Gardening in April (Zone 5)

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Gardening in April can be a lot easier when beginning your gardening journey for the first time. All you really need to do is start getting seeds into the ground and begin the fun season of fresh food. Although, if you have a space and light to start seedling indoors, you can get a major head start in the growing season.

I like to have indoor and outdoor seeds started as soon as January. By the time I start gardening in April, I already have over 200 seedlings ready to be planted outside. I haven't always started seeds indoors. In fact, I love to winter sow many seeds. Winter sowing is basically using milk jugs to make mini greenhouses and leaving them outside for nature to do all the sowing. This helps the seeds germinate when they are ready and helps the plants be stronger and used to the outdoor conditions.

Another way to start seedlings, besides directly sowing in the ground, is under a grow light or very bright window. I have a 4 tier shelf with 4 to 6 grow lights and many seed starting trays under each light. I like to start certain plants indoors to get a head start while the outdoor seeds take longer to germinate. This helps with succession planting, providing a continuous harvest season. Gardening in April is the first step to really start growing fresh produce.

For more information on how to start seeds, visit my seed starting guide.

I like to grow herbs, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, and peppers indoors. Then when they have a few true leaves, plant them outdoors in the garden. Look out for the last frost date and keep transplants in the warm season family covered to prevent damage. Most of these seeds started in April will be going outside at the end of April to the end of May.

• Dill
• Chives
• Basil
• Parsley
• Cilantro
• Sage
• Thyme
• Lettuce
• Spinach
• Egg plant
• Tomatoes
• Peppers
• Cucumbers
• Summer squash
• Winter squash
• Melons

It is not too late to start these flowers indoors. Some take longer to grow but can still be transplanted outside after the last frost date and well into summer. If you ran out of space or time in March, go ahead and start some flowers to add to your garden or around the house. I like that the bee balm, black eyed Susan, hollyhock, columbine, daises, phlox and Echinacea can come back the following year. I have many beautiful flowers all over to help pollinators come visit the garden. It is also fun to see hummingbirds buzzing around.

• Daises
• Foxglove
• Phlox
• Echinacea
• Hollyhock
• Beebalm
• Black Eyed Susan
• Calendula
• Anise Hyssop
• Columbine
• Snap Dragon
• Petunia
• Impatiens
• Pansies
• Marigold

I like to winter sow broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, peas, spinach, tomatoes and some flowers. Although it is almost too late to start most of those in mini green houses in April. I will start tomatoes and some flowers.

• Tomatoes
• Basil
• Parsley
• Cosmos
• Impatiens
• Marigolds
• Zinnia

I like to direct sow many things as soon as the soil can be worked. Things that I don't mind coming up with different germinations or simply don't like to be transplanted. Some flowers and herbs, carrots, leeks, bunching onions, peas, turnips and Swiss chard. These are cool season crops that can handle the cold or frost or even some snow.

• Beets
• Bok Choy
• Carrots
• Turnips
• Radish
• Parsnips
• Lettuce
• Kale
• Swiss chard
• Onions
• Leeks
• Peas
• Fava beans
• Dill
• Chives
• Cilantro
• Fennel

When starting some seeds indoors weeks ahead of time, I will be able to transplant seedling in April. Even some of the winter sown plants might be ready to go into the garden, I can transplant broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, peas, spinach, lettuce, onions and some herbs.

• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Cabbage
• Peas
• Spinach
• Lettuce
• Onions
• Cilantro
• Dills
• Chives
• Fennel

One thing to consider, allow the plants to become accustomed to the outdoors before putting them in the ground. I like to take the seedling trays outside and let the sun shine on them on nice days. The wind, sun and temperature helps get them ready for the garden. Sometimes when the seedlings go from nice warm indoor lights and air to outdoor light, wind, and cool air, the plant gets too stressed out and may die or have long-term damage.