What to Sow in May

Chicory Variegata di Castelfranco is an ancient Heritage variety developed in the 18th century in the Castelfranco region of Northern Italy. One of the best for eating quality. A very decorative variety that produces attractive, rosette-shaped heads with an appearance is best described as a large, tie-dyed cricket ball, leaves are speckled...

Radish Watermelon is a Chinese heritage Radish with a surprise...the lovely smooth white globes are cut open to reveal bright pink centres - no surprise they are also known as "Beauty in the Heart". The flavour is milder than other radishes - sweeter, less spicy. Thin slices look really amazing...

Swiss Chard Fordhook Giant has gorgeous dark savoy green leaves with vibrant ivory stalks & veins that brighten up your veg patch, your dinner plate & maybe your flower beds too! Despite its size, it is a very easy to grow vegetable. The flavoursome leaves are thick and tender, making...

  Chicory Pain de Sucre, also known as Sugarloaf,  is a large, leafy variety of chicory which resembles a cos lettuce. It is a good alternative for late-season salads but it will only stand mild frosts. As the name suggests it has a sweeter taste than most chicories which tend to...

The flowers in the Bees & Butterfly Wildflower Meadow seed mix will help you create a flower-rich meadow with a particular emphasis on species that are known to be important as sources of nectar for bees, butterflies and other insects. If you ever wondered what beekeepers sow to attract the...

Phacelia Tanacetifolia is a quick growing hardy annual green manure that germinates at low temperatures and is ideal for sowing from March until September. It will grow up to 1m in height and is tolerant of cold temperatures and may over-winter if it's not too cold. It suits most soil...

Kale Black Tuscany, also known as Cavolo Nero, is a great easy-care veg that is packed full of vitamins. It has a long harvest period from the summer through the winter (it is hardy to -15C) to early spring when it will bolt and flower. The flowers can be eaten...

Runner Bean White Lady is an outstanding white-flowered bean producing the most tender, thick, and succulent pods that you will ever taste. The delicious long, mid-green beans of Runner Bean White Lady are stringless with a wonderfully smooth texture. Runner Bean White Lady produces white flowers that are not so attractive...

Spring/Salad Onion White Lisbon is an excellent salad onion that is relatively low maintenance and not only suited to overwintering producing early crops but good for successional spring/summer cropping too (sow at 3 weekly intervals). Salad Onion White Lisbon is very quick growing and produces the classic bulb type salad...

Amaranth Red (also known as Calaloo, Rajgira, Lal Saag) have intense reddish leaves with cherry pink stems and has a slightly nutty flavour. It is very easy and quick to grow and can be eaten as a microgreen, babyleaf or up to mature leaf size. Interesting facts...Aztec tribes consumed Amaranth...

Peppermint has attractive, fragrant dark green serrated leaves and produces little mauve flowers. It has a strong flavour so use sparingly, great in puddings, chocolate mousse and tea infusions. It is best to remove the flowers as soon as they appear as they will reduce leaf production. Peppermint grows to...

Caliente Mustard 199 is an excellent green manure that has biofumigant properties. (Biofumigation is the suppression of soil-borne pests & diseases by the release of naturally occurring gases). By combining the lush organic matter with the plants biofumigant properties the activity of beneficial soil microbes is increased, so they can...

Red Clover is a fast growing perennial green manure. It is the best variety of clover for fixing nitrogen from the air, weed suppression & improving soil structure. Its roots penetrate deep into the soil and help to improve its structure by binding soils together (especially light ones) and this...

Crimson Clover Green Manure is a good choice for smothering weeds, fixing nitrogen from the air and is a fast-growing bulky green manure. It has deep roots that penetrate the soil and bulky furry foliage that once dug in helps to improve soil structure. It is not always winter hardy...

Parsley Plain Leaf Herb is also known as French Parsley and has serrated fine leaves that are generally regarded to have a slightly better flavour and texture than curly parsley. It is the one that the continentals grow and use and is the 'true Parsley variety'. Parsley is one of...

Pak Choi is an unusual all year round veg that is becoming ever more popular with its use in oriental stir-fries and salads, it has a mild cabbage flavour. Pak Choi Yuushou is a green leaved variety that is great for overwintering as well as for maincrop sowing. (Green stemmed...