April Guide

April Growing Tips

What's going on in April?

April is one of the most exciting months to be outside (or inside if you’re growing in pots!) as we start seeing seedlings popping up. And the prospect of our mini kitchen gardens become a reality! The days are getting longer and longer (maybe lose those thermals now) and the vegetable garden is a really busy place to be!

You’ll start to sow lots of fruit and vegetables from April onwards, but the key here (and for the rest of the year) is to sow little and often. This way you’ll give your food enough room and nutrients to do well and ensure a continuous crop throughout the year.

The weather in April

We see the days get continuously warmer, but just like in March, clear nights can still lead to overnight frosts. So again, young tender plants might not be quite ready to be planted out just yet.

The old wives tale of April Showers rings true to an extent, so be prepared for heavy rainfall and sodden soil. But April isn’t always as wet as people assume, so it’s not a bad idea to think about making a water butt and water harvesting. Just in case we have a super hot summer (fingers crossed!).

Main things to accomplish

Now’s the time to really get stuck into sowing and planting – and if you’ve got little ones around, really encourage them to get involved as well.

If the rain doesn’t materialise, you’ll need to think about getting into a routine of regularly watering the plants that need it, along with feeding your young fruit and vegetables with organic fertiliser/ mulch.

Pests will start appearing around now and making a nuisance of themselves, so you’ll also need to look out for signs those pesky critters are damaging the lovely plants you’ve worked hard to nurture so far. Check out our blog on Making Your Own Organic Pesticides for more on this.

Digging Deeper into jobs for this month

Prep

- Support plants sown earlier this year (ie. Peas) with canes or sticks
- Shade young plants on sunny days
Sowing & Planting

SOW INSIDE
Courgettes, Tomatoes, Celery, Pumpkins
SOW OUTSIDE
Rocket, Leeks, Carrots, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflowers, Brussel Sprouts, Herbs
PLANT OUTSIDE
Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Potatoes, Onions, Container-trained Fruit
Tending

- Water crops during dry spells
- Thin out rows of Seedlings
- Keep an eye out for Pests & Disease
Harvesting

- Harvest Radish
- Forage Wild Garlic
- Harvest + Succession Sowing: Lettuce, Radish, Beetroot, Peas, Spring Onions
Eating

- Make Wild Garlic Pesto

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