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]()
Peppermint Seeds
90 Days. Peppermint Culinary Herb Seeds. Mentha sp. Non-GMO. A deliciously versatile and bright herb, peppermint seeds are a naturally occurring hybrid between culinary spearmint and watermint. Grown very similar...
Watermelon Seeds - Mini - Sugar Baby
75-80 Days to maturity. Citrullus lanatus. Sugar Baby Watermelon Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat tolerant, seeded, mini watermelon. Suitable for growing in garden plots and large containers (minimum 7...
Crimson Clover - Cover Crop Seeds
70-90 Days. Trifolium incarnatum. Cover Crop. Non-GMO. Annual. Heirloom crimson clover seeds are an ideal annual garden companion and cover crop for plants and soils deficient in nitrogen. Use to...
Lemon Balm Seeds
Melissa officinalis Perennial. Non-GMO, Heirloom Lemon Balm Herb Garden Seed from True Leaf Market. Melissa officinalis. Lemon Balm resides in the mint family and is native to regions in West...
Zinnia Seeds - California Giant Mix
75-90 Days to maturity. Zinnia elegans. California Giant Mixture Zinnia Seeds. Non-GMO, organic, annual. The “king of summer annuals" California Giant Mix seeds are the largest variety of Zinnias ever,...
Spearmint Seeds
50-70 Days to maturity. Mentha spicata. Spearmint Seeds. Non-GMO, perennial, open-pollinated, heirloom. Suitable for growing in fields, containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Enjoy the vibrant, fruity aroma of...
Chives Seeds (Organic)
60 days. Organic Chives Culinary Herb Seeds. Allium schoenoprasum. Perennial. Non-GMO. A member of the onion family along with garlic and leeks, Organic chives are a smaller, more tubular relative...
White Dutch Clover - Cover Crop Seeds
70-90 Days. Trifolium repens. Non-GMO. Cover Crop. Perennial. Open-pollinated White Dutch clover seeds produce a cover crop for gardens lacking in nitrogen and productivity. Non-GMO White Dutch clover seeds quickly...
Crimson Clover - Organic - Cover Crop Seeds
70-90 Days. Trifolium incarnatum. Organic. Cover Crop. Non-GMO. Heirloom Organic crimson clover seeds are an ideal annual garden companion and cover crop for plants and soils deficient in nitrogen. Use...
Peppermint Seeds (Organic)
Perennial herb garden seeds. Certified Organic by Oregon Tilth. Non-GMO, Heirloom Peppermint Herb Garden Seed from True Leaf Market. Mentha sp. Peppermint plants are cool perennial and hybrid mints native...
Chives Seeds
Non-GMO, Heirloom Chives Herb Garden Seed from True Leaf Market. Allium schoenoprasum. Chives are native to regions in Asia and Europe. This Chive cultivar is common in the U.S. and...
Broccoli Seeds - Green Sprouting Calabrese
brassica oleracea var. capitata (60-90 days) Start Green Sprouting broccoli early in the season and by early summer you will have tons of sweet broccoli. Harvest the central head then...
Melon Seeds - Cantaloupe - Imperial 45
65-85 Days to maturity. Cucumis melo. Imperial 45 Cantaloupe Melon Seeds. A non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, AAS winner, heat-tolerant Cantaloupe Melon. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and...
Zinnia Seeds - Lilliput Mixture
54-70 Days to maturity. Zinnia elegans. Lilliput Mixture Zinnia Seeds. Non-GMO, organic, annual. Lilliput Mixture Zinnia Flowers are easy to grow from seeds and ideal for hot and drought-prone gardens....
African Marigold Seeds - Taishan Series
77-84 days. Taishan Series is easy to grow from seed and delivers neat and disease-tolerant marigolds ideal for gardens prone to heat, drought, and poor soils. With 20% shorter peduncles...
Flower Mix - Zinnia Special Collection
Attract pollinators all season long with beautiful multi-colored zinnia blooms. Zinnias are not only one of the loveliest flowers in the garden, but they are also easy to grow and...
