In 2009, people went mad for vegetable seeds. Sales of vegetable seed had grown for the previous two or three years and the boom last year saw records broken and the long-time ratio of vegetable and flower seeds sales was reversed as grow-your-own greens found unprecedented popularity.

Seed suppliers described orders as "stonking", "manic" and "massively up". But as the 2010 season began, everyone wanted to know whether the success could be sustained. Would people find vegetable growing hard work, difficult or simply not worth the effort? Or would these new gardeners be back for more?

"It has been a busy year and, although we are still processing the returns, indications are that we have held the sales from last year," says Mr Fothergill's and Johnsons marketing director Ian Cross. "There has been nothing like the growth in 2009 but there's been no drop back, which is positive when you consider the leap experienced last year. It looks like people are sticking with it - they are in the mood for sowing and growing and they are enjoying it."

Pleased with the 2010 season

Kings Seeds marketing director Tony Ward is also pleased with the 2010 season. "It was a bit up and down with the weather, but we've ended up about six or seven per cent up on last year in terms of volume," he says. "The vegetable bubble is still going, with people choosing traditional varieties that they know will perform and something they are going to eat."

So what are the predictions for 2011? "In terms of holding level, we are fairly positive for next year," says Cross. "The cuts and everything haven't really hit this year and, because seed is reasonably inexpensive, growing your own vegetables is something people turn to when money is tight."

Holding on to sales after such a massive boom as experienced in 2009 does not mean seed suppliers can be complacent. A wide choice of product, new packets - if not new varieties - and bright, clear displays are seen as playing an important role in attracting the public's attention and maintaining an interest in vegetable growing. It is not surprising then to find that the major suppliers have all been busy developing their offering.

New packet seed range launched

At the Four Oaks Trade Show, staged in Cheshire last week, Kings Seeds launched its new packet seed range. Growers of seed and supplier to commercial growers, seed wholesalers, hobby seed companies, mail order and retailers, both as Kings and own label, the company has also, since 1971, held the national contract to supply seeds direct to allotment growers via the National Society of Allotment & Leisure Gardeners.

Its industry position and marketplace data mean Kings can authoritatively gauge sector sales trends, drawing on information from the company's sales to young plant growers for retailers, wholesale sales to hobby seed packers, Kings' own retail and mail order sales, own label packet sales and most importantly sales to allotment growers nationally, of whom there are nearly 350,000.

But the company knows that "retail is detail" and for 2011 has fully reviewed all packet seed ranges and analysed seed counts, retail price points and packet design. All packets in the new range have been fully varnished, giving a high-gloss finish to packet pictures.

The favour Suttons' Speedy Veg range found with Which? Gardening magazine has spurred it to add more. For 2011, additions include Beetroot 'Action', Basil 'Dark Opal', Rocket 'Victoria' and Broccoli Green - all selected for their speedy results and appeal to novice gardeners and those in a hurry.

After a successful 2010 season of sales with its eye-catching point-of-sale (POS) material and promotional ranges, Suttons is again aiming to help gardeners with one easy glance.

All four promotional displays feature on Suttons' new 680mm silver stands, designed to provide stock density on a small footprint.

New to the range for 2011 are 'Colourful Bloomers' colour-themed flower display to create planting ideas and 'Top Twenty Vegetables' to reflect the explosive growth in vegetable seed sales, featuring the company's top 20 selling varieties. These are intended to appeal to the beginner market.

'For Your Space' also focuses on new gardeners by enabling the production of tasty vegetables dependent on the space they have available. A vegetable range is offered to suit every available space, with a choice of easy-to-grow varieties, including newly-bred compact types to stimulate interest.

There are 'For Your Space Windowsill' varieties such as Sweet Pepper 'Redskin' and Tomato 'Little Sun Yellow'; 'For Your Space Window Box' varieties such as Chilli Pepper 'Cheyenne'; 'For Your Space Patio' varieties including Aubergine 'Pinstripe' and Spinach 'Reddy'; and 'For Your Space Square Metre Gardening' varieties Squash 'Balmoral' and Lettuce 'Match'.

