Savour the Seasons logoSavour the Seasons

How to grow

Growing through the seasons 

Every seed in your packet is easy to grow. 

Never grown anything before? Start with the basics below, then follow the step-by-step guide for each month.

Before you start

Pots & soil

Any pot with drainage holes and peat-free compost will do. Old yoghurt pots work too — just poke holes in the bottom.

Light

Most seeds love a bright windowsill or sunny spot outdoors. A south-facing window is ideal.

Water

Keep soil damp, not soggy. Little and often is best — check by pressing a finger into the soil.

Words to know

Sow:
Simply means planting a seed.
Seedling:
A baby plant, just after it has sprouted.
Thin out:
Remove some seedlings so the strongest have room to grow.
Drill:
A shallow line in the soil to sow seeds into.

January

01

Radish

Sow
Indoors in a pot on a bright sill
Where
Bright windowsill, or a sheltered outdoor spot
Harvest
3–4 weeks

How to sow, step by step

  1. 1Fill a pot at least 15cm deep with damp peat-free compost and level the surface.
  2. 2Push the seeds about 1cm deep, roughly 2cm apart — they're easy to see and handle, so no tools needed.
  3. 3Cover lightly with compost, firm it down gently and water well.
  4. 4Keep the pot on a bright windowsill; seeds sprout in 5–8 days.
  5. 5When the leaves start to touch, snip out the weaker ones so each root has about 5cm of space — crowded radishes stay small.
  6. 6Water little and often. Dry soil makes radishes hot and woody; steady moisture keeps them mild and crisp.
  7. 7Pull the whole plant once the roots are about the size of a 20p coin — leave them longer and they go spongy.

Tip: Radish is the fastest win in the packet — ready in about a month, so it's a good one for keeping patience.

February

02

Coriander

Sow
Outdoors in a pot or a shallow drill
Where
Sun or light shade, moist rich soil
Harvest
4–6 weeks

How to sow, step by step

  1. 1Choose a pot at least 20cm deep, or a sunny patch of soil, and fill or rake it level.
  2. 2Make a shallow line (a drill) about 1cm deep with your finger or a stick.
  3. 3Sprinkle the seeds along the line, roughly 2cm apart, and cover them over with soil.
  4. 4Water well and keep the soil damp while the seeds sprout — this takes 1–3 weeks.
  5. 5When the seedlings are a few centimetres tall, thin them to about 10cm apart so each plant has room.
  6. 6Start picking leaves once the plants are 10–15cm tall; the more you pick, the more they grow.
  7. 7Coriander loves spring and autumn. In summer, plant in light shade to stop it flowering too fast.

Tip: Before sowing, gently crush the seed pods so the two seeds inside split. This speeds up the sprouting process massively!

March

03

Broccoli

Sow
Indoors in modules under cover
Where
Bright windowsill, then firm soil outdoors
Harvest
12–16 weeks

How to sow, step by step

  1. 1Fill a seed tray or small pots with damp compost and sow one seed per cell, about 1cm deep.
  2. 2Water gently and keep on a bright, cool windowsill, broccoli doesn't need much heat to sprout. Pack soil down to make it firm.
  3. 3Seeds sprout in about a week; keep the compost damp but not soggy.
  4. 4When seedlings have 2–3 proper leaves, move each into its own small pot.
  5. 5Once they're sturdy (and the worst of the weather has passed), plant them out 45cm apart in firm, rich soil.
  6. 6Net the plants to stop pigeons and caterpillars from eating them, and cut the central head while it's still tight and green.

Tip: Cut the main head before the flowers open, small side shoots keep coming after that.