Melon Seeds - Cantaloupe - Minnesota Midget
65-70 Days to maturity. Cucumis melo var. reticulatus. Minnesota Midget Melon Seeds. A non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat-tolerant Cantaloupe Melon. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds, and...
Zinnia Seeds - Profusion Series (Coated)
54-70 Days to maturity. Zinnia elegans x angustifolia. Profusion Series Zinnia Seeds. Non-GMO, organic, annual. Profusion Series Zinnia flower seeds promise to turn your tired summer bedding into an award-winning...
Zinnia Seeds - Magellan Series (Coated)
55-60 Days to maturity. Zinnia elegans. Magellan Series Zinnia Seeds. Non-GMO, organic, F1 hybrid, annual. Magellan Zinnia Series seeds produce tough, resilient zinnias, best suited for gardens prone to heat...
African Marigold Seeds - Inca II Series
77-84 Days to maturity. Tagetes erecta. Inca II Series African Marigold Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, hybrid. Inca II Series African marigold seeds invite timeless AAS award-winning color for your home, patio,...
Watermelon Seeds - Mini - Baby Doll Hybrid
70-75 Days to maturity. Citrullus lanatus. Baby Doll F1 hybrid Watermelon Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, hybrid, heat tolerant, seeded, mini watermelon. These warm season watermelons win the race as their oval-shaped...
Watermelon Seeds - Mini - Sugar Baby (Organic)
75-80 Days to maturity. Citrullus lanatus. Organic Sugar Baby Watermelon Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat tolerant, seeded, mini watermelon. Suitable for growing in garden plots and large containers...
Watermelon Seeds - Picnic - Striped Klondike Blue Ribbon
77-80 Days to maturity. Citrullus lanatus. Striped Klondike Blue Ribbon Watermelon Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat tolerant, seeded, picnic watermelon. Suitable for growing in garden plots. First bred in...
Broccoli Seeds - Di Cicco
Brassica oleracea (50-70 days) Di Cicco is an Italian heirloom broccoli dating from 1890. Di Cicco broccoli is very vigorous, emerald green, producing nice central heads 3-5" wide. Approx. 9,000...
Cauliflower Seeds - Cheddar Hybrid
70-75 days. This beautiful orange cauliflower boasts uniform, smooth, firm heads. Leave heads untied for maximum color intensity. Roasting enhances the flavor of cheddar cauliflower. In warm growing areas, plant...
Zinnia Seeds - State Fair Mix
60 - 80 days. Zinnia elegans. Annual. State Fair Mix Zinnia seeds grow some of the tallest and brightest Zinnias growing this summer. State Fair Mix Zinnia seeds deliver brilliant...
Zinnia Seeds - Thumbelina Mixture
60-70 Days to maturity. Zinnia elegans. Thumbelina Mix Zinnia Seeds. Non-GMO, AAS Winner, annual. Thumbelina Mix Zinnia flower seeds are a small, adorable, and vibrant addition to grow in any...
Watermelon Seeds - Icebox - Bush Sugar Baby
75 Days to maturity. Citrullus lanatus. Bush Sugar Baby Watermelon Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat tolerant, seeded, Icebox watermelon. Suitable for growing in garden plots and large containers (minimum...
Zinnia Seeds - Dahlia Flowered Mixture
90-100 Days to maturity. Zinnia elegans. Dahlia Flowered Mixture Zinnia Seeds. Non-GMO, organic, annual. Growing Dahlia Flowered Mix zinnia seeds this season is an effortless and vibrant way to dash...
African Marigold Seeds - Cracker Jack
77-84 Days to maturity. Tagetes erecta. Cracker Jack African Marigold Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated. Crackerjack seeds grow a vibrant golden orange and yellow mix of the famous African Marigold that...
Parsley Seeds - Italian Giant (Organic)
70-80 Days to maturity. Petroselinum crispum. Organic Italian Giant Parsley Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom. Suitable for growing in fields, containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Italian Giant...
Cauliflower Seeds - Snowball Y Improved - Organic
Brassica oleracea (70-80 days) Snowball Y improved was Introduced by Ferry-Morse Seed Company in 1947. It was developed from "Snowball" cauliflower which was around in 1884. Tasty snow white 6",...
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