What to Plant in April

Slow to germinate. Soaking the seed overnight helps.

Keep it in a pot. In the ground it will take over.

Wait until nights stay above 50F before transplanting. