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Cold Winter Areas — Zones 1–7a

April is the bridge between the indoor seed-starting season and the first real outdoor planting in cold-winter zones. As soon as soil is workable, focus on bed prep, clearing winter cover, and making space for early direct sowing of hardy spring crops — often with row cover or low tunnels to buffer cold nights. Indoors, keep starting and potting up seedlings, and begin hardening off the earliest transplants on mild days so they are ready to go out as soon as your local frost window allows.

Indoors (fresh harvests):

  • Microgreens: peas, broccoli, sunflowers, arugula
  • Sprouts: alfalfa, broccoli, radish, mung
  • Herbs & greens under lights: chives, parsley, mint

Crops to start indoors in good light: Lettuce, cauliflower, dill, marigold, eggplant, tomato, pepper, zinnia

Transplants to move outdoors (weather permitting — harden first): Onion, parsley, broccoli, cabbage, kohlrabi, arugula, pansy, bachelor's buttons

Crops that can be directly sown outdoors in April (assume intermittent frosts; a low tunnel or row cover makes most of these reliable): pak choi, cabbage, kale, mustard, fava bean, pea, turnip, parsnip, sweet pea

Cover crops: winter rye, fava bean, hairy vetch, red or white clover, and cover crop mixes.

Tip: This zone group covers a lot of territory. Nothing replaces talking with experienced gardeners in your area and, of course, watching the weather closely.

Use your USDA zone as a guide. Microclimates matter—coastal/urban spots run warmer; high elevation runs colder.

50 100 true //store.trueleafmarket.com/cdn/shop/t/54/assets/review-fallback.json?v=33078429469613971781712858278
Legend: H for Heirloom, O for Organic, A for AAS Winner, F for staff favorites
13 Items
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Broccoli Seeds - Green Sprouting Calabresesmall size packet type seed packaging for - Broccoli Green Sprouting Calabrese
-0
Heirloom
Broccoli Seeds - Green Sprouting Calabrese
Starting at $2.99
Cauliflower Seeds - All Year Roundmid size pouch type seed packaging for - Cauliflower All Year Round
-0
Heirloom
Cauliflower Seeds - All Year Round
Starting at $3.29
Sweet Pea Seeds - Royal Family Mixturemid size pouch type seed packaging for - Sweet Pea Royal Family Mixture
-0
Sweet Pea Seeds - Royal Family Mixture
Starting at $3.89
Sweet Pea Seeds - Knee High Mixturemid size pouch type seed packaging for - Sweet Pea Knee High Mixture
-0
Sweet Pea Seeds - Knee High Mixture
Starting at $3.59
Cauliflower Seeds - Purple of Sicilymid size pouch type seed packaging for - Zinnia Magellan Series Orange
-0
Heirloom
Cauliflower Seeds - Purple of Sicily
Starting at $3.89
Pepper Seeds - Hot - Habanero Blend
-0
Pepper Seeds - Hot - Habanero Blend
Starting at $3.09
Pepper Seeds - Hot - Thai OrnamentalPepper Seeds - Hot - Thai Ornamental
-0
Pepper Seeds - Hot - Thai Ornamental
Starting at $2.99
Pepper Seeds - Hot - Devils Yellow
-0
Pepper Seeds - Hot - Devils Yellow
Starting at $2.99
Pepper Seeds - Hot - Cuban Chilemid size pouch type seed packaging for - Zinnia Magellan Series Orange
-0
Pepper Seeds - Hot - Cuban Chile
Starting at $4.39
Pepper Seeds - Hot - Jamaican Red
-0
Heirloom
Pepper Seeds - Hot - Jamaican Red
Starting at $3.09
Tomato Seeds - Salad - Variegated
-0
Tomato Seeds - Salad - Variegated
Starting at $3.69
Tomato Seeds - Federle
-0
Heirloom
Tomato Seeds - Federle
Starting at $2.79
Zinnia Seeds - Cactus Flowered Mix
Starting at $3.39
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