Free flower seeds 2024 – March

March growing with Cel Robertson

Hello again! I’m Cel Robertson – a cut flower grower from North Norfolk, and I’m growing the cut flower varieties from this year’s Free Seeds campaign. I love this time of the year; with my seed trays washed, compost sieved and seed packets at the ready, I’m eager to tear those packets open and get sowing! My daily check of the seed trays to see what has germinated is never a chore, and the delight I feel when I see tiny seed leaves pushing up through the compost hasn’t diminished, despite the number of years I’ve been gardening!

March is the month when gardeners start sowing seeds in earnest. I have to remind myself not to get too carried away though, especially early in the month, as the weather can still be unpredictable, with freezing temperatures possible. Sometimes waiting just a week or so will give you better germination results, if the temperature is forecast to drop.

• Click here for details of which seeds you can look forward to receiving when.
• Get growing advice now, for all 12 packs of free seeds.

This month’s free seeds are Xerochrysum ‘Double Mixed’, commonly known as strawflower. The flowers have stunning papery petals and make lovely cut flowers both fresh and dried, as well as being brilliantly colourful additions to the garden border. You’ll be doing your bit for wildlife too as bees love them! Strawflowers are native to Australia, so they prefer a fertile, but free-draining soil in full sun – they grow really well on my sandy-loam soil in Norfolk.

• Find out more about growing and caring for strawflowers

I’ll be sowing my seeds in module trays in my polytunnel towards the end of the month. I fill the tray with sieved compost then tap