Over much of the USA, April is when the gardening season really gets going. Between preparing the soil and planting the early crops, it's easy to overlook important steps. We really recommend a garden journal as a way to map out what you want to do. Then fill in the whens and wheres. Don't forget to look around and notice what's happening in your area. When are the forsythia blooming? Are you hearing robins in the morning? These are links to the natural world, reasons why we are gardening. Don't forget to smell the roses.
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.
Zones 7b-9a: April is a peak planting month in mild-winter zones as soils warm and frost risk fades, opening the door to a much broader range of crops outdoors. Continue sowing cool-season favorites in early April, where nights are still chilly, but begin transitioning beds to warm-season planting through the month as temperatures stabilize. Succession sowing, trellising, and a little frost protection for surprise cold snaps help keep growth steady - and April is also an excellent time to harden off seedlings and get transplants established.
Zones 9b-12: April is full spring momentum in the warm-winter zones, with many gardens shifting decisively into warm-season planting while remaining cool-season crops finish strong. This is a great month to direct sow and transplant heat lovers outdoors, and to keep succession planting going so harvests don’t gap as days get longer and brighter. In the hottest areas, start planning for rising temperatures by watching irrigation closely, adding mulch, and timing your final rounds of tender cool-season crops before consistent heat arrives.
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]()
Sunflower Seeds - Lemon Queen (Organic)
80-100 Days to maturity. Helianthus annus. Organic Lemon Queen Sunflower Seeds. Non-GMO, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, annual, multi-branching sunflower. This bright sunflower features light, lemony petals and a light brown center...
Pepper Seeds - Hot - Cuban Chile
80-90 Days to maturity (from transplant). Capsicum annuum. Cuban Chile Hot Pepper Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, hot, ornamental pepper with hot heat levels. 30,000-40,000 Scoville Heat Units. Suitable for growing...
Melon Seeds - Glamorous Hybrid (Organic)
90 Days to maturity. Cucumis melo. Organic Glamorous Hybrid Melon Seeds. A non-GMO, annual, organic, F1 hybrid, heat-tolerant Galia Melon. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses....
Pepper Seeds - Hot - Jamaican Red
90-100 Days to maturity. Capsicum chinense. Jamaican Red Hot Pepper Seeds. Non-GMO, open-pollinated, heirloom, hot pepper seeds with extra hot heat levels. 100,000 to 350,000 Scoville Heat Units. This spicy...
Tomato Seeds - Salad - Variegated
90 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Variegated Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, open-pollinated, indeterminate, warm season, annual, salad tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, greenhouses, and large...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Dark Red Kidney
90-100 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Dark Red Kidney Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, high-yielding, bush, shelling bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses....
Corn Seeds - Ornamental - Wampum
Wampum Ornamental Corn Seeds. Zea mays. Heirloom, Annual. 90 days to maturity. Earlier version of a Carousel type ornamental with ears 4-5 in. long 1.25 in. diameter. Approximately 150 seeds/ounce....
Melon Seeds - Giallo Canary Rugoso
90-110 Days to maturity. Cucumis melo. Giallo Canary Rugoso Melon Seeds. A non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heat-tolerant melon. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. This unique canary...
Tomato Seeds - Federle
85 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Federle Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, indeterminate, paste tomato. Also known as Federle’s Italian Paste tomato. Plant produces 7-inch-long red paste...
Carrot Seeds - St. Valery
70-100 Days to maturity. Daucus carota var. sativus. St Valery Carrot Vegetable Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom seeds. A very old, heirloom carrot strain that produces smooth, uniform orange-red roots...
Melon Seeds - Cantaloupe - Emerald Gem
70-90 Days to maturity. Cucumis melo var. cantalupensiso. Emerald Gem Cantaloupe Melon Seeds. A non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat-tolerant Cantaloupe Melon. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and...
Melon Seeds - Glamorous Hybrid
90 Days to maturity. Cucumis melo. Glamorous Hybrid Melon Seeds. A non-GMO, annual, F1 hybrid, heat-tolerant Galia Melon. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. The Glamorous...
Squash Seeds - Winter - Goldetti Hybrid (Organic)
100 Days to maturity. Cucurbita pepo. Organic Goldetti Hybrid Winter Squash Vegetable Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, high-yielding F1 hybrid winter squash. These rounded, cylindrical golden fruits are 10-11 inches long...
