04_April

April 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 or plant in April
Carrots, beetroots - most root crops can now be sown outdoors
Celery - sow these indoors to ensure germination, harden off next month and plant out in June
Courgettes, pumpkins and 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
Spinach, swiss chard - can all be sown outdoors now
Leeks - 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
Herbs, peas and broad beans, potatoes, lettuce and other salad leaves - can now be planted