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]()
Vetch Seeds - Common
An amazing addition to any garden's bare land, this legume can loosen your soil and add nitrogen. This is a farmers staple feed for cattle, horses, or even rabbits. Read...
Zinnia Seeds - Pollinator Flower Mix
Pollinator Mix. Zinnia. Zinnia elegans. 60-80 days. Non-GMO. Open pollinated. Our zinnia pollinator mix attracts hummingbirds and butterflies with a wildflower blend that grows a season-long charm that lives up...
Cabbage Seeds - Brunswick
Brassica oleracea (70 days) Introduced 1924. Large drumhead type cabbage. This cold hardy cabbage is perfect for fall/winter growing. Originating in Germany this cabbage makes an excellent sauerkraut that has...
Mustard Seeds - Red Garnet
40 Days to maturity. Brassica juncea. Red Garnet Mustard Seeds. Non-GMO, Annual. Red Garnet Mustard is much like its related Japanese Red Giant and Japanese Giant Garnet cousins displaying a...
Mustard Seeds - Mizuna Red Leaf
Another great Japanese mustard, especially well suited to microgreen production. The red leaf is not a deeply divided as regular mizuna. Spicy flavor, easy to grow. Approximately 18,000 seeds per...
Pea Seeds - Shelling - Lincoln (Treated)
60-70 Days to maturity. Pisum sativum. Lincoln Pea (Treated) Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom. Suitable for growing in fields, containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Resistant to powdery mildew...
Oats and Peas Cover Crop Seed Mix (Organic)
50-70 Days to termination. Organic Oat and Peas Cover Crop Mix Seeds. Non-GMO, organic, annual, winter-killing, no-till, forage-friendly. Plant as a spring, summer, or fall cover crop to enjoy the...
Mustard Seeds - Summer Fest Komatsuna Hybrid
21 days in summer or 50-60 days in winter to maturity. Brassica rapa var. perviridis. Summer Fest Komatsuna Mustard Seeds. Non-GMO, warm or cold-season, annual, hybrid. This popular traditional Japanese...
Lettuce Seeds - Romaine / COS - Rouge D'Hiver
50-60 days. Rouge D'Hiver Romaine Lettuce Seeds. Lactuca sativa. Non-GMO. Open Pollinated. This well loved French heirloom from the 1800s has been pleasing gardeners with its rich, buttery flavor for...
Lettuce Seeds - Tango
Lactuca sativa (33 days) Tango is a curled baby leaf variety that has a crisp, clean texture and holds up well with numerous salad dressings. Uniform attractive plants form tight...
Broccoli Raab Seeds - Sorrento
40 to 50 Days until mautre. Brassica papa afar ruvo. Sorrento Broccoli Raab Seeds. Annual. Heirloom. Non-GMO. Open-pollinated. “Rapini,” is a separate moniker for the flowering Brassica. This is a...
Kale Seeds - Garden Blend
Garden Blend Kale Seeds. 70 - 80 days to maturity. Brassica oleracea. Open-pollinated. Annual. Everyone wants to grow the best of the best in garden performance. Kale Garden Blend's component...
Zinnia Seeds - Cut and Come Again (Organic)
60-70 Days to Maturity. Zinnia elegans. Organic Cut and Come Again Zinnia Flower Seeds. Non-GMO, organic, heirloom, open-pollinated flowers. Annual in zones 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and...
Lettuce Seeds - Crisphead - Hanson Improved
75-85 days. These non-GMO Hanson Improved lettuce seeds grow into large green leaves and a white heart. Hanson Improved Lettuce is ready to harvest in 80 days. The Hanson Improved...
Cauliflower Seeds - Song TJS-65 - Hybrid
55-60 Days in Spring, 65-70 Days in Fall to maturity Brassica oleracea var. botrytis. Cauliflower Seeds - Song TJS-65. Annual, Hybrid. This is a non-GMO seed that has a yellowish...
Broccoli Seeds - Chinese Broccoli - Big Stem
40-50 days to maturity. Brassica oleracea var alboglabra ‘Big Stem’. Big Stem Chinese Broccoli Seeds. Non-GMO; hybrid; cool-season annual. Closely related to European cabbage, Chinese broccoli was introduced to China...
