How to sow kohlrabi

Cosmos are half-hardy annuals that grow, flower, set seed and die all in one year, but unlike hardy annuals, they can’t withstand low temperatures. They’re quick and easy to grow from seed, flowering in as little as 12 weeks, and can be added to borders and pots for a burst of showy colour. To give your cosmos as long a flowering season as possible, sow the seeds early, indoors, in March or April. Once they’ve sprouted and have two pairs of leaves, transplant into individual 7cm pots and grow

Tomatoes are easy to grow from seed and should germinate within two weeks. Compact cherry varieties can be grown in pots and hanging baskets, while larger, cordon types are more suited to being raised in the ground or in growing bags. You Will Need

Dwarf French beans are long-cropping, compact plants, ideal for a container. They taste good fresh, or if left longer to mature, beans can be shelled and dried for the store cupboard. Find out how to grow runner beans. Here’s how to sow dwarf French beans in three easy steps. You Will Need

Sowing seed of salad leaves in lengths of guttering can help keep your seedlings safe from slugs and snails, and enable you to transplant the whole row into the soil as and when soil space becomes available. Short, 1m lengths of guttering are convenient and easy to handle. When the salad seeds germinate, simply grow them on for two to four weeks and then slide the plants into their final growing positions.