choices, and you get a lesson on each, 'that is sheep, that is goat, that is cow....' and so on.

That is odd. I do wonder if they were planted into compost that was too 'rich'. In the past I have had poor crops, but never no crop at all.