ENJOY YOUR FREE SEEDS

We explain how to get the best from your free gifts of kale, carrot and lettuce seeds

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This kale, with its toothed leaves and pink midribs, doesn't just look good, it tastes great either raw or cooked and is packed with valuable nutrients and vitamins.

Sow in May and June in trays or outdoors in a seed bed for cropping from November onwards when you can pick individual leaves for cooking. Tender young leaves can be eaten raw in stir-fries and salads, too.

Kale will thrive in most soils and is tolerant of a little shade during the day.

DO✓

✔ Sow in trays in trays to avoid pests, or sow direct in short nursery rows and net over

✔ Prepare the ground well, ensuring it is weed free and had plenty of organic matter added prior to sowing

✔ When planting, firm the plants in well to prevent wind rock which could lead to root damage

✔ Cover plants outdoors for the life of the crop to protect from birds and insects

✔ Sow at any time indoors in pots and trays for harvesting as microgreens and baby leaf salad

✔ Stake plants on windy sites in winter and cover with fleece to protect from the worst of the weather and maintain the quality of the leaves

DON'T X

X Sow too thickly or wait too long before planting out to prevent plants becoming weak and spindly

X Don't forget to maintain defences against slugs and snails, especially when plants are young and in the autumn