No matter the growing region, April is a month that gives everyone that infectious spring garden energy

Your garden is (most likely) prepped, you’ve amended your soil, you have your seeds, and now you’re itching to get everything hardened off outside or planted in the ground—but wait! There still might be some risk of frost depending on your zone.

Zones 7 and 8 have a final frost date of mid-April, but that’s just an estimate. It’s always best to check the precise frost dates for your area even if you know what your growing zone is. Even then, watch for weather patterns and notice if this has been a colder than usual spring. If so, get some frost cover or polytunnels ready to cover your crops or wait until well after your predicted frost date to plant those tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and more. The worst thing would be to plant something that is a warm season crop and lose your hard work to lack of preparation. Row covers, sheets and mini greenhouses are your best friends for those finicky early spring or late fall weather days.

Note: Warm-season crops can be started indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost date, cool season crops can be started indoors 10 to 12 weeks before the last frost date (and outdoors 4 to 6 weeks before).

And don't be afraid of making mistakes—this is how we learn. Worst case, you’ll start over and still have an extremely successful gardening season. So let’s dig in and see what we can seed, transplant, and start this month.garden vegetablesPhoto by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

Onions and leeks

Zone 7-8+: Transplant outside late March or early April

Zone 5-6: Transplant early to mid-April

Zone 3-4: If you haven’t started them indoors in March, you still can in April

Peas

Zone 7-8+: Start outside late March or early April, or transplant early to mid-April

Zone 5-6: Transplant early to mid-April

Zone 3-4: Start indoors mid- to late April

Cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, kale, collards

Zone 7 +: Transplant outside early April

Zone 5-6: Transplant outside early to mid-April

Zone 3-4: Start seedlings indoors if you didn’t in March

Tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant

Zone 7+: Transplant after threat of frost has passed (mid- to late April)

Zone 5-6: Start seeds indoors early April

Zone 3-4: Start seeds indoors mid- to late April

Cucumbers, winter squash, and summer squash

Zone 7+: Transplant or direct seed after threat of frost has passed (mid- to late April)

Zone 5-6: Start seeds indoors mid- to late April

Zone 3-4: Not yet in these zones

Beets, turnips, radishes, carrots

Can seed up to 8 weeks before last frost, but warm the soil first

Zone 7+: Direct sow seeds anytime in April

Zone 5-6: Direct sow seeds anytime in April

Zone 3-4: Late April, depending on frost date

Celery

Zone 7+: Transplant mid April

Zone 5-6: Transplant end of April

Zone 3-4: Start seeds indoors if you haven’t already

Salads, spinach, arugula

Zone 7+: Direct seed or transplant early to mid-April

Zone 5-6: Direct seed or transplant mid- to end of April

Zone 3-4: Start seeds indoors

Corn and beans

Zone 7+: Direct seed or transplant after risk of frost (mid- to late April)

Zone 5-6: Direct seed or transplant end of April or wait until May

Zone 3-4: Start seeds indoors

Potatoes

Zone 7+: Direct seed early to mid-April

Zone 5-6: Direct seed mid- to late April

Zone 3-4: Not yet in these zones

Herbs

Zone 7+: Transplant cool tolerant herbs (parsley, cilantro) early to mid-April; but for warm crops (rosemary, oregano, basil), wait until threat of frost has passed

Zone 5-6: Transplant cool tolerant herbs late April or wait until May

Zone 3-4: Start shorter season herbs like basil, cilantro and parsley indoors

If you can think it, you can most likely seed it (indoors or outdoors) in April—depending on your growing zone, of course. Keep an eye on the weather forecast, be prepared with your covers and domes, and remember to enjoy the process of gardening. You’re doing yourself (and the planet) so much good by growing your own produce.