How to sow your free tomato seeds

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Sow
Plant
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Your April subscriber edition comes with a free double-pack of seeds of basil 'Lettuce Leaf' and tomato variety 'Red Cherry'. This will produce heavy crops of small, sweet tomatoes that work a treat in summer salads.

More on growing tomatoes

Follow our comprehensive tomato Grow Guide and discover more gorgeous varieties to try, in our collection of March extras. Plus, find out how to prevent problems such as tomato blight and tomato splitting.

Six Months of Seeds - April extras

Grow great tomatoes by following our step-by-step video guide, below.

You Will Need

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

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

Place the tomato seeds on the compost. Use a skewer to move them into position, about 2cm apart and cover with 0.5cm 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

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

Step 5

Gently ease the seedling out of the pot, holding it gently by a leaf and avoiding touching the roots.

Step 6

Transplant each seedling into its own pot, slightly deeper than before. It will grow more roots from the stem and be more sturdy.

Step 7

Label the pot and water in gently, using a small watering can with a rose attachment. Don't let the compost dry out, keeping it just moist. When the roots reach the edges of the pot, pot on.

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