What to Sow and Plant in April?

Vegetable garden

In April, many different types of vegetables are sown and planted. This is the month when the garden comes to life in all its glory. We plant potatoes, onions, garlic, lettuce, cabbage, and much more. We sow radishes, carrots, parsley, and many other types of vegetables.

When Do We Plant Onions and Spring Garlic?

If it is very wet and cold, we plant onions and garlic at the beginning of April. We start working as soon as the soil is dry enough and does not stick to our tools. Garlic and onion roots also thrive well when it’s cooler, so we have to hurry with the work. Therefore, we plant only exceptionally until the end of April at the latest.

Onions and spring garlic are planted in the garden.

In spring, we plant leek seedlings. Leeks do not get along with onions and garlic. Therefore, do not plant them next to each other.

Preparing the Soil with the Quick Fork Is the Easiest

The work can be done 2 to 3 times faster with the Quick Fork than with conventional gardening tools. The spine and arms are less strained, making the work easier for older gardeners. Women can also use this device to loosen the soil without much trouble. An upright posture significantly reduces the strain on the spine. The hands also work with less force.

The Quick Fork is used for the first time in spring.

The spine is not strained, allowing us to work with much less effort.

Deep loosening of the soil improves soil quality and has a positive effect on soil life and microorganisms. In the garden soil, there is exactly the right ratio of air, water, and earth. Seeds germinate better, and seedlings root more easily and quickly.

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Crop Rotation is Important for Healthy Vegetables and a Good Harvest

In a vegetable garden, make sure not to grow the same types of vegetables in the same spot for several years in a row. In mixed cultures, we pay attention to crop rotation for the main vegetables that stay longer in the garden. We explain the correct crop rotation using cabbage as an example.

Lettuce can be planted between cabbage seedlings. Next to the early cabbage seedlings, peas or beans are also sown in April. Then chickpeas in May.

Good vegetable neighbors always come from different botanical families. After we have grown cabbage, we do not plant related species, such as turnips, kohlrabi, Chinese cabbage, etc., on the same garden bed.

After the harvest, no cabbage should be planted on this garden bed for at least 3 to 4 years.

By April at the Latest, We Plant Early Cabbage and Other Types of Cabbage

In warm springs, we plant the seedlings of early cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and kale already in March. However, this should definitely be done by the beginning of April at the latest. When cabbage and other related vegetables are planted at a distance of 40 cm, fast-growing vegetables can be grown in the spaces in between.

Planting of cabbage and its 'good neighbors' — Planting of cabbage and its “good neighbors”.

Most of the time, we sow or plant lettuce in these spaces, which does not require its own garden bed and can be planted among other vegetables. Peas and beans can also be sown in April. Next to the cabbage and similar vegetables, we also sow lentils and chickpeas in May.

Potato Cultivation

Start in early April by sowing beans along the edges of the garden bed where you will plant potatoes. When cultivating potatoes, the soil must not be too cold. You must wait until the soil has warmed to 8 degrees Celsius.

We recommend all gardeners to grow early potato varieties. This way, space is freed up more quickly for sowing and planting summer vegetables. Very early varieties are also safe from potato beetle infestations and potato blight.

We Also Sow Peas, Beets, Swiss Chard, and Spinach

If the weather in March was not favorable and you have not sown peas, you should hurry and have the work done by the beginning of April. Red beets are sown in rows at a distance of 30 cm. Later, we remove the plants that are too close together so that the remaining ones have a distance of about 10 cm. From these plants, we can make a first salad. In April, we also sow and plant Swiss chard and spinach. Swiss chard, red beet, and spinach are related, so we sow them on different beds.

Sowing Parsley, Carrots, and Radishes

Parsley and carrots are sown when the soil temperature is at least 8°C. If it’s colder, the sowing fails or the seeds germinate very slowly.

Carrots are mostly sown between rows of onions to protect them from carrot fly. You can also sow them next to leeks. If you want a more even sowing, mix carrot seeds with radish.

The radish will germinate quickly and show you where the carrots are growing. By thinning and picking radishes, the carrots are also thinned out, which lays the foundation for a good and abundant carrot harvest.

Kohlrabi, Arugula, and Garden Cress

Kohlrabi, arugula, and garden cress are related and are not planted or sown together. Arugula is usually planted together with lettuce.

Kohlrabi fits well with low-growing beans, and it can also be planted among other vegetables since it does not require its own garden bed. Garden cress can be sown between carrots and lettuce. Make sure not to sow it between cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and other types of cabbage.

Jerusalem Artichokes and Sunflowers

Jerusalem artichoke tubers are planted in March and April. The distance between plants should be 40 cm, and between rows 70 cm. If some tubers remain in the ground in autumn, they multiply on their own in spring. Jerusalem artichokes can proliferate and displace other types of vegetables.

The sunflower is a honey plant. Its large golden to red-yellow flowers are very attractive to bees and represent an important source of nectar. We usually sow them from mid-April to mid-May.

Corn and Asparagus

Sweet corn for seedlings is sown in the greenhouse from the beginning of April, outdoors in the second half of April when the soil has warmed to 10 degrees Celsius. The distance in the row is 10 cm. The recommended distance between rows is 70 cm.

Asparagus is best planted with the help of seedlings, which can be bought in April at garden centers and well-stocked nurseries. The plants are planted in a row with a distance of 50 cm between them, and the distance between rows is at least 2 meters.

Bean Cultivation

At the end of April, we sow low-growing beans, and at the beginning of May, we also sow tall varieties. Low-growing beans can also be grown earlier and then transplanted into the garden as seedlings.

This is better than sowing low-growing beans in cold soil. If sown in too cold soil, beans become susceptible to diseases, and the harvest is poorer.

Raised Beds Are Becoming Increasingly Popular

Even in cool and wet springs, we can start sowing and planting in a raised bed from March. Raised beds are warmer and drier than the ground in a vegetable garden.

Raised bed in April (Lettuce, Radish, and Arugula).

In a raised bed, we can plant various types of vegetables, herbs, and fruits. Smaller raised beds can be placed on a larger balcony or terrace. There is also enough space along the paths around the house for a tall garden bed.

All heat-loving vegetables are planted in April only in the greenhouse. In warmer areas with a Mediterranean climate, however, they can already be grown outdoors in April.

What Do We Plant in May?

In May, we plant tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers, melons, zucchini, and other East and vegetable varieties.

Always pay attention to the “Botanical Families” when sowing and planting. Moreover, high-quality seeds are an important basis for a good harvest, so choose wisely. Raised beds, which can be placed on balconies, terraces, or in the garden, are also becoming increasingly popular.

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made from quality materials and manufactured in the EU.