Watermelon Seeds - Picnic - Summer Color Mix
Summer Color Mix Watermelon Seeds. 70 to 100 days to maturity. Citrullus lanatus. Open Pollinated. Annual. A mixture of red pink white yellow and orange fleshed seeded watermelons. Approximately 400...
Watermelon Seeds - Picnic - Nobility Hybrid
90 Days to maturity. Citrullus lanatus. Nobility F1 Hybrid Watermelon Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, hybrid, heat tolerant, seeded, picnic watermelon. Suitable for growing in garden plots. Watermelon Nobility F1 is the...
[
{
"featured_image": "files/1742576095_sunflower_lemon_queen_organic_comp_c2dcc29a-6314-4f6c-ae35-c81892a1a5f6.jpg",
"secondary_image": "files/1742576095_sunflower_lemon_queen_seeds_organic_comp_4e295bb2-0f85-42fa-96c8-460dc14747fd.jpg",
"price": 589,
"handle": "sunflower-seeds-lemon-queen-organic",
"title": "Sunflower Seeds - Lemon Queen (Organic)",
"url": "/products/sunflower-seeds-lemon-queen-organic",
"available": true
},
{
"featured_image": "files/pepper_cuban_chile.jpg",
"secondary_image": "files/MVS_1_lb.jpg",
"price": 439,
"handle": "pepper-seeds-hot-cuban-chile",
"title": "Pepper Seeds - Hot - Cuban Chile",
"url": "/products/pepper-seeds-hot-cuban-chile",
"available": true
},
{
"featured_image": "files/melon-glamorous-f1-organic-hybrid-l-com-wm_1222x1222_07b62573-9fee-42fb-b6cc-a65909cfc7ab.jpg",
"secondary_image": "products/non-gmo-seed-bag-1-lb-com_b40f1da5-934f-4ef5-a881-3feeaa0d438e.jpg",
"price": 499,
"handle": "melon-seeds-glamorous-f1-organic",
"title": "Melon Seeds - Glamorous Hybrid (Organic)",
"url": "/products/melon-seeds-glamorous-f1-organic",
"available": true
},
{
"featured_image": "files/1743707548_organic_burgess_buttercup_bush_squash_seed_4bbc2a04-9ec2-471d-b31c-76736a8e9c1e.jpg",
"secondary_image": "",
"price": 379,
"handle": "squash-seeds-winter-burgess-buttercup-bush-organic",
"title": "Squash Seeds - Winter - Burgess Buttercup Bush (Organic)",
"url": "/products/squash-seeds-winter-burgess-buttercup-bush-organic",
"available": true
},
{
"featured_image": "files/1744910067_pepper_hot_jamaican_red_wm_comp_6dbbe8b0-975a-4388-af12-f15af6cd25ff.jpg",
"secondary_image": "",
"price": 309,
"handle": "pepper-seeds-hot-jamaican-red",
"title": "Pepper Seeds - Hot - Jamaican Red",
"url": "/products/pepper-seeds-hot-jamaican-red",
"available": true
},
{
"featured_image": "files/1738094930_tomato_variegated_comp_fc414e16-695b-448c-bd27-66e98a0d78ee.jpg",
"secondary_image": "",
"price": 369,
"handle": "tomato-seeds-salad-variegated",
"title": "Tomato Seeds - Salad - Variegated",
"url": "/products/tomato-seeds-salad-variegated",
"available": true
},
{
"featured_image": "files/1774639620_1774639298_bean_dark_red_kidney_organic_comp_fdae8433-686f-48ae-8b69-5a55be7e2484.jpg",
"secondary_image": "",
"price": 279,
"handle": "bean-seeds-bush-dark-red-kidney",
"title": "Bean Seeds - Bush - Dark Red Kidney",
"url": "/products/bean-seeds-bush-dark-red-kidney",
"available": true
},
{
"featured_image": "files/corn-seeds-ornamental-wampum-Comp.jpg",
"secondary_image": "products/MVS-generic-packet-com_402e2cfb-6168-40b3-ba91-c7609d63e34d.jpg",
"price": 439,
"handle": "corn-seeds-ornamental-wampum",
"title": "Corn Seeds - Ornamental - Wampum",
"url": "/products/corn-seeds-ornamental-wampum",
"available": true
},
{
"featured_image": "files/1743707907_melon_giallo_canary_rugoso_comp_8879b328-1c77-43d1-ac47-8acc70adea26.jpg",
