April Vegetables & Herbs Calendar

Go to:-  Main Calendars Page  |  April Fruit Calendar

See individual growing pages for details

General

There's still time to dig and prepare the ground for sowing and planting if you haven't already done so. Leave at least a week before attempting to rake the soil to a fine tilth just before sowing seeds

Harvesting & Storing Vegetables in April

Start harvesting asparagus, over-wintered broad beans, early spring onions

Continue harvesting early sprouting broccoli, winter cabbage, calabrese, spring cauliflower, chard, kale, leeks, over-wintered lettuce, parsley

Sowing & Planting Vegetables & Herbs in April

In most areas, the soil should be warming up however, weather conditions can greatly affect the performance of seedlings. Always wait until the soil is workable. If severe weather conditions persist at the beginning of  April, it's best to wait until late April or even May before sowing seed outdoors, especially if the ground is still  frosted.

Outdoors

Start sowing:- Chard and Leaf Beet,  Spinach

Continue sowing:-  Globe Artichokes (seed), Globe Artichokes (offsets), Asparagus Crowns (1st week), Beetroot, Broad Beans,  Early Sprouting Broccoli  (4th week) Brussels Sprouts, Summer, winter, savoy & Red Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Endive (4th week) Garlic (sets - 1st week), Kale (4th week), Kohl Rabi,  Leeks, Lettuce, Mangetout (3rd week onwards) Onion (seed - 1st week), Onion (sets -1st week), Parsnips, New Potatoes (tubers), Peas, Maincrop Potatoes ( tubers),  Radish,  Shallots (sets - 1st Week),  Spring Onions,  Turnips

Outdoors under protection (fleece, poly-tunnels or cloches)

French Beans, Calabrese, Runner Beans,

Indoors or Heated Greenhouse

Aubergines, Calabrese, Celeriac,  Celery, Chillies, French beans, Peppers, Sweetcorn, Tomatoes

4th week:  Courgettes,  Cucumber, Marrows, Pumpkin, Squash

Sowing & Planting Herbs  in April

Outdoors

Plant shop bought container plants outdoors provided they are hardy varieties

Continue to sow Borage, Chervil, Chives, Coriander, Dill, Parsley

Indoors or in heated greenhouse

Basil, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme

Care and Protecting Vegetables & Herbs in April

Protect newly planted onion sets from birds with netting or cotton

Water plots, beds and containers if necessary but do not over-water

If slugs and snails are a problem apply a slug killer to the soil as early as possible. This may have to be re-applied especially after rain.

Start thinning outdoor sown seedlings (see individual growing pages for spacing)

Start thinning and potting on indoor sown seedlings ( 1 to 3 plants per  7.5cm/3" pot)

Planning and Buying in April

There's still  time to buy vegetable seed, but try to do this at the beginning of the month.

Plan vegetable and herb plots as soon as possible

See Individual growing pages