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.Photo 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.