Vegetable Seeds to Sow in April
April is the Seed Sowing Month in the UK.
There’s plenty of seeds to get started with, from courgettes, summer squashes, to radish, lettuce, peas and beans.
If you have a greenhouse or mini greenhouse, you will be able to move your seedlings into it, but also watch out for any last frosts until end of April in the South or end of May in the North of the UK.
Seeds to Sow Indoors in April
Tomatoes
Tomatoes should still be sown indoors until the chance of frost has passed.
It’s time to pick a tomato variety to grow – I’m sowing Black Cherry (purple black skin with red flesh) and Lizzano F1 (sweet cherry type great for containers).
Sunflowers
Sunflowers are a smiley happy bee buzzing addition to the vegetable garden.
They love being grown near sweetcorn, beans, squash, tomatoes.
They hate being near potatoes or cabbage plants.
Try sowing sunflower seeds with children as a project in the Easter Holidays.
Cucumbers
Children love picking Mini (snack sized) cucumbers. They grow well in the greenhouse, but are like tomatoes, they like consistent watering.
Mini Munch F1 is our favourite variety, but there are many snack sized varieties available.
Sowing in the Greenhouse – April
Sow Beans – Broad, Runner & Climbing
It’s time to Sow Broad Beans, Runner Beans and Climbing (Pole) Beans.
Start the taller beans now so they have time to grow and plant out in May. Get your supports ready as well.
Sow Summer Squash
Are you looking for something unusual to grow? Try Summer Squash. They are small ufo shaped mini squashes and come in colours green, white & yellow.
Sow Ball or Straight Courgettes
The round ones or the long ones, which ever you choose, you will need space to grow them. They do reward you with at least 4 courgettes to one plant!
Jobs To Do in April
Greenhouse Spring Clean
Give the Greenhouse a Spring Clean inside and out to get rid of the Winter’s green algae & dirt build up.
The suns rays will then be able to heat up all your warm loving plants like Tomatoes, sweet peppers & cucumbers through clear glass.
Add Compost to Empty Raised Beds before sowing Seeds
Vegetables need Nutrients to grow. If you haven’t topped up your Raised Beds with new compost, now’s the time to do it, before planting out or sowing new seeds. It’s too late to add manure as it takes 6 weeks to bed in.
Add Your Bean Supports
It’s time to Sow your Runner or Climbing Beans seeds. Which also means it’s time to make your bean supports with bamboo canes, poles or an arch. Fix them into the ground ready to plant your beans out next month.
Seed Sowing Updates from Jan, Feb & March
12 Weeks old
Onion Seedlings – Plant Outside in April
If you joined my Onion Seed Sow Along in January, your seedlings should be growing on nicely in the greenhouse.
This month, they will need to be planted into the ground.
Video Coming Soon!
Cauliflower & Cabbage Plants – Plant Outside in April
Cauliflowers & Summer Cabbages were sown in Late January and are now ready to be planted outside.
Aubergine & Sweet Peppers – Potting On in April
Sweet Peppers & Aubergine seedlings have four leaves so are ready to be potted on into small pots. They will still need to be kept indoors on a sunny windowsill.
The Veg Garden in April
Shallots are Sprouting & Garlic Growing
Here’s my Shallots, Garlic & Allium flower bed with Cat defence system. The rosemary is also helping to keep the cats from digging, they don’t like the smell.
I planted my Shallots out in Mid March and they are all thriving.
Planting Peas
Peas sown in March are ready to go in the ground, the quicker they get planted, the quicker the peas grow!
Brussels Sprouts have flowered
Sometimes there’s just one vegetable you cannot grow, Brussel Sprouts are my bugbear. I have tried 3 times now and this time they have flowered.
Harvests in April
Tiny Brussels Sprouts
Brussel Sprouts are very tricky to grow and on my 3rd try of growing them I only managed a few tiny Brussel Sprouts before my plants flowered but it’s further than I have ever got before!
Surprise Cauliflower
My very last Autumn Cauliflower actually grew into the biggest one yet! I Harvested & roasted this one last Sunday to go with our Roast Dinner.
Spring Cabbage in a Pot Harvest
The Spring Cabbage was planted in November in a pot and has overwintered in the greenhouse. Finally there’s enough green leaves for a Spring Greens Harvest.
sowgrowharvest.co.uk 