New beginning for organic range

There is also a fresh new beginning for Suttons' organic range. The completely redesigned Organic Vegetable Seed range now features new packets and POS to appeal to the younger consumer, easy-to-understand, at-a-glance information, growing tips to ensure success and the new EU Organic Leaf logo. New products in the organic range include Carrot 'Flyaway', Basil Bush 'Fino Verde', Spinach 'Palco' and Tomatoes 'Beefsteak' and 'Red Cherry'.

Following on from what it calls a "fantastic" 2010 season, Unwins has developed a more comprehensive seed and seed potato range with new varieties and new offering 'Nature's Haven'.

New seed potato packaging is intended to provide clear and concise information to the consumer of when to sow and harvest. Unwins has taken a new approach in segmenting its seed potatoes by "harvest time", which simplifies the distinction between the more common but confusing terms of "first earlies" and "main crop".

Unwins is also changing the way in which seeds are marketed to consumers with a new campaign called the Gro-sure Challenge. It will focus on encouraging consumer trials and driving participation. The effort to encourage more gardeners to grow their own has never been more prominent and Unwins believes that the Gro-sure range and campaign will provide consumers with the perfect motivation.

Unwins product manager Julie Stigwood says: "We are thrilled with the success of Unwins Gro-sure since launch, having seen an impressive sales performance and extremely positive feedback from consumers and retailers alike. The range goes from strength to strength for 2011, with new varieties Pea 'Ruthless' and French Bean 'Poweron' making the Gro-sure range a real must-have offering for every retailer."

FUTURE GARDENERS

Suttons' Fun To Grow range, designed to link closely with key stage 1 of the national curriculum for 4-7-year-olds, sees the addition of strawberry and runner bean "How To" pots.

Johnsons has revamped its range, aiming it at pre-school age children and providing eight easy-to-grow varieties including pumpkins and sunflowers.

Unwins' Little Growers range is designed to attract the younger generation into growing interesting vegetables and flowers. It also encourages families to spend time together.

IN DEFENCE OF FLOWER SEEDS

Flower seeds should not be overlooked, as Mr Fothergill's and Johnsons marketing director Ian Cross explains: "The perception was, because of the huge jump in vegetable seed sales, that flower seed sales were going down.

"That is not the case at all and there is a danger that if people become over-focused on vegetables, they lose sight of the additional sales they can get through flowers."

The extent of consumers now growing their own vegetables has been highlighted extensively. For instance, Suttons Seeds now sells more than 70 per cent vegetable seeds to 30 per cent flower seeds.

However, this has not meant that flower seed sales have receded. Gardeners are still enjoying producing beautiful blooms in their gardens, as Cross explains.

Putting the spotlight back on flowers, for 2011 Johnsons is introducing easy-to-grow combinations such as hardy annual mixtures that can be simply sprinkled onto cultivated earth and watered in to give a stunning display.

Suttons has seen its new Fastflowers range of easy-to-grow, sow-where-you-want-them-to-grow varieties become more popular, especially with beginner gardeners. For 2011, it is launching Summer Long Flower Mix, a low-growing annual mixture designed to flower in succession and produce a host of colours, and Fragrance Flowering Mix, which as the name suggests is formulated for scent. This brings the total in the range to 22.

New for 2011 is Unwins' Nature's Haven seed range with 15 flower varieties to attract bees, butterflies, birds and insects to the garden, benefiting the environment and creating a beautiful setting. The Natural Companions range has been extended to feature 10 packs providing carefully selected varieties that work in harmony together, acting as a decoy for insect pests.

Unwins has also introduced three new sweet peas. 'Aphrodite', a white variety with lovely fragrance, is described as a super multi-flora producing up to nine flowers per stem. 'Tranquillity' has large, gently waved blooms of deep almost cherry red carried on long stems.

'Moonlight' is a lavender sweet pea with slightly undulating petals. The flowers are presented well on long, strong stems that should suit arrangers and have a good perfume. They do not fade with age.