Free veg seeds 2024 – February

Growing with Rachel

I’ve been growing fruit and vegetables for 15 years, detailing my successes and failures on social media, and I can’t wait to show you how versatile growing veg can be. We grow across our garden and allotment. Each month I’ll be sharing my experiences and advice, and basil is a great way to begin – it’ll grow happily started on your windowsill before moving to a pot on the kitchen table.

• 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.

Whether you’re new to growing food or have been doing it for years, I firmly believe herbs should be on everyone’s must-grow list. It’s such a joy to be able to pick herbs whenever you need them, and you can use them in so many different ways in the kitchen, from soups to quick pastas. Herbs often come packaged in plastic at the supermarket so growing your own is a good starting point if you’re gardening for sustainability, not to mention saving money.

Growing basil is no exception, and I’m thrilled to be growing it with Gardeners’ World magazine subscribers. It’s one of the easiest herbs you can grow from seed and is the perfect companion for fresh tomato salads and sauces in the summer. Plus homemade pesto is delicious and incredibly easy to make, ideal for an easy midweek supper.

• More on growing basil
• Advice on how to grow herbs

The first seed sowings of the year have an almost therapeutic quality to them. The greenhouse stands empty and full of potential, with space to move around before plants fill every corner later in the season. The compost is sieved, seed trays washed and tea freshly poured. We’re ready to go!

Of course, many hours