Tall lettuces such as ‘Bionda’ or hearting lettuces like ‘Webb’s Wonderful’ are best started off in seed modules – they will grow into neat, easy-to-handle plug plants that you can plant out in the garden at a later date.
Find out how to grow salad leaves in a container.
Here’s how to start off salad seeds in modules.
Fill modules generously with seed compost and level off so they’re filled to the brim, then sow one or two seeds in each – you can always pinch out surplus seedlings later.
Sprinkle vermiculite or sieved compost to cover the seeds, then sit the tray in an inch of water to soak till the surface feels damp. Remove the tray from the water. Cover with a clear plastic lid or clear plastic bag. Put in a warm place to germinate.
Pot on seedlings once the second pair of leaves (or ‘true’ leaves) appear. Ease each seedling out with a dibber or pencil, handling by the leaves to avoid breaking the stems. Pot each one into a 7.5cm pot of multi-purpose compost.
Protect young plants from spring frosts if necessary, by placing in a greenhouse or porch until the soil has warmed up. Grow on young plants for a few weeks, until they have developed a good root system and are ready to plant out in the garden.
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
Every month from January to June 2021, we’re giving our subscribers SIX double packets of seeds from Mr Fothergill’s FREE over six months, worth over £30. Your January seed pack contains our healthy eating duo, worth £4.95: Rocket ‘Tricia’ – fast-growing and full of flavour, your leaves will be ready to eat in as little as five weeks Chilli ‘de Cayenne’ – classic red fruits, nicely spicy, the ideal heat for stews, soups, stir fries and salads More inspiration Sowing your free rocket
Dahlias are hugely popular with good reason. They’re easy to grow and flower reliably over a long season – often right up to the first frosts – and they’re invaluable in late-summer planting schemes. Dahlia Mignon Mixed is a low-growing variety that bears bold, yellow-centred blooms in a range of dazzling colours. It works particularly well in pots and containers and provides a generous supply of pollen for bumblebees. Put it to the test by sowing the free Mignon Mixed seeds that come with your
Few plants can match the ‘wow’ factor that sunflowers bring to beds, borders and allotments. Their giant, cheery ray flowers brighten even the cloudiest of days and they’re a big hit with pollinators, too. Then, later in the season, the seeds are a rich source of food for hungry birds. Your March subscriber edition comes with a free double-pack of seeds of a wildflower Pollinator Mix and a sunflower Sunburst Mix from Mr Fothergill’s. The Sunburst Mix will produce a glorious mix of flowers in vib