36 replies to this topic

[paph]

I'm sure this has been asked before but does anyone know where I can get canning jars in the UK or Europe? I tried a search but couldn't find anything.

I recently lost some jars to contaminants and I'm sure not having proper jars played a part, although it could have been a number of issues.

[Irishlion]

http://www.cookabili...jars/b_1973.htm

and this you might find more insteresting.

http://www.justpreserving.co.uk/


http://www.justprese...p-20003457.html

[rasperjasper]

Hey Paph...

you tried the tupperware PP5 containers?
i get the 0.25L ones from Tesco - sure it's something like 79p for 3 - and, so far, with limited experience, i've seen no troubles with them.
im sure some others on here use them too

[paph]

Thanks guys.:)

[zodd]

Hey Paph...
you tried the tupperware PP5 containers?
i get the 0.25L ones from Tesco - sure it's something like 79p for 3 - and, so far, with limited experience, i've seen no troubles with them.
im sure some others on here use them too

im one such other.

i would say that link irish gave you is about as good as it gets over this side of the Atlantic. but if you are after tapered canning jars then your best to go plastic. failing that you could always take a trip down the tesco preserves isle and look for some bone mama jam. it comes in several different delicious flavours. and the jars make a perfect cake
[attachment=966023:]

i can tell you that once i get it in my head to find something. i look for it like a hawk. i cant stop till i find it. i scoured a fair few cities in middle of england and the net and still came up empty handed i eventually found some when i was forced to shop at a different supermarket to my usual and you wouldn't believe my excitement.

the cashier must have thought i was nuts to be needing all that jam. the only problem was that the jam was too good. i couldn't chuck it out!

so i had jam for breakfast lunch and dinner for about a month. (try adding jam to a spicy stir fry. its fucking yummy)

after clogging my arteries with tasty jam. I had all the glass i could need.

but to be honest, i rarely use it now a days. my newest problem was that for my future plans it meant that i was going to need so much glass that my arteries would not have been able to take it. so i got looking for some better plastics, as the stuff from asda and the cheap poudland store tubs(10 for £1), although they work, are not ideal for sterile work not with those bluddy iratating clip lock system lids.

after trying a few things i eventually came across this place.

http://www.ambican.c....asp?catRef=204

you wil have to buy whole sale but its worth it imo they got several sizes and they will send out samples for you to see what you think..

for me if you get the right plastic. then plastic can work just as good if not better than glass because if you drop some pyrex then you got an hour and a half picking it out ya toes where as if you drop some pp5 plastic then all you got to do is re pc then inoculate. the only problem i find with plastic is the lid mechanisms can be unsuitable and too fiddly to work with. these tamper proofs are perfect as there used for preserves and jams so they have an awesome seal, but they also have an easy access point which makes sterile work a dodle.

just one feller's opinion,

hope this helps :)

Edited by zodd, 11 February 2010 - 08:55 AM.

[rasperjasper]

Zodd...I bought the same jam last week & was just gonna throw it out!

Too tasty tho, like you say!! But bloody expensive if all you're wanting is the jar.

Those jars you linked - works out to about 13p each - sounds good to me! That amounta jars would do ya for life!!

[Deus Irae]

hahaha. Good advice, zodd.
I use those jars for cakes, and it's only slightly more expensive than buying empty ones.
I find it strange that we only get the narrow mouth mason jars in shops over here...perhaps I need to learn the special handshake:mistrust:

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[zodd]

Zodd...I bought the same jam last week & was just gonna throw it out!

Too tasty tho, like you say!! But bloody expensive if all you're wanting is the jar.

Those jars you linked - works out to about 13p each - sounds good to me! That amounta jars would do ya for life!!

exactly ;)

there is some tax and postage to add but roughly it works out at about 17p each give or take.

its a lot to shell out but after a bit of scrimping and doing without it will be a good investment in the long run. im growing all kinds of mycelium now a days, but it would not have been passable if not for this . im looking to get the pint size ones someday hopefully in the not too distant future.

[Tripp]

Poundland can be your friend ;)
I've found many jars suitable, some more than others. Will post up a pic of the new ones I found soon, they're perfect and cheap!

[Om shanti]

I recently lost some jars to contaminants and I'm sure not having proper jars played a part, although it could have been a number of issues.

I don't think it's due to the jars, but it may have been due to the lids or rather how you made the lids with regards to FAE and such.

I'm also in Europe though not in the UK. For wide mouth PF jars I always used drinking glasses with two pieces of foil for lid, and it works perfect.
For grain and LCs and such I also use ex- foodjars, though I prefer to not use jam jars or jars that had some strong/smelly food inside, because they require more cleaning. Jars that had peeled potatoes in water solution and jars for instant coffee with PP5 plastic lids are excellent, IMO, and only require a quick rinse before they're ready to use. But if the jam is as good as Zodd says, then that's another thing. :teeth:

[paph]

I'm also in Europe though not in the UK. For wide mouth PF jars I always used drinking glasses with two pieces of foil for lid, and it works perfect.

That's the way I've always done my PF jars too, Definitely works well.:)



As for the lids on my jars, Am I better off using tyvek patches rather than polyfil holes?

[Irishlion]

personally polyfill holes are so much easier, you can shoot right through it and be all good, plus a bag of polyfil is like 3 bucks and will last you a year LOL.

[paph]

personally polyfill holes are so much easier, you can shoot right through it and be all good, plus a bag of polyfil is like 3 bucks and will last you a year LOL.

Thanks for the heads up IL, I'll continue to use the polyfil then.;)

[zodd]

ive used and like both.

polly fill is quick cheap and easy to use and easy to obtain i just look inside my pillow.

where as tyveck is permanent, but takes up less space in the jar. which for me is important when doing pf tek jars because i like to get much substrate in them as is humanly passable.

but if id have to go with one...............for me pollyfill all the way

[greiggie]

I've never understood why people in England, where my dear Mum hails from, don't make their own jam. In Canada you can find canning jars year round in any supermarket. Get jammin' Englander's!

[rasperjasper]

My friend loves making his own jam - he's got recipes comin out his ears...and jam too!! But he just uses normal jam jars - and there isn't a big market here for canning.

So, wide mouth jam jars - our favourites - are like the proverbial rockinghorse shit

sucks man

[ukgrower21]

you can get jars from wilkinsons,you can get the wide mouth mason jars but they arent cheap,i bought a pack of 5 for like 5.50
and i just bought 56 half pint tumblers and made some clip on lids for them with polyfil,(so i dont have to use a dry verm layer if i do make cakes!
4 tubmblers cost like 50 pence,so its the cheapest way,but you can order those masons online,

[ethnobotanica]

http://www.jamjarsho...catid=8&pid=106

http://www.barnitts....tails/9385.html

If you must have wide mouth's.;)

[420Farmer]

I use these they work great
http://www.scuddlebu...orySupplies.htm

Here's a pic of the 250's

Edited by 420Farmer, 14 February 2010 - 05:15 AM.

[MidgetGerm]

Wow thanks alot guys, just happened upon this, you guys have saved me alot of trouble, i have been trying to find suitable jars with no luck.
Is there a huge difference using tumblers w/ foil to jars?
Also what is polyfill used for i dont understand fully?
thanks in advance
MidgetGerm.