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]()
Squash Seeds - Winter - Bush Delicata (Organic)
80 to 100 days to maturity. Cucurbita pepo. Organic Bush Delicata Winter Squash Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, heirloom, open-pollinated, AAS 2002. This is suitable for growing in fields, garden plots, raised...
Lettuce Seeds - Crisphead - Salinas
70-80 days. These non-GMO Salinas lettuce seeds easily grow into green leaves and are great for beginners. Salinas Lettuce, also known as Iceberg Lettuce, is ready to harvest in 70...
Cabbage Seeds - Purple Savoy
Brassica oleracea (61 days) Can be sown spring or fall but fall sowing usually works better. Very cold tolerant. An early savoy cabbage with green heads and purple to deep...
Lettuce Seeds - Purple Sword Celtuce
75-85 day maturity. Lactuca sativa var. asparagina ‘Purple Sword Celtuce’. Purple Sword Celtuce Lettuce Seeds. Non-GMO, cool-season annual heirloom. This variety of Chinese stem lettuce has good tolerance to cold...
Mustard Seeds - Crimson Tide
45 Days to maturity. Brassica juncea. Crimson Tide Mustard Seeds. Heirloom, Non-GMO, Open Pollinated. Annual. This mustard strongly resembles Ruby Streak. Its ornately fringed purple and green leaves deliver a...
Lettuce Seeds - Butterhead - Capitaine
62 days. Lactuca sativa. Capitaine Butterhead Lettuce Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, heirloom, open-pollinated. Capitaine is an impressively large, tight butterhead lettuce with light-green 8-10-inch heads of curly leaves, with a delicate,...
Melon Seeds - Collective Farm Woman
83 Days to maturity. Cucumis melo. Collective Farm Woman Melon Seeds. A non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat-tolerant specialty Melon. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses....
Komatsuna Mustard Seeds - Green Boy - Hybrid
30 to 40 Days to maturity (warm climates), 50-60 Days to maturity (cold climates). Brassica rapa var. perviridis. Green Boy Komatsuna Mustard Seeds. Cool-season annual hybrid. Komatsuna is an easy-to-grow,...
Squash Seeds - Summer - Amberpic Hybrid
42 days to maturity. Cucurbita pepo. Amberpic Hybrid Summer Squash Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, hybrid. This is suitable for fields, containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Early straightneck that sets...
Watermelon Seeds - Picnic - Mountain Sweet
85-100 Days to maturity. Citrullus lanatus. Mountain Sweet Yellow Watermelon Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat tolerant, seeded, picnic watermelon. Suitable for growing in garden plots. 2004 Seed Saver Inventory...
Beet Seeds - Ruby Queen (Organic)
50-55 Days to maturity. Beta vulgaris. Organic Ruby Queen Beet Seeds. Non-GMO, cool weather annual, organic, heirloom, open-pollinated, AAS winner 1957. This delicious multi-use beet can be used for the...
Corn Seeds - Golden Bantam 8
75-85 Days to maturity. Zea mays. Golden Bantam 8 Corn Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, Sweet Corn. Golden Bantam 8, a classic heirloom variety, is a testament to its rich...
Melon Seeds - Cantaloupe - Edisto 47
85 Days to maturity. Cucumis melo. Edisto 47 Cantaloupe Melon Seeds. A non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat-tolerant, humidity-tolerant Cantaloupe Melon. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses....
Pak Choi Seeds - Summer Zest - Hybrid
40-45 Days to maturity. Brassica rapa Chinensis group. Summer Zest Pak Choi Seeds. Cool-Warm Season Annual Hybrid. Summer Zest is considered a medium to large size cabbage or medium maturing...
Radish Seeds - Korean - Alpine Gold - Hybrid
60 days to maturity. Raphanus sativus. Alpine Gold Korean Radish Seeds. Hybrid, cool season annual, open pollinated. Alpine Gold radishes are a clean, crisp variety with smooth and polished roots....
Radish Seeds - Halloween Mix
Halloween Mix Radish Seeds. 20 - 30 days to maturity. Can be grown in containers. Raphanus sativus. Open Pollinated. Annual. Halloween Mix contains purple yellow black and white radishes. Approximately...
Beet Seeds - Lutz Green Leaf
Beta vugaris (70 days) Lutz Green Leaf is known for its long standing storage capabilities. Also known by many as "winterkeeper" beets. Lutz has roots that are about 6" in...
Yu Choy Sum Seeds - Kosaitai - Hon Tsai Tai
Yu Choy Sum Seeds - Kosaitai - Hon Tsai Tai. Heirloom, Non-GMO. Brassica rapa var purpurea. 50 days. Cool season annual. This flowering purple stem choy sum, also known as...
Watermelon Seeds - Picnic - AU Producer
85 Days to maturity. Citrullus lanatus. AU Producer Watermelon Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat tolerant, seeded, picnic watermelon. Suitable for growing in garden plots. Originally bred in Alabama, in...
Parsley Seeds - Evergreen
70-80 Days to maturity. Petroselinum crispum. Evergreen Parsley Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, AAS Winner, open-pollinated. Suitable for growing in fields, containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Evergreen Parsley features vibrant...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Fava (Organic)
70-85 Days to maturity. Vicia faba. Organic Fava Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, bush, shell, fava bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses....
Radish Seeds - German Giant - Organic
Raphanus R. sativus. (29 days) They call these radishes Giant for a reason! Delicious when they are the size of a quarter, but they can grow as large as a...
Bean Seeds - Pole - Purple Moon Hyacinth
90 Days to maturity. Lablab purpureus. Purple Moon Hyacinth Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat tolerant, drought tolerant, pole, snap, Asian, specialty bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden...
Sunflower Seeds - Skyscraper (Organic)
80 Days to maturity. Helianthus annuus. Organic Skyscraper Sunflower Seeds: Non-GMO. Open Pollinated. Ornamental. Annual. The skyscraper sunflower is beautiful and grows 12 feet tall with long, strong stalks holding...
Swiss Chard Seeds - Pink Lipstick
60 days. Pink Lipstick Swiss Chard is named after the bright pink hue of its stems and veins. Plants grow green delicious leaves that can be used as bitter and...
Radish Seeds - Chinese - Green Meat Luobo
60 Days to maturity. Raphanus sativus. Green Meat Luobo Chinese Radish Heirloom Seeds. Cool Season Annual. Unlike other Chinese radishes, Green Luobos aren’t globe-shaped—instead, they grow as big as 10”...
Beet Seeds - Detroit Mix - Organic
60 days. Heirloom, Non-GMO. Certified Organic. This mix of Detroit Red and Golden Beet seeds will make for a colorful and tasty harvest with all the warm shades of summer....
Squash Seeds - Winter - Sunshine Hybrid
Hybrid Sunshine Winter Squash is a kabocha squash that out-shines other varieties in side-by-side trials across North America. Sunshine is ready in 95 to 100 days. Hybrid Sunshine Squash has...
Watermelon Seeds - Icebox - Hime Kansen Hybrid
95 Days to maturity. Citrullus vulgaris. Hime Kansen Hybrid Japanese Watermelon Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, hybrid, heat tolerant, seeded, icebox watermelon. Suitable for growing in garden plots. This Japanese watermelon is...
Corn Seeds - Dent - Ornamental - Bloody Butcher
110 Days to maturity. Zea mays. Bloody Butcher Ornamental Corn Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, Dent Corn. Suitable for growing in garden plots or raised beds. Corn tolerates heat and...
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