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]()
Cosmos Seeds - Sea Shells
75-90 Days to maturity. Cosmos bipinnatus. Sea Shells Cosmos Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated. This unique cosmos variety has multiple tubular petals that create a unique and captivating shape. Sea Shell...
Pinto Beans - Bulk Grains & Foods
Pinto beans are the most commonly consumed bean in the United States. Pinto beans have a beautiful slightly pink color and wonderfully creamy texture when cooked. They are used in...
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...
Watermelon Seeds - Picnic - Kleckley's Sweet
85 Days to maturity. Citrullus lanatus. Kleckley’s Sweet Watermelon Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat tolerant, seeded, picnic watermelon. Suitable for growing in garden plots. Kleckley's Sweet was also called...
Squash Seeds - Winter - Queensland Blue
95 days. Non-GMO. Heirloom. Queensland Blue Winter Squash Seeds from True Leaf Market to enjoy the sweet flavor of squash in soups, pies, and more. This heirloom winter squash from...
Watermelon Seeds - Icebox - Yellow Petite
65-78 Days to maturity. Citrullus lanatus Yellow Petite watermelon seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat tolerant, seeded, mini watermelon. Petite Yellow watermelon is perfect for those with a short growing...
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 - 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...
Squash Seeds - Lakota
80-120 Days to maturity. Cucurbita maxima . Lakota Squash Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom. Suitable for growing in fields, containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Lakota winter squash is...
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...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Purple Queen
50-65 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Purple Queen Bush Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom snap bush bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. The...
Squash Seeds - Summer - Fordhook Zucchini (Organic)
50 to 60 days to maturity. Cucurbita pepo. Organic Fordhook Zucchini Summer Squash Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, heirloom, open-pollinated, organic. This is suitable for fields, garden plots, raised beds, and containers....
Radish Seeds - Shirahime Hatsuka Daikon
22 to 30 Days to maturity. Raphanus sativus. Shirashime Hatsuka Daikon Radish Heirloom Seeds. Cool Season Annual. A uniquely small daikon radish, Shirashime Hatsuka is hardy, quick to harvest, and...
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...
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...
Watermelon Seeds - Icebox - Yellow Gem Sweet
80 days to maturity. Citrullus lanatus. Yellow Gem Sweet Watermelon Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heat tolerant, seeded, icebox watermelon. Now a true yellow Crimson Sweet watermelon. ~ 400 seeds per...
Bean Seeds - Pole - Bai Bu Lao Yellow
55-60 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Bai Bu Lao Yellow Pole Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, drought tolerant, pole, snap, romano, Asian bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden...
Okra Seeds - Cows Horn - Organic
Abelmoschus esculentus. (55 days) This heirloom okra dates back to around the Civil War. It has a twisted shape that resembles a cow's horn. These large pods can reach 14"...
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...
Squash Seeds - Japanese, Winter - Blue Kuri
Squash Seeds - Japanese, Winter - Blue Kuri. Heirloom, Non-GMO. Cucurbita maxima. 45 days after flowering, 95-110 days to maturity. Warm season annual. A traditional open pollinated Japanese kabocha squash...
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....
Bean Seeds - Bush - Kentucky Dreamer
50-54 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Kentucky Dreamer Bush Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat-tolerant, resistant to BCMV, high-yielding, bush, snap green bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden...
Swiss Chard Seeds - Yellow
55 days. The Yellow Swiss Chard is a variety that produces dark green leaves on bright Yellow stems. These stems are excellent as an ornamental piece in the garden, but...
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...
Parsley Seeds - Double Curled
75 Days to maturity. Petroselinum crispum. Double Curled Parsley Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom. Suitable for growing in fields, containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Double Curled Parsley is...
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...
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