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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![Legend: H for Heirloom, O for Organic, A for AAS Winner, F for staff favorites]()
Crimson Clover - Cover Crop Seeds
70-90 Days. Trifolium incarnatum. Cover Crop. Non-GMO. Annual. Heirloom crimson clover seeds are an ideal annual garden companion and cover crop for plants and soils deficient in nitrogen. Use to...
Cabbage Seeds - Red Acre
100 days. The Red Acre cabbage is a hardy garden crop that can be grown in climate zones three through nine. The plant produces medium sized, maroon heads that can...
Kale Seeds - Red Russian
50-60 days. Red Russian Kale Seeds. Brassica napus var. pabularia. Non-GMO. Heirloom. A popular and tenacious red variation to the ever-popular Russian kale, Red Russian grows a lighter, but still...
Crimson Clover - Organic - Cover Crop Seeds
70-90 Days. Trifolium incarnatum. Organic. Cover Crop. Non-GMO. Heirloom Organic crimson clover seeds are an ideal annual garden companion and cover crop for plants and soils deficient in nitrogen. Use...
Zinnia Seeds - Pumila Pompon
50-70 Days to maturity. Zinnia elegans. Pumila Pompon Zinnia Seeds. Non-GMO, organic, annual. This is a great old-fashioned variety that has fully to semi-double flowers. These warm and cheerful flowers...
Clover - Red (Organic) - Microgreens Seeds
Delicious clover greens go well with virtually any microgreens salad. Better if harvested before 10 days. Taste becomes bitter as the crop ages. Requires extra rinsing to remove the seed...
Cabbage Seeds - Mammoth Red Rock
90 days. The Mammoth Red Rock cabbage has a beautiful reddish-purple tone to its heads, which have a subtle, delicate, and sweet flavor. It is a hardy crop, and grows...
Lettuce Seeds - Leaf - Red Sails
Red Sails Leaf Lettuce is ready in 45 days. An AAS winner, these non-GMO Red Sails seeds grow into green leaves of lettuce with red tips that are ready to...
French Marigold Seeds - Durango Series (Coated)
56-63 Days to maturity. Tagetes patula. Durango Series French Marigold Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated. Durango Series French marigold seeds are an adorable, compact, and vibrant addition to grow in any...
Lettuce Seeds - Leaf - Ruby Red
Non-GMO Ruby Red Leaf Lettuce is ready in 35-45 days. Lettuce forms compact plants with loose, crumpled reddish-green leaves. Ruby Red is the darkest red of all red lettuces, won't...
Zinnia Seeds - Zahara Series (Coated)
50-60 Days to maturity. Zinnia elegans. Zahara Series Zinnia Seeds. Non-GMO, annual. Zahara Series Zinnia flower seeds are brilliant, easy to grow, and renowned for their hardiness and ability to...
Lettuce Seeds - Super Red Romaine
Lactuca sativa (40 days) Super Red Romaine Lettuce has long crunchy spoon shaped leaves that start green and turn to an intense red. Very intense colored romaine that is highly...
Mixed Greens Seeds - Mesclun Mix - Organic
A succulent blend of gourmet greens that will satisfy your pallet and is extremely healthy. This mesclun blend is the type normally served in fine restaurants, but you can grow...
Zinnia Seeds - Profusion Series (Coated)
54-70 Days to maturity. Zinnia elegans x angustifolia. Profusion Series Zinnia Seeds. Non-GMO, organic, annual. Profusion Series Zinnia flower seeds promise to turn your tired summer bedding into an award-winning...
Clover Seeds - Medium Red
Medium Red Clover Seeds. 60-69 days to maturity. trifolium pratense. Open Pollinated, Non-GMO, Annual. Medium red clover is a short-lived perennial used to supply nitrogen. Unlike other legumes, it fixes...
Zinnia Seeds - Magellan Series (Coated)
55-60 Days to maturity. Zinnia elegans. Magellan Series Zinnia Seeds. Non-GMO, organic, F1 hybrid, annual. Magellan Zinnia Series seeds produce tough, resilient zinnias, best suited for gardens prone to heat...
Lettuce Seeds - Romaine - Cimmaron
65 days. This charming heirloom romaine produces a 10 to 12 inch, deep-red head with good flavor and a crisp tender texture. Virtually impervious to bolting. These non-GMO Cimarron seeds...
Lettuce Seeds - Butterhead - Bronze Mignonette
Non-GMO Bronze Mignonette Butterhead Lettuce is tolerant of warm temperatures making it perfect for southern gardens. Mignonette is known for bronze streaks on medium green leaves and is very beautiful....
French Marigold Seeds - Disco Series (Coated)
56-63 Days to maturity. Tagetes patula. Disco Series French Marigold Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated. Disco Series French marigold seeds are an adorable, compact, and vibrant addition to grow in any...
French Marigold Seeds - Bonanza Series (Coated)
56-63 Days to maturity. Tagetes patula. Bonanza Series French Marigold Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated. Bonanza Series French marigold seeds are brilliant, easy to grow, and renowned for their hardiness and...
Mustard Seeds - Red Giant (Organic)
48 days. Non-GMO, Heirloom Organic Red Giant Mustard Herb Garden Seed from True Leaf Market. Brassica juncea. In general, mustard is an ideal garden plant to grow near herbs. As...
Crimson Clover - Organic - Sprouting Seeds
4-6 Days. Trifolium incarnatum. Organic. Sprouting. High Germination. One of the most versatile sprouting seeds ever, non-GMO Organic crimson clover seeds have a diverse range of benefits both in the...
French Marigold Seeds - Janie Series
56-63 Days to maturity. Tagetes patula. Janie Series Marigold Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated. Growing Janie Series Marigold seeds this season is an effortless and award-winning way to dash some summer...
Marigold (Signata) Seeds - Gem Series
63-77 days. Gem Series signata seeds promise a stunning and exotic twist to the traditional marigold popularly grown in the United States. Gem Series seeds grow tidy 9-12" dwarfed mounds...
Lettuce Seeds - Red Romaine
Lactuca sativa (40 days) Red Romaine Lettuce has long crunchy spoon shaped leaves that start green and fade to profuse purple/red. Leaves are 12" tall and the plant is about...
French Marigold Seeds - Sparky Mixture
63-77 Days to maturity. Tagetes patula. Sparky Mixture Marigold Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated. Sparky Mixture French marigold seeds offer one of the most vibrant and inexpensive blooms available to the...
Cabbage Seeds - Red Acre (Organic)
90-110 days. Organic Red Acre Cabbage Seeds. Brassica oleracea var. capitata. Non-GMO. Heirloom. Nearly a century old and still one of the most reliable performers in the garden, Red Acre...
Lettuce Seeds - Heatwave Mix
45-60 days. Non-GMO. Heirloom. Heatwave Lettuce Seed Mix. Lactuca. The Heatwave Lettuce Mix lettuces that thrive in the heat and remain productive. Our choice "slow-bolt" varieties feature Grand Rapids, Prizehead,...
Lettuce Seeds - Heatwave Mix - Organic
The Heatwave Lettuce Mix lettuces that thrive in the heat and remain productive. Our choice" slow-bolt" varieties such as Great Lakes, Iya Sol, and Oakleaf Royal. These lettuce types texture...
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