April Planting Guide – Zones 5 & 6

Not in zones 5 or 6?

When can you start planting in April?

Those of you in Zone 6 can get started planting right away with most of these vegetables. This is why it is so important during this month to have your planting beds ready to go.

If you are in zone 5 hold off until the middle of April. Always remember that you shouldn’t be planting unless the soil is dry enough to work. Working with wet soil can destroy the soil structure for years to come!!

Here’s a summary of what you can plant in April

April Planting Guide

Root crops you can plant in April

Seeds for most root crops can be planted in April outdoors by direct sowing in the ground, really any time, all month. This includes:

• Carrots
• Radishes
• Turnips
• Beets
• Parsnips.

A Light Fabric Row Cover will help keep pests away and will also cause quicker germination and growth in the cool weather.

Cole (Cabbage) Family Crops

All members of the Cole family are included in our list of what to plant in April. This time of the year all of the cabbage family crops should be planted as transplants. It is getting a bit late for planting seeds.

For zone 6 set out seedlings around the 5th. Zone 5 should hold off until later in the month. (around the 15th, roughly 30 days before your last frost)

Onions

If you haven’t already planted spring onions and leeks get them in right away. With these two crops the earlier you get them planted the better!!  I prefer to plant my onions using seedlings,  but you should also be able to find sets this time of year.

You can plant them with either method, but you should get them planted as soon as possible in April.  Onions and leeks are hardy and can even handle some snow so get them in now.

Potatoes

You can get some potatoes in the ground during April. Potatoes are frost-sensitive. So once they sprout out of the ground you should be prepared to protect them on frosty nights with either a heavy fabric row cover or a hoop house.

You could also plant them in a cold frame. Whatever you choose just be ready for frosty nights!!  Frost can really set potato plants back, so if you are planting them before your last frost date then you should plan on protecting them.

Peas

It is of course not too late to plant any of the three types of peas. Shelling, snow, and snap peas will still have plenty of time to grow!  But you should consider getting them planted right away!  The sooner you can get them done, the sooner you have that space for warm-season crops!

Herbs you can plant in April

Any April planting guide wouldn’t be complete without a few herbs. And there are several herbs that are hardy enough to be sown directly in the garden during the month of April. The list includes:

• Cilantro
• Fennel
• Dill
• Chives
• Chamomile

Most of these herbs will be slow to germinate in the cool soil but they should come up just in time for the warmer weather at the end of the month and in May.

Fruits to Plant in April

Any April planting guide would not be complete without including some berry plants. April is the perfect time to plant many perennial berry plants like:

• Strawberries
• Raspberries
• Blackberries
• Blueberries.  

Early April is not too late to plant them using bear-root stalk.  You could also consider using transplants from a friend or neighbor.

Get these bushes and plants in the ground in April while the weather is still cool. That gives the plants a chance to get established and growing well before the heat of summer sets in!!

Warm season Vegetables

In zones 5 and 6, the weather in April is still very unpredictable and most of us will still have a risk of frost.  There are some vegetables like sweetcorn, bush beans, pole beans, and summer squash, that need to wait until it is warmer.

However, there is a trick that makes it possible to get a few warm-season crops set out in the garden in April.

But only if they have the protection of something like a Wall O’ Water. These fantastic water-filled season extenders allow you to plant things like tomatoes or peppers 6 weeks before your last frost. To learn more about using these season extenders watch this video, or read this post.

Seeds to Start Indoors in April

There are also several warm-season crops you can still get started indoors in April. You should get most of these started as early in April as you can so that they have at least 6 weeks to grow indoors before you put them outside.

The list of seeds you can start indoors in April includes:

• Tomatoes
• Cucumbers
• Zucchini
• Yellow Crookneck Squash
• Patty Pan Squash
• Winter Squashes
• Pumpkins
• Melons