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]()
Cabbage Seeds - All Seasons (Organic)
87 Days to maturity. Brassica oleracea var. capitata Organic All Seasons Cabbage was first listed by J.J.H. Gregory & Son, of Marblehead, Mass in 1886. A few years later it...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Cannellini (Organic)
75-85 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Organic Cannellini Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, bush shelling bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Sometimes...
Whole Oats (Organic) - Bulk Grains & Foods
These unprocessed whole oat grains have the hull on and are wonderful when used for sprouting, animal feed, and oat grass. They are only suitable for food when the hull...
Barley (Organic) - Bulk Grains & Foods
This Steptoe barley seed is unhulled, which gives it an outstanding germination rate. This barley is best used for sprouting and growing barley grass but will need to be hulled...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Contender (Organic)
50-65 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Organic Contender Bush Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, high yielding, heat tolerant, bush, snap, stringless bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots,...
Pea Seeds - Shelling - Progress No. 9 (Organic)
60-65 Days to maturity. Pisum sativum Organic Progress No. 9 seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom. Perfectly suitable for growing in fields, containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Bred...
Spelt (Organic) - Bulk Grains & Foods
Spelt, a relative of farro and a subspecies of wheat, has been a staple crop for centuries. Although it was originally grown to make bread, its uses are broad. It...
Amaranth (Organic) - Sprouting Seeds
7-10 Days to Harvest. Amaranthus cruentus. Organic Amaranth Sprouting Seeds. Organic. Non-GMO. Sprouting. High Germination. Amaranth is a pseudo-grain that can be sprouted for sprouts, ground into flour, toasted, made...
Kale Seeds - Dwarf Siberian - Organic
Brassica napus (50 days) Frilly green leaves dance in the crisp early morning cold and thrive! Why? Because its roots were in Russia! Plants grow 14" tall and are super...
Soybean - Black (Organic) - Sprouting Seeds
2-5 Days to Harvest. Glycine max L. Merr.. Organic Black soybean Sprouting Seeds. Organic. Non-GMO. Sprouting. High Germination. Considered a superfood, Organic black soybean sprouting seeds quickly sprout an antioxidant-rich...
Green Lentils (Organic) - Bulk Grains & Foods
Our certified Organic green lentils are high in fiber, protein, and vitamins A, C, B complex and E, iron, calcium, and phosphorus. These green lentils are tested for microbes and...
Buckwheat Seeds - Japanese - Organic
Fagopyrum esculentum(49 days) Buckwheat is the perfect smother crop, adding valuable green manure to your soil. You can also harvest it for seed. We do both. We thresh the grain...
Squash Seeds - Summer - Scallop Yellow Bush (Organic)
49 days to maturity. Cucurbita pepo. Organic Scallop Yellow Bush Summer Squash Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, heirloom, open-pollinated, organic. This is suitable for growing in fields, containers, garden plots, raised beds,...
Carrot Seeds - Little Fingers - Organic
(65 days) Little Fingers baby gourmet carrot has tiny tender 3- 5" roots; 1/2 inch thick; golden orange, sweet and crisp. A perfect Nantes type carrot for munching or salads....
Squash Seeds - Japanese Red Kuri - Organic
Cucurbita maxima. (90 days) Also known as "Uchiki Kuri", "Baby Red Hubbard" or "Orange Hokkaido". Japanese Red Kuri are bright red teardrop shaped squash that average 5-8 pounds. Organic Japanese...
Garbanzo Bean (Organic) - Bulk Grains & Foods
Dried garbanzo beans, also known as chickpeas or gram, are commonly used in African, Middle Eastern, and Indian dishes. Our garbanzo beans are high in protein, have a nutty flavor,...
Lettuce Seeds, Leaf - Red Sails - Organic
Organic Red Sails Leaf Lettuce Seeds. 45 days to maturity. Baby leaf maturity at 21 days. Heirloom, Non-GMO, Annual. Lactuca sativa. Radiant bronze-red leaves form a full rosette delicately ruffled...
Hairy Vetch - Organic - Cover Crop Seeds
80-90 Days. Vicia villosa. Organic. Annual. Non-GMO. Such a vigorous annual cover crop that it is considered invasive in much of the United States, non-GMO hairy vetch is a European...
Lettuce Seeds - Red Oakleaf - Organic
Lactuca sativa (38 days) A deep merlot colored leaf resembling an oak leaf with deep lobes. Excellent for baby leaf production. Unlike some other reds, oakleaf maintains a mild flavor...
Lettuce Seeds - Tom Thumb - Organic
Lactuca sativa (50 days) Introduced some time in the 1850s. Small, round head with delicate leaves. About the size of a baseball. Perfect for one-person salad. Can be planted close...
Carrot Seeds - Solar Yellow - Organic
Daucus Carrota (60 days) Yellow carrots have been around for a long time. As far as researchers can document, they originated in the Middle East sometime in the 900s. Now...
Carrot Seeds - Cosmic Purple - Organic
(58 days) Purple on the outside and bright orange on the inside, these carrots are a real show stopper! Have trouble getting the kids to eat carrots? Cosmic Purple to...
Amaranthus Seeds - Hopi Red Dye (Organic)
A plant with many uses that was historically used by the Hopi Nation. Tender and colorful young leaves are excellent for salads or a micro greens mix. Grind seed with...
Cauliflower Seeds - Self Blanching - Organic
Brassica oleracea (68 days) Developed by Dr. Homna at MSU. This cauliflower has self-wrapping leaves which shield the snow-white curds from sun, thus the name Self Blanching Cauliflower. This allows...
Lettuce Seeds - Black Seeded Simpson - Organic
Lactuca Sativa (45 days) An old reliable lettuce that is heat resistant, slow to bolt and very dependable. Leaves are large, but lightly crispy and ruffled. Excellent for spring, early...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Light Red Kidney (Organic)
85-95 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Organic Light Red Kidney Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, bush, shelling bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds, and...
Broccoli Seeds - Romanesco - Organic
Brassica oleracea (75 days) Romanecso reminds me of the patterns you would see when looking through a kaleidoscope as a kid. It has great spiraling designs and shades of apple-green...
Corn Seeds - Flint - Hopi Blue (Organic)
100 Days to maturity. Zea mays. Blue Hopi Organic Corn Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, Flint and Flour Corn. Suitable for growing in garden plots or raised beds. Corn...
French Marigold Seeds - Sparky - Organic
63-77 Days to maturity. Tagetes patula. Organic Sparky Marigold Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, Open Pollinated. Sparky Mixture marigold seeds offer one of the most vibrant and inexpensive blooms available to the...
Radish Seeds - China Rose - Organic
55 days. This popular radish for sprouting produces crisp rose colored winter radishes. Radishes are 8" long by 2" wide with rose colored skin and white flesh. Not suitable for...
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