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Ensure a burst of spring colour by sowing polyanthus seeds in the previous summer. Watch Monty's video, including tips on compost and aftercare, to find out how.summerMore advice on primulasHow to rejuvinate primrosesBrowse primula varieties

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

Sarah Raven demonstrates the most effective method for picking tulips from the garden to ensure the best display indoors, without inhibiting next year's growth.MayMore advice on growing tulipsTreating tulip virusLayering bulbs in a pot

when the plants are less likely to wilt, and pot them up as soon as you can, keeping them out of strong sunlight.PinksCuttings compostGardeners' knifeSecateursSmall potsJune20 minutesSnip 10cm lengths from the tops of healthy, non-flowering shoots

cover-ups for sunny fences and trellises, but they make excellent pot plants for large containers.Annual climber seedGlass bowls for soaking seedSeed labels10cm potsLarger pots for potting onSeed-sowing compostHeated propagatorTwigs for supportspring30

planting (in September) but tulips are best left to a November planting.More container-planting ideasEucomis - video guide with Sarah RavenSummer-flowering bulbs in a pot, with Rachel de ThameDaffodils in a potWindow-box for spring colourView a variety

30 minutesCarefully remove the tiny bulbils growing from the leaf axils of the plant.Treat the bulbils as if they were large seeds. Plant several in a pot of multi-purpose compost, spacing them 2.5cm apart.Cover with a layer of compost and water using

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

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

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