"secondary_image": "",
"price": 309,
"handle": "melon-seeds-giallo-canary-rugoso",
"title": "Melon Seeds - Giallo Canary Rugoso",
"url": "/products/melon-seeds-giallo-canary-rugoso",
"available": true
},
{
"featured_image": "files/1773687684_tomato_federle_comp_3d465222-f505-4b40-9b27-c16c59d83982.jpg",
"secondary_image": "",
"price": 279,
"handle": "tomato-seeds-federle",
"title": "Tomato Seeds - Federle",
"url": "/products/tomato-seeds-federle",
"available": true
},
{
"featured_image": "files/1743705949_carrot_st_valery_comp_57226a00-e8fd-4c7e-a800-08a9295766ef.jpg",
"secondary_image": "",
"price": 299,
"handle": "carrot-seeds-st-valery",
"title": "Carrot Seeds - St. Valery",
"url": "/products/carrot-seeds-st-valery",
"available": true
},
{
"featured_image": "products/melon-emerald-gem-conventional-o-com-wm.jpg",
"secondary_image": "products/MVS-generic-packet-com_5949a84e-a686-4370-913c-31cc63da5de8.jpg",
"price": 299,
"handle": "melon-seeds-emerald-gem",
"title": "Melon Seeds - Cantaloupe - Emerald Gem",
"url": "/products/melon-seeds-emerald-gem",
"available": true
},
{
"featured_image": "files/melon-glamorous-f1-hybrid-l-com-wm_1222x1222_7ecd3d58-d9e0-4827-99fc-07990453c76a.jpg",
"secondary_image": "products/non-gmo-seed-bag-1-lb-com_56761f89-2a61-4369-8357-75648e1e75ce.jpg",
"price": 729,
"handle": "melon-seeds-glamorous-f1",
"title": "Melon Seeds - Glamorous Hybrid",
"url": "/products/melon-seeds-glamorous-f1",
"available": true
},
{
"featured_image": "files/1746716131_squash_winter_goldetti_f1_organic_comp_79e67a54-8179-4c59-bb33-ee2a2fe0940f.jpg",
"secondary_image": "",
"price": 609,
"handle": "squash-seeds-winter-goldetti-hybrid-organic",
"title": "Squash Seeds - Winter - Goldetti Hybrid (Organic)",
"url": "/products/squash-seeds-winter-goldetti-hybrid-organic",
"available": true
},
{
"featured_image": "files/1774371403_bean_soybean_karikachi_3_below_standard_low_germ_comp_3043bb17-2835-46ae-98dc-deab8a1d102c.jpg",
"secondary_image": "",
"price": 2000,
"handle": "bean-seeds-karikachi-3-soybean-clearance-seeds",
"title": "Bean Seeds - Karikachi #3 Soybean - Clearance Seeds",
"url": "/products/bean-seeds-karikachi-3-soybean-clearance-seeds",
"available": false
},
{
"featured_image": "files/1774384298_squash_winter_butter_belle_f1_below_standard_low_germ_comp_c3d08086-ebda-4e1e-898d-341bf9d88cc6.jpg",
"secondary_image": "",
"price": 2000,
"handle": "squash-seeds-winter-butter-belle-f1-hybrid-clearance-seeds",
"title": "Squash Seeds - Winter - Butter Belle F1 Hybrid - Clearance Seeds",
"url": "/products/squash-seeds-winter-butter-belle-f1-hybrid-clearance-seeds",
"available": false
},
{
"featured_image": "products/watermelon-golden-honey-conventional-l-com-wm_1.jpg",
"secondary_image": "products/non-gmo-seed-bag-1-oz-com_1_05e9fee1-91b6-4918-82c7-3c9d7aae56e1.jpg",
"price": 309,
"handle": "watermelon-seeds-summer-color-mix",
"title": "Watermelon Seeds - Picnic - Summer Color Mix",
"url": "/products/watermelon-seeds-summer-color-mix",
"available": false
},
{
"featured_image": "products/watermelon-nobility-f1-hybrid-l-com-wm.jpg",
"secondary_image": "products/non-gmo-seed-bag-1-lb-com_547dda6a-d01a-4f2a-90f4-b806e8115b6d.jpg",
"price": 539,
"handle": "watermelon-seeds-nobility-f1",
"title": "Watermelon Seeds - Picnic - Nobility Hybrid",
"url": "/products/watermelon-seeds-nobility-f1",
"available": false
}
]
