Hi, I think some seed merchants tend to use lower quality seed for their mixed seed, saving the better quality for their named varieties, so if you treated the mixed exactly the same as the named, you have just been unlucky, Derek.

That is very interesting. I sowed them in exactly the same way and planted out at the same time, so something was clearly different between the mixed and named varities. I shall contact the seed merchant and ask them the same question.Thankyou .