April

04

Tomatoes

Sow
Indoors in pots, or plant out once frost has passed
Where
Sunny windowsill, greenhouse or sheltered bed
Harvest
10–12 weeks

How to sow, step by step

  1. 1Fill a small pot with damp compost and push 2–3 seeds about 0.5cm deep into each pot.
  2. 2Water gently, cover with a clear bag or lid, and keep somewhere warm (around 20°C) — an airing cupboard works well.
  3. 3Seeds sprout in 5–10 days; move the pot to the brightest windowsill you have as soon as shoots appear.
  4. 4When seedlings have two proper leaves, keep the strongest one per pot and snip out the rest.
  5. 5Once the plant is about 15cm tall, move it into a bigger pot (at least 30cm) or a grow bag, and give it a cane to lean on. Bury the stem slightly deeper than it was before. It can then grow extra roots out of the buried stem, making the plant much stronger.
  6. 6After all frost has passed (late May), it can live outside in the sunniest, most sheltered spot you have.

Tip: Pinch out side shoots, feed weekly once fruit appears, and water at the base to split-proof the skins.

May

05

Peas

Sow
Outdoors, straight into the soil once frost has passed
Where
Sunny spot, well-drained soil, with support
Harvest
10–12 weeks

How to sow, step by step

  1. 1Choose a deep pot (at least 30cm) or a sunny, sheltered patch of soil.
  2. 2Push the pea seeds about 3cm deep and 5cm apart, roughly up to your first finger joint.
  3. 3Water well and keep the soil damp while they sprout, which takes 1–2 weeks.
  4. 4As soon as the seedlings are 10cm tall, push in twiggy sticks or a small net for them to climb.
  5. 5Protect young plants from pigeons and mice with netting if they start disappearing. Mice love to dig out freshly planted seeds so cover soil immediately.
  6. 6Pick the pods as soon as they fill out — regular picking means more pods.

Tip: Give them twiggy sticks to climb and pick the pods often — the plant crops far longer.

June

06

Chives

Sow
Outdoors in a pot or a sunny patch of soil
Where
Sun or light shade, any decent soil
Harvest
8–10 weeks, then cut and they regrow

How to sow, step by step

  1. 1Fill a pot with damp peat-free compost, or rake a patch of soil level in a sunny or partly shady spot.
  2. 2Scatter the seeds thinly over the surface, or sow them in a shallow line about 1cm deep.
  3. 3Cover with a thin dusting of compost and press the soil down gently.
  4. 4Water carefully and keep the soil damp — chive seeds can take 2–3 weeks to sprout, so don't worry if nothing shows for a while.
  5. 5Once the leaves are about 10cm tall, thin them to clumps roughly 15cm apart.
  6. 6Snip what you need with scissors, about 5cm above the soil. The plant will grow straight back and come again every spring.

Tip: Chives come back year after year. Snip them with scissors about 5cm above the soil and the plant keeps making more.

July

07

Mint

Sow
Indoors in a pot, or root a cutting in a glass of water
Where
Bright, cool windowsill
Harvest
4–6 weeks

How to sow, step by step

  1. 1Fill a pot with damp peat-free compost. Always give mint its own pot, as it spreads like wildfire.
  2. 2Scatter the seeds on the surface and cover with the thinnest layer of compost. They need light to sprout.
  3. 3Water gently and cover with a clear bag to hold in moisture - this acts like a mini-greenhouse keeping the humidity high.
  4. 4Keep on a bright windowsill; seeds sprout in 1–2 weeks.
  5. 5Remove the cover once shoots appear and keep the compost damp.
  6. 6Start snipping leaves once the plant is 10cm tall. Regular trimming keeps it bushy and full of flavour.

Tip: Grow mint in its own pot. If it's planted in the ground it takes over the whole garden.

August

08

Lettuce

Sow
Outdoors, thinly in a shallow row
Where
Sun or light shade, rich moist soil
Harvest
4–6 weeks

How to sow, step by step

  1. 1Choose a pot at least 15cm deep or a patch of soil in sun or light shade.
  2. 2Make a shallow line about 1cm deep and sprinkle the seeds thinly along it.
  3. 3Cover with a little soil, press down gently and water well.
  4. 4Cover hoops with fine mesh and weigh the edges down completely, this blocks any pests like slugs.
  5. 5Seeds sprout in about a week; keep the soil damp, especially in warm weather.
  6. 6When seedlings are a few centimetres tall, thin them to about 15cm apart. The thinnings can be lovely in a sandwich.
  7. 7Start picking outer leaves after 4–6 weeks and the plant will keep producing more.

