How to sow your free basil seeds

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Sow
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Your April subscriber edition comes with a free double-pack of seeds of tomato variety 'Red Cherry' and an unusual basil called 'Lettuce Leaf'. This has the largest leaves of any basil, with frilly margins and the richly aromatic leaves have a sweet flavour.

More on growing basil

You'll find all you need to know about growing on your basil seedlings in our detailed Grow Guide. Also, browse our recommendations for other great basil varieties to try and follow our step-by-step projects that use basil and other culinary herbs.

Six Months of Seeds - April extras

Follow our step-by-step video guide to sowing your free basil seeds, below.

You Will Need

Basil seeds
Multi-purpose compost
Pencil or dibber
Plant label
Watering can with rose attachment

Step 1

Pour multi-purpose compost into a small pot. Gently tamp it level to about 1cm below the rim to leave room for watering.

Step 2

Scatter the seeds onto the surface, spacing them as evenly as possible and cover them lightly with more compost.

Step 3

Water using a small watering can with a rose, so the seeds are not dislodged. Place in a warm spot and keep the compost just moist.

Step 4

Pricking out: Gather your seedlings, some slightly larger pots, fresh multi-purpose compost and a dibber. Fill your new pots with compost.

Step 5

Holding a seedling by a leaf, use the dibber to lever it out of the compost, bringing all of the roots with it and move into the new pot.

Step 6

Make a new hole for each seedling in the new pot, several centimetres apart, then lower in the seedlings.

Step 7

Water the seedlings using a small watering can with a rose attachment.

Coming up - more free seeds

May: Cosmos and carrot

May: Cosmos and Carrot - Six Months of Seeds — May: Cosmos and carrot - Six Months of Seeds

A couple of classics in this double pack worth £5

Cosmos 'Purity' - this much-loved favourite will give you a dazzling display of large white flowers right through summer. Also great for cut flowers
Carrot 'Royal Chantenay 3' - sow direct in the ground, or in containers. Kids will love growing and eating this fast-growing variety and the small, sweet roots are delicious cooked whole

June: Zinnia and cornflower

June: Zinnia and Cornflower - Six Months of Seeds

Get speedy results with this colourful couple, worth £4.80

Zinnia 'Early Wonder' – large dahlia-like blooms in a mix of showy, vibrant colours
Cornflower 'Blue Ball' - easy to grow, with masses of bee-friendly blooms, cornflowers are the perfect cottage garden flower