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on these as the only means of support. The shoots will branch out and produce spectacular flowers in midsummer.AdamTry planting other exotic summer-flowering plants, like eucomis, tiger flower and calla lilyMore on summer colourPlant summer-flowering bulbs in pots

You can never have enough lettuce in summer, but sowing directly into the soil takes up valuable space in the garden. Keep a regular supply growing by sowing seeds in lengths of plastic guttering: short, 1m lengths are convenient and easy to handle

Summer is the ideal time for taking cuttings, as plant cells divide quickly, promoting root growth. Propagating plants by cuttings is an easy and cheap way of replacing straggly, old plants. For best results, take cuttings first thing in the morning when the plants are less likel...

Saving seed from your garden plants is easy to do and will provide you with plenty to sow next season. Leave a few seedheads on your plants after they've finished flowering, removing the rest to conserve the plant's energy. Alternatively

. Sweet peas dislike root disturbance so grow them in cardboard tubes or coir pots. This will enable you to plant them out in their containers without damaging the roots.Sweet pea seedsSeed compostCardboard tubesJanuary - May20 minutesSow seeds

Tomatoes are easy to grow from seed and should germinate within two weeks. Compact cherry varieties can be grown in pots and hanging baskets, while larger, cordon types are more suited to being raised in the ground or in growing bags. Tomato seedsSeed

Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) is a woodland plant, much valued for its fragrant summer flowers. Its low, spreading habit also makes it ideal for growing as a ground cover plant. Convallaria thrives in a moist, shaded spot, and gradually spreads to form dense clumps of ...

Home-grown cucumbers are delicious, so it's well worth raising your own crop from seed. Cucumber seed needs warmth to germinate, and should be sown indoors during April or May.It's worth checking the seed packets before you buy and looking

Sowing cyclamen from seed is surprisingly easy, but it's not a job for the impatient gardener: grown this way it can take a year or more before you are rewarded with beautiful blooms. To produce indoor plants you need to use seeds of tender large

on growing salad leavesGrow salad leaves from seed - video project with Joe SwiftGrow tomatoes from seed - with advice from Joe SwiftSow salad in gutteringPlant out lettuces