Cauliflower Seeds - All Year Round
Non-GMO and Heirloom All Year Round Cauliflower is one of the most straightforward cauliflower varieties. Seed matures in 65 days and produces a large, tight, white head. In many zones,...
Pea Seeds - Snap - Taichung 13
70 days to maturity.Pisum sativum. Taichung 13 Snap Pea Seeds. Non-GMO, cool-season annual, heirloom. This early edible podded snap pea has white flowers. The vines are vigorous and prolific, producing...
Lettuce Seeds - Freckles (Organic)
,Lactuca Sativa (26 days to baby-55 days mature) Freckles is unlike any romaine lettuce you will see. This romaine has bright green leaves that look like someone splatter-painted burgundy spots...
Lettuce Seeds - Red Iceberg (Organic)
55-65 Days to maturity. Lactuca sativa. Organic Red Iceberg Lettuce Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom. Suitable for growing in fields, containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Red Iceberg...
Lettuce Seeds - Spring Mix - Organic
40-70 Days to maturity. Lactuca sativa. Organic Spring Mix Lettuce Seeds. The Spring Lettuce Mix is a blend of lettuces chosen especially for Spring planting. They offer a good range...
No-Till Pollinator Friendly Cover Crop Seed Mix
Our No-Till Pollinator Friendly Cover Crop Mix is a custom blend of cover crop seeds formulated to enrich your soil while also attracting beneficial pollinators to your garden or farm....
Kale Seeds - Scarlet
Scarlet Kale Seeds. Can be grown in containers. Brassica oleracea. 50 days to maturity. Open Pollinated. Annual. Kale Scarlet is heavily curled with sturdy leaves that are red-purple and become...
Pak Choi Seeds - Savoy Tatsoi
45 Days to maturity, 10-15 days for microgreens, and 20-30 days for baby leaf. Brassica rapa var. narinosa. Savoy Tatsoi Pak Choi Seeds. Cool-Warm Season Annual Heirloom. This dark green,...
Lettuce Seeds - Parris Island Cos - Organic
Lactuca sativa. (68 days) Parris Island was developed by the USDA and Clemson in the early 1950s. Named for Parris Island off the coast of South Carolina. Organic Parris Island...
Mustard - Wasabi (Organic)
Wasabi Mustard Seeds. Certified Organic by Oregon Tilth. Non-GMO. 45 days. This mustard has large green leaves with wavy edges and a fun wasabi-like bite. Easy to grow in your...
Cabbage Seeds - Charleston Wakefield
Brassica oleracea (70-85 days) The result of a selection from Early Jersey Wakefield made on Long Island. Sold to the F. W. Bolgiano Seed Co. in 1880. Charleston Wakefield produces...
Pea Seeds - Snow - Oregon Sugar Pod II (Organic)
60-70 Days to maturity. Pisum sativum. Oregon Sugar Pod II Pea Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom. Suitable for growing in fields, containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Resistant...
Lettuce Seeds - Summer 38 Celtuce
75-85 day maturity. Lactuca sativa var. asparagina ‘Summer 38 Celtuce’. Summer 38 Celtuce Lettuce Seeds. Non-GMO, cool-season annual heirloom. This variety of Chinese stem lettuce has pointed, light green leaves....
Zinnia Seeds - Peppermint Stick
55-70 Days to maturity. Zinnia elegans. Peppermint Stick Mixture Zinnia Seeds. Non-GMO, open-pollinated, annual. Peppermint Stick Mix Zinnia Flower seeds are the most unique, candy-striped zinnia ever! They offer prolific...
Chinese Cabbage Seeds - Kyoto No. 3
Chinese Cabbage Seeds - Kyoto No. 3. Heirloom, Non-GMO. Brassica rapa Pekinensis group. 80 days. Cool season annual. A Japanese heirloom or dento yasai variety of Japan, this cabbage has...
Lettuce Seeds, Romaine - Vivian - Organic
Organic Vivian Romaine Lettuce Seeds. 50 days to full maturity. 28 days to maturity for baby leaves. Lactuca sativa. Open Pollinated. Non-GMO. Annual. Approx. 25,000 Seeds per ounce. Download Free...
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