Originating from Central and South America, sweet potatoes are large, starchy, sweet-tasting tubers packed with goodness. High in fibre, vitamins and minerals yet low in calories, the sweet potato is an unsung superfood that will happily thrive in the UK climate.  Here, experienced allotment grower Lee Senior generously shares practical tips to help you grow these attractive, nutrient-rich vegetables at home. Browse our full range of sweet potatoes if you’re tempted to have a go. What is a sweet potato?  Unlike regular potatoes that belong to the nightshade family, sweet potato plant ..read more

Plants are like people, they prefer good company, and companion planting is simply about growing the right plants beside one another so that each benefits from its neighbour. We asked experienced allotment grower, Lee Senior, for his top tips on what to grow with your vegetable plants to keep pests at bay. Here’s his expert advice. This article was reviewed by the Suttons horticultural team and updated on 2 April 2024. How does companion planting work? Companion planting works in several ways: Masking: Pests like carrot fly rely on smell to find their host plant. Some companion plants help to ..read more

To help you grow your own potatoes, we’ve assembled some of the best expert tips while busting some of the myths that make potato growing sound complicated. Potatoes are one of the easiest, most economical and most bountiful crops that any gardener can grow, whether you have a tiny balcony or the luxury of a large allotment. Here’s your ultimate guide – from choosing the best seed potatoes through to harvesting and storing your spuds. This article was reviewed by the Suttons horticultural team and updated on 21 December 2023. Contents Best advice on chitting potatoes Best advice on how to pla ..read more

Expensive to buy but a cinch to grow, courgettes are one of the most rewarding crops. Whether sowing courgette seed or buying courgette plants, there’s a wide range of sizes and habits suited to every growing space – from compact varieties for patio containers to trailing types for large plots. With an array of funky colours and shapes to choose from, they also make a fun growing project for children.  This fast-growing vegetable easily produces impressive harvests and offers an abundance of tasty recipes for the whole family. Here’s everything you need to know about growing your own cour ..read more

Carrots aren’t the easiest crop to grow, but with a few tips from these carefully chosen garden bloggers, YouTubers and Instagram growers, you’re sure to have a successful harvest. One of the most versatile vegetables in the garden, carrots are equally delicious raw in summer salads or slow-cooked in winter stews. If you’ve struggled to get your seeds to germinate or keep your crop free of carrot fly, you’ve come to the right place! Browse our full range of carrot seeds for inspiration. Contents: Best advice on preparing the soil for carrots Best advice on sowing and germinating carrot seeds ..read more

Picking fresh, homegrown herbs for your kitchen is a great way to save money and elevate the flavour of your food. Expensive to buy in a supermarket, many popular varieties are cheap and easy to grow from seeds or small plug plants. While you may have a ready supply through the summer months, tender herbs don’t always fare well in the winter. Here’s how to preserve and store your fresh herbs for all year round use… Want to grow more of your own money-saving crops? Browse our wide range of culinary herb plants now. What are the best ways to preserve fresh herbs? Depending on which herbs you gro ..read more

Highly nutritious, fast-growing and hugely varied, microgreens are a fantastic choice if you’re looking for a quick and easy way to grow salad at home. You don’t even need a garden to grow these tiny crops. They flourish on a sunny windowsill and provide you and your family with fresh, homegrown greens throughout the year. To get you off to a flying start, we asked our favourite gardening bloggers to share their top tips. Here’s how to grow delicious microgreens.  Browse our full range of windowsill crops for more inspiration. Contents: Why grow microgreens and sprouting seeds? Best advi ..read more

Here at Suttons, we’re lucky to own an archive of historical horticultural texts which provides fascinating insights into the history of many of our modern fruits and vegetables. One of our favourite books is the 1831 edition of The Companion For The Vegetable Garden, by Henry Phillips. Full of interesting info on what the folk of yesteryear thought about their food crops, we thought we’d dig into the past to bring you a selection of some of the best veggie facts from bygone times.  Browse our full range of vegetable seeds for your favourite heritage varieties and exciting new cultivars ..read more

Growing your own sweetcorn is a bit of a revelation, as freshly harvested cobs taste infinitely better than anything you can buy in a shop. That’s because the sugars begin to turn to starch as soon as the cobs are picked, so the fresher the better! Whether you plunge yours directly into a pan of boiling water, throw it onto a hot barbecue, or eat it raw, there’s nothing quite like the flavour of this sensational veg picked straight from the plant.  Browse our full range of sweetcorn seeds to see all the different varieties you can grow. How to sow, plant and harvest sweetcorn The sweetcor ..read more

Container gardening is a quick and easy way to grow plants and flowers, but it’s also a great option for growing fruit, vegetables and herbs. You can even grow trees if you have large enough pots! Ideal for courtyards, balconies, rental properties and gardens without soil, containers are easy to move around and allow you to overwinter tender plants more easily. Whether you want to add a few colourful pots to your patio or create an entire garden in containers, we’ve got you covered.  Browse our full range of planters, pots and containers for ideas. What type of garden container should you ..read more