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.
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![Legend: H for Heirloom, O for Organic, A for AAS Winner, F for staff favorites]()
Beet Seeds - Red Mammoth Mangel
Beta vulgaris (100 days) Fodder beets have been around since the 1400s if not earlier. These beets were prized as nutritious animal feed that was easy to store. Fodder beets...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Blue Lake 274 (Treated)
50-65 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Blue Lake 247 Bush Bean Treated Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom snap bush bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds, and...
Sunflower Seeds - Indian Blanket
75-90 Days to maturity. Helianthus annuus. Indian Blanket Sunflower Seeds: Non-GMO. Open Pollinated. Ornamental. Annual. Indian Blanket blooms gorgeous flowers that are shades of orange, red, and yellow. These beautiful...
Corn Seeds - Sweet - Incredible R/M Hybrid
85 Days to maturity. Zea mays. Incredible Hybrid R/M Corn Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, hybrid, Sweet Corn. Suitable for growing in garden plots or raised beds. Corn tolerates heat and drought-prone...
Onion Seeds - Intermediate - Red Torpedo
110 Days to maturity. Allium cepa. Red Torpedo Onion Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, bulbing, intermediate-day onion. Suitable for growing in greenhouses, garden plots, and raised beds. A fantastic onion...
Watermelon Seeds - Giant - Congo
95 Days to maturity. Citrullus lanatus. Congo Watermelon Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat tolerant, seeded, giant watermelon. Resistant to Anthracnose (1). Congo Watermelon produces sweet, red-fleshed melons up...
Radish Seeds - Easter Egg - Organic
Raphanus sativus (30 days) Oh what fun! Hunt Easter "egg" radishes in your own garden. Amazing array of colors will pop from your garden and straight into your salad bowl....
Bean Seeds - Bush - Jade (Treated)
50-65 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Jade Bush Treated Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat-tolerant, rust resistant, high-yielding, bush, snap green bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots,...
Radish Seeds - Champion - Organic
Raphanus sativus. (28 days) Smooth, perfectly round cherry red radishes in only 28 days. Champion radishes don't get hot or woody when they reach maturity like other radishes can. Organic...
Kale Seeds - Portuguese
Portuguese Kale Seeds. Brassica oleracea. 85 days to maturity. Heirloom. Annual. This Kale variety may be the hardiest of the cabbage kin. Approximately 8,000 seeds/ounce Kale Seeds - Portuguese It...
Beans - Black Turtle (Organic) - Sprouting Seeds
3-5 Days to Harvest. Phaseolus vulgaris. Organic Black Turtle Bean Sprouting Seeds. These organic black beans produce fresh, crunchy sprouts that can easily be substituted for black beans in any...
Squash Seeds - Winter - Honeybaby Hybrid
90 to 100 days to maturity. Cucurbita moschata. Honeybaby Hybrid Butternut Winter Squash Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, F1 hybrid, AAS winner 2017. Suitable for growing in fields, garden plots, raised beds,...
Squash Seeds - Summer - Zucchini Greyzinni Hybrid
50 days. High-yielding, 5 to 6 inch, attractive heavily striped, light green-grey zucchini with fine eating quality and creamy, sweet flavor. These somewhat blocky fruits have a slight taper. Open-spaced...
Radish Seeds - Golden Helios
Golden Helios Radish Seeds. 26 days to maturity. Raphanus sativus. Heirloom, Annual. Radish Helios was named after the Greek god of the sun. This olive-shaped radish is bright yellow with...
Melon Seeds - Japanese - Ichiba Kouji Hybrid
55-60 Days to maturity. Cucumis melo. Ichiba Kouji Japanese Hybrid Melon Seeds. A non-GMO, annual, hybrid, heat tolerant, drought tolerant, Asian Melon. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds,...
Beet Seeds - Crosby Egyptian - Organic
Beta vulgaris. (60 days) Egyptian type beets were created in the 1860s by the Germans. The Crosby strain was selected by Josiah Crosby of Arlington, Massachusetts and introduced by The...
Squash Seeds - Winter - Delicata Bush AAS
Delicata Bush AAS Winter Squash Seeds. 80 - 100 days to maturity. 2002 National AAS Winner. Can be grown in containers. Cucurbita pepo. Annual. Heirloom. Healthy semi-bush 3-4 ft. vines,...
Sunflower Seeds - Lemon Queen
80-100 Days to maturity. Helianthus annus. Lemon Queen Sunflower Seeds. Non-GMO, open-pollinated, heirloom, annual, multi-branching sunflower. This bright sunflower features light, lemony petals and a light brown center that demands...
Alyssum Seeds - Easter Bonnet Series (Raw or MSP)
63-77 Days to maturity. Lobularia maritima. Easter Bonnet Series Alyssum Multi-seed Pelleted Seeds. Non-GMO, Open-Pollinated, Annual. Open-pollinated, multi-pelleted seeds. Easter Bonnet Series Alyssum seeds promise delicate and early spring blooms...
Mustard - Tat Soi - Black Knight
Tat Soi - Black Knight Mustard Seeds. 45 - 55 days to maturity. Heirloom, Annual. Can be grown in containers. Can be grown as microgreens. Brassica rapa. A dark green...
Lettuce Seeds - Batavian, Great Lakes 118
80 - 90 days. These non-GMO Great Lakes 118 lettuce seeds grow into large green leaves and a white heart. Great Lakes 118 Lettuce, also known as Head Lettuce, is...
Swiss Chard Seeds - Orange
55 days. Orange Swiss Chard is a great ornamental vegetable. Don't just plant it in the garden, add some in the landscaping. These bright orange stalks will spice up any...
Pea Seeds - Snap - Cascadia
60-70 Days to maturity. Pisum sativum. Cascadia Snap Pea Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom. Suitable for growing in fields, containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Resistant to powdery mildew...
Radish Seeds - Chinese - Starburst - Hybrid
60 Days to maturity. Raphanus sativus. Starburst Chinese Radish Hybrid Seeds. Cool Season Annual. Starburst radishes are part of the watermelon radish group, which means that you’ll find bright red...
Cosmos Seeds - Cosmic Mix
56-63 Days to maturity. Cosmos sulphureus. Cosmic Mix Cosmos Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, Heirloom, Open Pollinated. Cosmic Mix seeds grow an elegant and award-winning cosmos that promises to invigorate any stale...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Harvester
55 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Harvester Bush Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, high-yielding, bush, snap green bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses....
Kale Seeds - Ethiopian
50 to 60 Days to maturity. Brassica carinata. Ethiopian Kale Seeds. Annual, Heirloom. This leafy green originated in Ethiopia, in East Africa. It is known by various names, including Ethiopian...
Swiss Chard Seeds - Magenta Sunset
60 days. Magenta Sunset Swiss chard has striking almost neon pink stems with dark green leaves. These leaves are both beautiful and practical to grow in the home garden. Their...
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