Top tasks for April -  with April being a lean month for harvesting but it is a good month to get ahead by sowing seeds indoors or outside in a cold frame.

Harvest the first asparagus of the year along with spring cabbages and cauliflowers, sprouting broccoli and any remaining leeks and kale

Sow outdoors if the soil is warm enough

Plant second early and maincrop potatoes and the last of your onion sets

Earth up first early potatoes

Prepare seed beds by weeding throughly and raking over

Prune cherry and plum trees

Sow and plant in April

Carrots, beetroots - most root crops can now be sown outdoors

Celery, chicory, and endive - sow these indoors to ensure germination, harden off next month and plant out in June

Courgettes, pumpkins and other squashes - sow indoors ready for planting out next month

French and runner beans - sow a few seeds in pots and keep in a heated greenhouse

Leaf vegetables - spinach, swiss chard can all be sown outdoors now

Leeks and Onions - sow leeks outdoors now

Sweetcorn - has a long growing season so its worth getting a crop off to an early start by sowing seeds in pots indoors

Plant - asparagus crowns, globe artichokes, herbs, peas and broad beans, potatoes, lettuce and other salad leaves