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]()
Zucchini Seeds - Cocozelle - Organic
(48 days) Introduced prior to 1885. An Italian heirloom still widely grown today. Bush type squash with long cylindrical, dark green, zucchini. Organic Cocozelle Zucchini Squash Seeds Cocozelle has very...
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...
French Marigold Seeds - Petite Mixture
56-63 Days to maturity. Tagetes patula. Petite Mixture French Marigold Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated. Petite Mixture French marigold seeds are an adorable, compact, and vibrant addition to grow in any...
Squash Seeds - Winter - Sweet Meat
Non-GMO Sweet Meat Winter Squash is ready in 100 days. USU recommends this variety of winter squash due to the fact it's vigorous, heavy-yielding vines. Fruit on Gill's Sweet Meat...
Nasturtium Seeds - Alaska
54-63 Days to maturity. Tropaeolum majus. Nasturtium Alaska Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, heirloom. Alaska nasturtium is brilliant, easy to grow from seed, and perfectly suited for many dry and temperate climates....
Bean Seeds - Bush - Strike
50-65 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Strike 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....
Bean Seeds - Bush - Provider
50-65 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Provider Bush Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, high-yielding, heat-tolerant, bush, snap, green bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds, and...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Roma II
50-65 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Roma II Bush Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, AAS winner, high-yielding, heat-tolerant, bush, snap, romano, green bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden...
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....
Melon Seeds - Cantaloupe - Hearts of Gold
80-90 Days to maturity. Cucumis melo. Hearts of Gold Cantaloupe Melon Seeds. A non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat-tolerant Cantaloupe Melon. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses....
Zinnia Seeds - Zahara Series (Coated)
50-60 Days to maturity. Zinnia elegans. Zahara Series Zinnia Seeds. Non-GMO, annual. Zahara Series Zinnia flower seeds are brilliant, easy to grow, and renowned for their hardiness and ability to...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Blue Lake (Organic)
50-65 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Organic Blue Lake Bush Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom snap bush bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses....
Bean Seeds - Bush - Royal Burgundy
50-65 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Royal Burgundy Bush Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, high-yielding, bush, snap bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses....
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...
Corn Seeds - Flour - Painted Mountain (Organic)
90 Days to maturity. Zea mays. Painted Mountain Organic Corn Seeds. Non-GMO, warm season annual, certified organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, Flour Corn. Suitable for growing in garden plots or raised beds....
Bean Seeds - Pole - Scarlet Runner
50-75 Days to maturity. Phaseolus coccineus. Scarlet Runner Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, high-yielding, AAS Winner, drought tolerant, high-yielding, pole, snap string bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden...
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...
Cosmos Seeds - Sensation Mixture
49-63 Days to maturity. Cosmos bipinnatus. Sensation Mixture Cosmos Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, Heirloom, Open Pollinated. Sensation Mix cosmos seeds grow some of the season's most timeless and familiar blooms. Sensation...
Squash Seeds - Winter - Delicata
Non-GMO Delicata Winter squash is ready in 100 days. This is one of the tastier winter vine squashes with creamy flesh tastes like sweet potatoes. This is where the other...
Okra Seeds - Hill Country Red
60-70 days. Hill Country Red Okra Seeds. Abelmoschus esculentus. Non-GMO. Heirloom. Hill Country Red okra seeds mature to 6 feet tall and is a good producer of thick green pods...
Watermelon Seeds - Picnic - Georgia Rattlesnake
Citrullus lunatus (90 days) AKA "Gypsy" and "Augusta Rattesnake" watermelon. Georgia Rattlesnake is said to have been developed in the 1830s. It has been an old Southern favorite for a...
Squash Seeds - Winter - Pink Banana Jumbo
105-115 Days to maturity. Cucurbita maxima Pink Banana Jumbo Winter Squash Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, heirloom, open-pollinated. Suitable for growing in fields, garden plots, raised beds, and large containers. Noted for...
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...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Slenderette
50-65 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Slenderette 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....
Corn Seeds - Sweet - Kandy Korn Hybrid
80-90 Days to maturity. Zea mays. Kandy Korn Hybrid Corn Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, hybrid, Sweet Corn. Suitable for growing in garden plots or raised beds. Corn tolerates heat and drought-prone...
Melon Seeds - Canary Yellow
80-120 Days to maturity. Cucumis melo. Canary Yellow Melon Seeds. A non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat-tolerant Melon. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. This winter melon...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Dark Red Kidney (Organic)
90-100 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Organic Dark Red Kidney Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, high-yielding, bush, shelling bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds,...
Sunflower Seeds - Autumn Beauty Mix
90-100 Days to maturity. Helianthus annuus. Autumn Beauty Mix Sunflower Seeds: Non-GMO. Open Pollinated. Ornamental. Annual. Heirloom. Autumn Beauty Mix seeds grow one of the summer's most explosive and familiar...
Sunflower Seeds - Mammoth Grey Stripe (Organic)
90-110 Days to maturity. Helianthus annuus. Organic Mammoth Grey Stripe Sunflower Seeds: Non-GMO. Open Pollinated. Ornamental. Annual. Mammoth sunflower seeds grow one of the tallest, brightest, and most breathtaking flowers...
Sunflower Seeds - Velvet Queen
90-110 Days to maturity. Helianthus annuus. Velvet Queen Sunflower Seeds: Non-GMO. Open Pollinated. Ornamental. Annual. Heirloom. Velvet Queen seeds grow one of the summer's most exclusive and rare blooms, exceptional...
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