Growing Guides

It is easy when you know how to grow your own vegetables or plant flowers or prepare your fruit for a bumper harvest, our Suttons Seeds collection of handy growing guides will make life simpler and give you a wealth of handy hints and detailing planting instructions.

Please also refer to the individual product pages where specific growing instructions are indicated within the "Growing Instructions" tab.

• General Guides
• Vegetable Guides
• Fruit Guides
• Flower Guides

General Guides

Sowing Seeds

Success With Your Seeds

We want you to have the best possible success with your seeds which is why they have to pass the most stringent tests in our laboratory and at our trial grounds. In addition to checking germination levels, we also look at seed purity and trueness to type by growing plants on to maturity.... find out more

Sowing Charts

Suttons Sowing Charts

This helpful chart will provide you with a quick reference for knowing the optimum time to sow and then harvest your flowers, fruit and vegetables. Sorted alphabetically for ease of use and colour coded... find out more

Plant Sizes

A Handy Guide to Our Plant Sizes and Simple Growng Instructions

A guide to our plant sizes detailing the Miniplants, Easyplants, Garden Ready Plants, Pot Ready Plants, Perennial Pot Ready Plants we sell. To achieve that stunning summer long display, please ensure that you regularly check your plants to ensure that they have adequate water, and feed regularly. When planting containers, mix a slow release plant food such as... find out more

Order Form

Suttons Order Form

Want to place an order by post? then download this A4 order form for you to print and fill out at your leisure... find out more

Garden Ready Plug

Garden Ready Plug plants - Growing instructions

As soon as your plants arrive please carefully unpack them and check that the compost is moist. Should the compost be slightly dry then water carefully using a small watering can and allow to drain.
Stand the plants in a light, warm place. Provided they are kept moist they will happy like this for up to 3 days whilst you decide where to plant them.
For planting directly into the garden, ensure that the soil has been dug over and lumps broken down, then plant straight into their flowering position. In areas where the existing soil is poor, incorporate a good handful of compost into each area you are planting. Once planted don't forget to give your plants a drink and protect them from any slugs and snails that may appear.To achieve that stunning display, please make sure that you regularly check your plants to ensure that they have adequate water, and feed regularly.
When planting containers, mix a slow release plant food into the compost. They will then need less attention throughout the winter.
Watering below the foliage canopy of the plants will reduce marking and damage to the flowers. Removing the dead and damaged flower heads will not only Improve the appearance of the plants, but will also prevent the plant putting energy into seed production and ensure that more plants are produced.We hope that the plants will give you much pleasure and be a delightful addition to your garden.

Spring General Plant Growing Guide

Spring General Plant Growing Guide

A general guide for spring planting plants, featuring the different plug plant sizes available... find out more

Autumn General Plant Growing Guide

Autumn General Plant Growing Guide

A general guide for Autumn planting plants and bulbs featuring the different plug plant sizes available... find out more

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Vegetable Guides

Vegetable Growing

Beginner's Guide to Vegetable Growing

You might be surprised to know but you really don't need a big garden to start growing your own vegetables; any space will do as long as it's a sunny open spot. If you have a garden or allotment, be it big or small, you can make a dedicated vegetable patch. Alternatively, you can grow within a mixed bed with flowers, in pots on the patio, in outdoor window boxes and even your kitchen windowsill will provide you with a lovely crop of herbs, tomatoes and peppers. If you are short of space then use large pots and containers. Tomatoes can b ...... find out more

Veg Planner

Suttons Veg Planner

At-a-glance guide to sowing and harvesting times for most popular vegetables.This chart covers 18 months so it shows the harvest period for the following year. Firstly decide on the vegetables you enjoy, giving consideration to the amount of space available. Aim to produce vegetables all the year round without shortages or gluts. The area chosen should be divided into three equal sections. Year 1 Section 1 - Dig in well rotted manure or garden compost in the autumn or early winter. In the first year grow Beans, Leek, Lettuce...... find out more

