Author: The Secret Gardener

The seeds you started in Feb/March can be transplanted into the garden this month.

Onions and their relatives can be either transplanted and / or direct sown early on as can lettuce and other hardy greens. Peas, beets, spinach, carrots, turnips and radishes can be direct sown throughout the month. Potatoes can go in mid month. The first week of the month is not too late to start tomatoes, peppers and eggplants planted out in late May. Late April is the time to start cucumbers and squash and melons to be transplanted into the garden a month later. Cabbages, broccoli,kale, etc…can be started inside anytime and direct sown mid-month on.

If you have a cold frame it can be put to good use to move the plants you have started in the house to the frame opening up space to start more tender vegetables and to harden off more cold tolerant vegetables before they are transplanted into the ground.

For early birds it’s time to get going with starting hardy vegetables indoors under shop lights on on on sunny window sills for transplanting into the garden during the first two weeks in April: Lettuce, Asian greens, Kohlrabi, parsley and good beets. Mid-month they can be put in a cold frame opening up space in the house for starting your seedlings for hot weather vegetables.

The last week or so of the month: radishes, spring turnips, carrots, beets, lettuce greens, peas and spinach and the like can be direct seeded in the garden.

During the second half of the month start: peppers and tomatoes for transplanting into the garden in late May.

Keep an eye on the weather forecast – planting times are flexible as is soil preparation that can be started mid-month or so.