Tip: Pick the outer leaves and the heart keeps growing; water well in dry spells so it doesn't turn bitter.

September

09

Basil

Sow
Indoors, in a pot on a warm sill
Where
Bright, sunny windowsill (18–21°C)
Harvest
6–8 weeks

How to sow, step by step

  1. 1Fill a small pot (at least 10cm deep, with holes in the bottom) with damp peat-free compost, leaving a 2cm gap at the top.
  2. 2Sprinkle the seeds thinly over the surface and cover with about 0.5cm of compost.
  3. 3Water gently — a spray bottle or a watering can with a rose is best, so the seeds don't wash away.
  4. 4Cover the pot with a clear plastic bag or lid and put it somewhere warm and bright, like a sunny windowsill.
  5. 5Seeds should sprout in 5–10 days. Take the cover off as soon as you see green shoots.
  6. 6When seedlings are about 5cm tall, snip out the weakest ones so the strongest have room to grow.
  7. 7After sprouting, basil needs at least 6 hours of direct sun a day. Water at the base of the stem into the soil, not over the leaves, which can bring on mildew.

Tip: Pinch the tops out to keep it bushy, and never let basil sit in cold water.

October

10

Thyme

Sow
Indoors in pots, or plant young plants outside
Where
Full sun, light well-drained soil
Harvest
10–12 weeks

How to sow, step by step

  1. 1Fill a small pot with damp compost mixed with a handful of grit or sand — thyme likes sharp drainage.
  2. 2Scatter the tiny seeds on the surface and press them in gently; don't bury them, as they need light to sprout.
  3. 3Water with a fine spray and cover with a clear bag.
  4. 4Keep on a bright windowsill; seeds can take 2–3 weeks to sprout, so be patient.
  5. 5Remove the cover once shoots appear and water sparingly. Thyme would rather be too dry than too wet.
  6. 6Once the plant is bushy, move it outside to a sunny spot or a terracotta pot (if you have one), where it will live happily for years.

Tip: Cut thyme from the leafy tips, never the woody stems, and it will keep coming back all summer.

November

11

Pak Choi

Sow
Outdoors, thinly in a watered row
Where
Sun or light shade, rich moist soil
Harvest
6–8 weeks

How to sow, step by step

  1. 1Choose a pot at least 20cm deep or a patch of rich soil, and water it well before sowing.
  2. 2Make a shallow line about 1cm deep and sprinkle the seeds thinly along it.
  3. 3Cover with soil and firm down gently.
  4. 4Seeds sprout in about a week; keep the soil constantly damp! Pak choi bolts (flowers early) if it dries out.
  5. 5Thin the seedlings to about 15cm apart once they're a few centimetres tall.
  6. 6Harvest the whole head after 6–8 weeks, or pick outer leaves and let the centre keep growing.

Tip: Cover the plants with netting as pigeons and caterpillars find pak choi before you do! Wait until last week of August to sow to avoid any British heat waves and water in the morning so the soil stays damp throughout the afternoon heat.

December

12

Watercress

Sow
Indoors in a pot, kept very wet
Where
Bright, cool windowsill; never let it dry out
Harvest
6–8 weeks

How to sow, step by step

  1. 1Fill a pot with damp peat-free compost and sit it in a deeper tray or saucer — watercress wants soil that is always wet.
  2. 2Scatter the tiny seeds on the surface and barely cover them with compost; they need light to sprout.
  3. 3Mist the surface with a spray bottle so the seeds don't wash away, then cover the pot with a clear bag.
  4. 4Keep on a bright, cool windowsill. Seeds sprout in 7–14 days; take the bag off as soon as you see green.
  5. 5Keep the tray topped up with water so the compost never dries out — this is the one plant that likes to be soggy.
  6. 6When the leaves are about 10cm tall, thin the seedlings to about 5cm apart.
  7. 7Snip the tops once the plant is bushy; it keeps making leaves for months if you keep picking it.

Tip: Watercress loves water. Stand the pot in a deeper tray with a little water in it and it will be happy — a dry pot is the only way to lose it.