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]()
Millet Seeds - White Proso
White Proso Millet (70-100 days). Proso millet, also called Proso, grain millet or hog millet, is grown primarily in the US for feed grain or birdseed purposes. However, most of...
Catmint Seeds - Blue Moon
60-80 Days to maturity. Nepeta nervosa. Blue Moon Cat Mint Seeds. Non-GMO, open-pollinated, Premium Quality Seeds, perennial. This heat-tolerant flowering herb is just the versatile plant that your garden needs!...
Flower Seeds - Bachelor Buttons
50-60 Days to maturity. Centaurea cyanus. Bachelor Button Seeds. Non-GMO, Open-Pollinated, Annual. Bachelor Button is a drought-tolerant annual native to Europe. The flower is the original deep blue hue that...
Beet Seeds - Red Ace Hybrid
50 days. The Red Ace beet is a variety that is highly adaptable and that can grow in cooler temperatures. The Red Ace matures a week before many other beets,...
Zinnia Seeds - Dreamland Mixture (Coated)
54-70 Days to maturity. Zinnia elegans. Dreamland Mixture Zinnia Seeds. Non-GMO, organic, annual. Dreamland Mix Zinnia Flower seeds are the fastest way to splash some excitement into your garden. Dreamland...
Melon Seeds - Casaba - Golden Beauty
110 Days to maturity. Cucumis melo. Golden Beauty Casaba Melon Seeds. A non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat-tolerant, Casaba Melon. Suitable for growing in garden plots and raised beds. Golden Beauty...
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...
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...
Onion - Long - Southport White Globe 404
70-110 Days to maturity. Allium cepa. Southport White Globe Onion Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, cold tolerant, bulbing, long-day onion. Suitable for growing in greenhouses, garden plots, and raised beds....
Bean Seeds - Bush - Topcrop
50-65 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Topcrop Bush Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, AAS winner, high-yielding, bush, snap, green bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds,...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Fordhook 242 Lima
72 Days to maturity. Phaseolus lunatus. Fordhook 242 Bush Lima Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, AAS winner, high-yielding, heat-tolerant, drought-tolerant, bush, shell, lima bean. Suitable for growing in containers,...
Calendula Seeds - Fancy Mix
50-70 Days to maturity. Calendula officinalis. Fancy Mix Calendula Seeds. Non-GMO, open-pollinated, annual, ornamental herb and flower. Fancy Mix Calendulas are hardy, tolerant of cool temperatures, and produce some strikingly...
Cosmos Seeds - Sonata Mix
49-63 Days to maturity. Cosmos bipinnatus. Sonata Mix Cosmos Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, Heirloom, Open Pollinated. Sonata Mix cosmos seeds grow an effortless and full sun performer perfect for just about...
Mustard Seeds - Old Fashioned
B. juncea (42 days) Old Fashioned Mustard is the classic mustard typically found in Southern gardens of yesteryear. It is still widely grown in the South for its reliability and...
Okra Seeds - Jing Orange
Jing Orange Okra Seeds. 30 to 60 days to maturity. Abelmoschus esculentus. Heirloom, Annual. Jing Orange is an Asian okra, known for it is stunning red-orange color. Approximately 500 seeds/ounce....
Pak Choi Seeds - Red Tatsoi - Hybrid
45 Days to full maturity, 20-30 Days for baby leaf, 10-15 Days for microgreens. Brassica rapa subsp. narinosa. Red Tatsoi, Pak Choi Seeds. Annual, Hybrid. Cool Season. This vigorous hybrid...
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...
Melon Seeds - Korean - Dae Jang Geum Hybrid
65 Days to maturity. Cucumis melo var. makuwa. Dae Jang Geum Korean Hybrid Melon Seeds. A non-GMO, annual, hybrid, heat tolerant, drought tolerant, Asian Melon. Suitable for growing in garden...
Okra Seeds - Emerald
55-70 days. Emerald Okra Seeds - Non-GMO, Abelmoschus esculentus. These heirloom Emerald okra plants are 5-8 feet tall and produce smooth bright green 7" long pods. They were developed and...
Corn Seeds - Sweet - Ambrosia Hybrid (treated)
80-90 Days to maturity. Zea mays. Ambrosia Hybrid Corn Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, hybrid, Sweet Corn. Suitable for growing in garden plots or raised beds. Corn tolerates heat and drought-prone regions....
Buckwheat Seeds - Japanese
Fagopyrum esculentum. 49 days to full maturity. Buckwheat is the perfect smother crop, adding valuable green manure to your soil or harvesting for seed. We kind of do both. We...
Lettuce Seeds - Butterhead - Kagraner Sommer
50-60 days. Non-GMO. Open-pollinated. Kagraner Sommer Lettuce Seeds from True Leaf Market produce a butterhead lettuce with light green leaves that is slow to bolt. Also known as Kagran Summer...
Bean Seeds - Pole - White Seeded Yard Long
65-75 Days to maturity. Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis. White Seeded Yard Long Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heat-tolerant, heirloom, pole, snap, Asian, specialty bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden...
Chinese Mustard Seeds - Shuidong
35 to 45 Days to maturity. Brassica juncea. Shuidong Chinese Mustard Seeds. Non-GMO, Heirloom, non-GMO, Cool Season Annual. Shuidong mustard is named after the town where it was first cultivated,...
Beet Seeds - Red Mammoth Mangel
Beta vulgaris (100 days) Fodder beets have been around since the 1400s if not earlier. These beets were prized as nutritious animal feed that was easy to store. Fodder beets...
Carrot Seeds - Purple Haze Hybrid
70 days. The Purple Haze carrot produces roots with a beautiful blend of purple and orange that looks almost tie dye-like. Each carrot has a deep purple exterior with a...
Pea Seeds - Thomas Laxton
60-70 days. Pisum sativum Non-GMO. Heirloom. A true American heirloom, this pea originated in rural England in the 1800s and was bred by Thomas Laxton's sons who named the variety...
Sunflower Seeds - Indian Blanket
75-90 Days to maturity. Helianthus annuus. Indian Blanket Sunflower Seeds: Non-GMO. Open Pollinated. Ornamental. Annual. Indian Blanket blooms gorgeous flowers that are shades of orange, red, and yellow. These beautiful...
Watermelon Seeds - Picnic - Dixie Queen
80 Days to maturity. Citrullus lanatus. Dixie Queen Watermelon Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat tolerant, seeded, picnic watermelon. The Dixie Queen watermelon is popular in the southern United States....
Cauliflower Seeds - Veronica Romanesco Hybrid
77 days. This "Italian" type produces very symmetrical and spiraled, lime green heads with tightly beaded, pointed domes. Useful raw, cooked, or pickled, with a milder, sweeter flavor than standard...
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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