Win Suttons Vegetable Seeds – April Sowing Bundle

This competition has now closed but thank you to all those who took part. All the winners have been drawn & contacted. Congratulations to our 5 winners who each won a fantastic bundle of vegetable seeds from the selection below.

While you wait for our next competition, be sure to check out our gorgeous range of veg seeds below – perfect for direct sowing in April. No greenhouses, propagators & hardening off required!

Carrot seeds – F1 Purple Haze

Growing your own carrots from seed is easier than you might think, and allows you to try unusual and delicious varieties that aren’t available in supermarkets. ‘Purple Haze’ combines great taste, fantastic colour and a vigorous growth habit. 

Sow your Carrot ‘Purple Haze’ seeds directly into deep, loose, well prepared soil. Not only is direct sowing easier, carrots prefer not to be transplanted so this is the best method. Using a draw hoe or trowel, scratch a very shallow drill about ¼” (1/2cm) deep. Sow the tiny seeds as thinly as you can, aiming for about 2cm/1” between them. Lightly cover with soil and water gently with a fine rose. If you keep the seeds moist, they should germinate in a few weeks and be ready to harvest 12 – 20 weeks later. 

Broad bean seeds – Statissa

Broad bean ‘Statissa’ is an innovative, new, dual-use bean that can be eaten whole (like a mangetout), or removed from the pod like a regular broad bean. Harvest while still young to eat the entire thing, or allow the pods to mature further if you want to enjoy the beans on their own. With a delicious flavour, this versatile crop makes good use of limited space. 

To grow, simply direct sow your broad bean ‘Statissa’ seeds into 5cm deep holes approximately 20cm apart. If you have space for a double row, leave 25cm between the two drills and stagger the seeds in a zigzag pattern. It should take 7-21 days for them to germinate and spring-sown seeds will be ready to harvest in June.

Swiss chard seeds – Peppermint

A new and exciting variety, Swiss chard ‘Peppermint’ is an ornamental vegetable that looks just as good in the flower border as the veg patch. Edible stalks that graduate from flamingo pink to white are topped by gloriously deep green leaves that can be used like spinach or cabbage. 

Thinly sow your Swiss Chard ‘Peppermint’ seeds direct into finely raked, moist, warm soil at a depth of 13mm in rows 30cm apart. Germination takes 7-14 days and your crop will be ready to harvest from July through to October. 

Kale seeds – Frost Byte F1

Another highly ornamental edible, the new Kale ‘Frost Byte F1’ looks perfectly at home in flower borders or vegetable beds. With attractive ruffled green leaves that contrast with bright white centres as they mature, this nutritious superfood has a delightfully sweet flavour from leaf to stalk. 

Direct sow your Kale ‘Frost Byte F1’ seeds into a finely raked seedbed from April to June ready for transplanting. Seeds should be 1cm deep. Transplant the seedlings into their permanent beds in summer. Allow 50cm between plants for an overwintering crop or 15-20cm for mini kales. deal for a cut and come again harvest, pick leaves from the bottom up to prolong the cropping period. 

Beetroot seeds – Boltardy

Beetroot ‘Boltardy’ holds an RHS Award of Garden Merit and produces exhibition-winning deep red veg. Suitable for freezing, you can’t grow too many of these potassium-rich, immune system boosting vegetables. And nothing goes to waste as the tops of the young roots can be twisted off and used like spinach. 

April is the perfect time to sow your beetroot ‘Boltardy’ seeds directly where you want them to grow. Thin the seedlings to roughly 10cm apart as they begin to mature. If you want another crop in autumn, sow another batch of seeds in late summer. 

Sweet corn seeds – F1 Swift

The supersweet variety ‘F1 Swift’ is an early maturing, extra tender sweet corn that can be eaten raw or cooked. Holding an RHS Award of Garden Merit, it has a dwarf habit and improved performance in cold soils. 

Suitable for direct sowing, the soil needs to be warm and moist enough to ensure good germination. If in doubt, wait until May to sow your sweetcorn ‘F1 Swift’ seeds and cover with a cloche. Your cobs will be ready to harvest in 14-16 weeks. 

All of these vegetable seeds can be direct sown through April and May. Not sure when to start things off? Visit our When To Sow Vegetable Seeds page for a quick, month-by-month guide.

Last Updated on November 8, 2024 by Suttons Horticultural Team