April is when sowing outdoors really starts in England: beetroot, carrots, lettuce, radish, peas, chard, spring onions and herbs can all go straight into a raised bed, and second early and maincrop potatoes and onion sets go in too. Under cover, it is the month to sow tomatoes, cucumbers, courgettes, peppers and celery, ready to plant out once the risk of frost has passed, from May on the south coast to early June in north-east England.

Illustration of a spring raised bed with fresh seed drills and seed potatoes going in, beside a windowsill tray of young tomato seedlings
IllustrationIn April, hardy crops go into the bed while tender tomatoes and cucumbers start indoors.

Nights can still be frosty, so April is about hardy crops outside and tender crops inside. Below is what to sow and plant, what Sowstory starts in the bed this month, the jobs that matter now and what to hold back for May.

At a glance: what to plant in April

TaskCropsSource
Sow indoors or under coverTomatoes, cucumbers, courgettes, marrows, peppers, aubergines, celery, celeriac, salads; also pumpkins and squashRHS
Sow outdoorsBeetroot, carrots, chard, kohlrabi, lettuce, leeks, radish, turnips, spring onions, peas, perpetual spinach, summer cauliflowerRHS
PlantSecond early potatoes (first half of the month), maincrop potatoes (second half), onion and shallot sets, pot-raised broad beansRHS
HarvestOverwintered sprouting broccoli, which Sowstory picks from February to MaySowstory harvest windows

Sow indoors

These crops need warmth to germinate and frost-free conditions to grow on, so start them on a windowsill, in a propagator or in a greenhouse.

  • Tomatoes. The RHS sows tomatoes for outdoor crops from late March to early April; the seed needs about 18°C. Sowstory plans outdoor cordon tomatoes from a March to April sowing and bush tomatoes from April, both planted out in June. Our guide to growing tomatoes covers the rest.
  • Cucumbers. The RHS sows outdoor varieties indoors in late April at about 21°C, to plant out from early June.
  • Courgettes. The RHS starts them indoors in April or early May. Sowstory plans courgettes as a June outdoor sowing instead, with a ready plant as an option.
  • Peppers and chillies. Sowstory sows sweet peppers indoors from late March to April and chillies from February to April at about 21°C. Both are grown outdoors only in a warm, sheltered spot.
  • Celery. Sowstory sows self-blanching celery indoors in March or April at about 15°C.
  • Basil. Indoors from March to May; the RHS says it germinates well at about 20°C.
  • Beans. Sowstory sows runner beans indoors in April or May and climbing French beans in late April.

The RHS also sows pumpkins and squash under cover in April. Sowstory does not plan squash or pumpkins yet.

Sow or plant outdoors

Potatoes

The RHS plants second earlies in the first half of April and maincrops in the second half. Sowstory uses April for second earlies and mid April to early May for maincrops, which do not need chitting. First earlies can still go in during April. Sowstory checks for at least 30 cm of soil for first earlies. Our potato growing guide explains chitting and spacing.

Roots

  • Beetroot. The RHS sows outdoors once the soil is at least 7°C, about 2.5 cm deep. Choose a bolt-resistant variety such as 'Boltardy' for early sowings.
  • Carrots. Sow thinly in 1 cm drills. Short-rooted types cope better with stony or heavy soil, and Sowstory plans them from April to July.
  • Parsnips. Sowstory sows them direct from March to May; germination is slow.
  • Turnips. Baby turnips go in from April to August.

Peas and broad beans

The RHS sows peas outdoors from March to June once the soil is about 10°C, with supports put in at sowing time. Sowstory uses the same window for dwarf peas and mangetout. See how to grow peas for depth and support. April is also the last month in Sowstory's window for direct-sown dwarf broad beans, and the RHS plants out pot-raised broad beans now.

Salads, leaves and onions

Lettuce, radish, spinach, chard, rocket, spring onions and kohlrabi can all be sown outdoors. The RHS suggests a short row of lettuce every fortnight. Onion and shallot sets go in now; April is the last month in Sowstory's window for planting onion sets.

Herbs

Parsley, coriander and dill are sown direct from April. The RHS sows coriander direct because it resents transplanting, in small batches every few weeks. Parsley is slow to germinate.

In a Sowstory plan this month

April opens the season in Sowstory: these crop profiles can start in the bed this month.

  • Every few weeks or in rows: carrots (March to July), short-rooted carrots (April to July), radish, loose-leaf and head lettuce, spring onions (all March to August), annual spinach (March to May), chard (March to July), beetroot (April to July), salad rocket (March to May), baby turnip (April to August), kohlrabi (March to July)
  • Roots for winter: parsnip (March to May)
  • Peas and beans: dwarf pea and mangetout (March to June), dwarf broad bean (March to April)
  • Potatoes and onions: first early (March to April), second early (April), maincrop (mid April to early May), onion sets (March to April)
  • Herbs: parsley and dill (April to June), coriander (late March to June), chives (sown March to May, planted April to June)

These windows are England-wide months, not adjusted to your postcode. In a cold spring, or on high or exposed ground, wait for the soil to warm.

If you would rather not work out what fits, Sowstory will lay out your bed to scale, tell you how many rows or plants fit and give you a month-by-month plan. It is coming soon to the App Store, and your first bed plan is free.

Jobs this month

  • Earth up early potatoes when the shoots reach about 23 cm, leaving the top 10 cm showing. It protects the shoots from frost and stops tubers turning green.
  • Make a brassica seedbed. The RHS sows brassicas in a seedbed in April for transplanting in June or July.
  • Keep fleece handy. Heavier fleece gives about 2°C of frost protection, according to the RHS; use a double layer on the coldest nights.
  • Sow carrots thinly. Carrot fly is drawn by the scent released when seedlings are thinned.
  • Protect peas from mice, which take newly sown seed, and from pigeons, which may need a netting cage.

What not to sow yet

Hold back on tender crops outdoors. The RHS sows dwarf French beans and sweetcorn outside only at the end of April, under cloches or fleece, in very mild areas, and says cooler areas should wait until May or early June. Sowstory starts dwarf French beans in June and does not plan sweetcorn yet.

Tomatoes, cucumbers, courgettes, peppers and basil stay indoors. The Met Office says the average last air frost often comes before the end of April in the south and on the coasts, but well into May in the north and on higher ground. The RHS adds that the last air frost usually comes two to four weeks before it is safe to plant out, and that April 2021 had the most April air frosts in at least 60 years. Our guide to the last frost date explains how to judge it.

Looking back or ahead: what to sow in March covers the earliest outdoor sowings, and what to sow in May covers hardening off and planting out. The vegetable sowing calendar shows the whole year.

Sources