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.
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Lettuce Seeds, Romaine - Brune D'Hiver - Organic
Organic Brune D'Hiver Romaine Lettuce Seeds. 55 to 60 days to maturity. Lactuca sativa. Heirloom, Non-GMO, Annual. >Introduced in 1855, this French butterhead-type lettuce has crunchy green leaves with a...
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Organic Prizehead Leaf Lettuce Seeds. 45 - 55 days to maturity. Lactuca sativa. Heirloom, Non-GMO, Annual. Approx. 25,000 Seeds per ounce. Download Free Vegetable Growing Guide PDF Lettuce Seeds, Leaf...
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55-65 Days to maturity. Pisum sativum. Sugar Sprint Snap Pea Seeds (Treated). Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat-tolerant snap pea. Suitable for growing in fields, containers, garden plots, raised beds, and...
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65 Days to maturity. Solanum melongena. Organic Morden Midget Eggplant Vegetable Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, italian eggplant. Suitable for growing in greenhouses, garden plots, raised beds, or containers....
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50-60 days. Ithaca Crisphead Lettuce Seeds. Lactuca sativa. Non-GMO. Open Pollinated. ~25,000 seeds per oz. Download Free Vegetable Growing Guide PDF Growing Non-GMO Ithaca Crisphead Lettuce Vegetable Seeds Download Free...
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80-89 days. Brassica oleracea var. botrytis. Violetta Italia Cauliflower Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, heirloom, open-pollinated. This crop is suitable for garden plots, raised beds, and larger containers, offering compact lavender-purple heads...
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Turnip Seeds - Hidabeni
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25-45 days to maturity.Brassica rapa var. pekinensis. Yukina Savoy Chinese Cabbage Seeds. Non-GMO, cool-season annual, heirloom. Yukina Savoy looks like a larger and savoyed version of Tatsoi. Considered one of...
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Lettuce Seeds - Leaf - Amish Deer Tongue
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Mustard Seeds - Kekkyu Takana
55 Days to maturity. Brassica juncea var rugosa. Kekkyu Takana Mustard Seeds. Non-GMO, heirloom, cool-season annual. This cool-season heading mustard is a great early spring variety. It has a tightly...
Pea Seeds - Field - Maple
70-90 Days to maturity. Harvest at 8-12 days for microgreens. Pisum sativum. Maple Pea Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom. Suitable for field growing and cover cropping, or for microgreen production....
Lettuce Seeds - Romaine - Iya Sol
Iya Sol Romaine Lettuce Seeds. 55 days to full maturity. 29 days to maturity for baby leaves. Lactuca sativa. Heirloom, Annual. A loose-leaf romaine type. Iya Sol's leaves have a...
Turnip Seeds - White Globe Round
White Globe Turnip Seeds. They're ideal for mini round turnips. These roots are nearly perfectly rounded and make a great quick Spring or Fall planted crop! Approximately 12,000 seeds per...
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21-40 days to maturity. Brassica rapa var. japonica. Early Mibuna Mustard Seeds. Non-GMO, warm or cool-season, annual, heirloom. Similar to mizuna greens, mibuna mustard is a flavorful Japanese green strap...
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Mustard Seeds - Tendergreen - Organic
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This seed is unavailable until 2027. Add your email to receive a notification when it is available again. Seaweed Mustard Seeds - Oka Hijiki. Non-GMO. Heirloom. Non-GMO. Salsola komarovi. 30-40...
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60-70 Days to maturity. Zinnia elegans. Red Beauty Zinnia Seeds. Non-GMO, organic, annual. These zinnias are a perfect choice for any grower or hobby gardener looking for the best cut...
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