Patio Fruit & Veg

Patio Fruit & Vegetable Guide

All you need to know for success every time, Getting Started - Easy raised beds.
It couldn't be simpler these days to create raised beds even in a fully paved or concreted area. A raised bed kit comprising rigid plastic sides and plastic liner is a cheap way to add extra growing room to your garden. Even cheaper would be to create it out of old scaffolding or floor boards with a plastic liner... find out more

Pot Ready Veg

Pot Ready Vegetable Plants Growing Instructions

Your young plants have been grown under ideal conditions and they will develop best if these directions are followed closely.
On Arrival
Remove the plants from the box as soon as they arrive and check that the compost block is adequately moist, watering if necessary with tepid water. Leave them on a shaded windowsill or in a greenhouse for a few hours... find out more

Asparagus

Asparagus Growing Instructions

Important: Unpack straight away and, if planting cannot follow immediately, place the crowns in a box or seed tray, surround the roots with moist peat. Keep somewhere cool and light.
Initial Preparation
A well managed Asparagus bed should remain productive for up to 20 years or longer and, therefore, it pays to prepare the ground well before planting. Choose an open, sunny situation but avoid very exposed... find out more

Grafted Aubergine

Grafted Aubergine Plant Growing Guide

Suttons F1 Scorpio Grafted Aubergine Plant is a vigorous plant that will produce glossy black aubergines up to two months earlier than non-grafted varieties. Not only do they start producing fruit earlier, but also for a much longer period giving you a bumper crop of tasty aubergines that are delicious in a huge range of recipes...... find out more

Grafted Peppers and Chilli

Grafted Peppers and Chilli Growing Guide

Over the last year Suttons UK Nursery team has been busy developing our grafting technique to ensure these exceptional pepper and chili plants continue to be the most vigorous and hardy plants that will provide you with plenty of tasty vegetables throughout the summer... find out more

Grafted Tomato Plants

Grafted Tomato Plants Growing Guide

With an improved grafting technique used on all tomato plants to produce even more fruit, earlier and over a longer period you will benefit from at least 6-8 trusses per single plants, 75% more fruit than ordinary tomato plants... find out more

Sweet Potato

Sweet Potato Growing Guide

Traditionally Sweet Potato plants are grown from ‘slips’ - this is where actual tubers are cut into large sections and partially immersed in water and left to spout leaves which are then separated and left to root. Suttons Seeds have now developed a new propagation technique that involves growing the plants from ‘cuttings... find out more

Popular Veg Growing Guide

Popular Vegetable Plants Growing Guide

As with all vegetable plants it is easy to plant and grow when you know how, this handy guide will give you all you need to know to grow Brassicas, Lettuce, Runner Beans and Climbing French Beans, Dwarf French Beans, Beetroot, Celery, Celeriac, Courgettes, Leeks, Sweet corn, Leaf Beet and peas from plants... find out more

Outdoor Salad Growing Instructions

Outdoor Salad Growing Instructions

Your young plants have been grown under ideal conditions and they will develop best, this handy guide will give you all you need to know to grow lettuce, Cucumber, Tomatoes and more... find out more

Patio Veg

Patio Veg Plants Kits

If you have ordered the Patio Veg Kits, then please view the growing instructions find out more

Easy veg growing

Easy to Grow Growing Instructions

As with all vegetable plants it is easy to plant and grow when you know how, this handy guide will give you all you need to know to grow Artichokes, Broad Beans, Dwarf french beads, Runner beans and more from plants... find out more

Brassica Veg Growing Guide

Brassica Veg Growing Guide

A no nonensense, easy to follow guide to planting and growing Brassicass find out more

Veg Collection Planner

Veg Collection Planner

If you have bought one of our veg collections, then you can adapt this planner to layout and grow your plants in the most efficient way... find out more

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Fruit Guides

Patio Fruit & Veg

Patio Fruit & Vegetable Guide

All you need to know for success every time, Getting Started - Easy raised beds.
It couldn't be simpler these days to create raised beds even in a fully paved or concreted area. A raised bed kit comprising rigid plastic sides and plastic liner is a cheap way to add extra growing room to your garden. Even cheaper would be to create it out of old scaffolding or floor boards with a plastic liner... find out more

Soft Fruit

Soft Fruit Growing Guide

A simple but effective guide to planting soft fruit including Blackcurrants, Redcurrants, Whitecurrants and Gooseberries giving you everything you need to successfully grow on and enjoy a bountiful harvest... find out more

Citrus plants

Citrus Plant Growing Guide

A simple guide to anyone wanting to successfully grow on their citrus plants covering both the care of the plant, fruiting and pruning techniques... find out more

Grow Grapes

Grape Growing Guide

There is nothing like picking your own grapes fresh from the vine, combined with making wine and other fruity beverages. Our growing guide will give you all you need to grow your vines successfully... find out more

Strawberries

Module Strawberries Growing Guide

These strawberries are module plants grown on from last Autumn and flowering buds are already forming.Select an area in your garden, that should be sunny and with good drainage. Remove all perennial weeds and we recommend that you plant thro... find out more

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Flower Guides

Cut Flowers

Guide to Growing Your Own Cut Flowers

Growing your own cut flowers provides a creative opportunity to grow just what you want, and avoid the uninspiring and garish choices that are often found in the supermarkets, where they may have travelled miles (often globally) to reach the shelves.... read the full guide & view the wall chart here

Climbing Plants

Climbing Plants Growing Guide

A no nonsense straight forward guide to growing your Clematis, Honeysuckle Passiflora and Jasmin... find out more

Gerbera

Gerbera Growing Guide

Gerbera are exotic-looking daisy like flowers, available in a wide variety of colours they make stunning cut flowers and with our simple guide to growing these successfully, you will enjoy stunning blooms in your garden and on your mantelpiece... find out more

Lofos

Lofos Growing Guide

The latin name for Lofos is Lophospermum erubescens but may be found listed as Asarinia erubescens or Maurandya erubescens in some gardening books. It originates from mountainous areas of Mexico where it grows at an altitude of around 2,000 metres. Lophospermum is a tender perennial... find out more

Senetti

Senetti Growing Guide

For an early splash of colour in the garden, Senetti plants are a great addition to the garden, these beautiful flowers from April right up to early frosts. our simple no nonse guide to planting and growing these plants is a must... find out more

Streptocarpus

Streptocarpus Growing Guide

Understanding the natural conditions of your Streptocarpus plants will assist you in providing the best conditions for them to thrive in. Remember, in the wild they will thrive on partially wooded mountainsides so they do not require full sunshine, but a light position, without too much sun as this will... find out more

Perennial and Annuals

General Perennial and Annual Plant Growing Guide

A general guide to planting both annuals and perennial plants when you receive them, features straight forward instructions for maximum effect... find out more

Stevia plant

Stevia Growing Guide

Your Stevia plant will thrive on both the windowsill and outside if grown in pots. When you receive your plants remove the plants from the packaging immediately, check the compost is moist and water if necessary with tepid water. Leave them on a shaded windowsill or in shade in the greenhouse for a few hours and then plant as soon as possible. Pot the plants up initially into a 9/10cm pot using a standard potting compost, then water in lightly.
Stevia is quick and easy to grow.Keep the compost moist but be careful not to over water. Transfer the plants to larger individual pots of approximately 12/13cm (5") once the roots have filled the bottom of the pot and allow the plants to continue to grow When the plants are approximately 10cm (4") high, pinch out the growing tips to encourage bushy growth. Remember to feed weekly 2–3 weeks after potting.

Potted Alpines

Perennial Alpine Growing Guide

Clear and comprehensive guide to growing alpines, details both container and planting directly into the ground plus specific instructions for the most popular alpine varieties we stock... find out more

Union Jack

Union Jack Growing Guide

Want to grow your own flag, then use this guide to plan out and grow... find out more

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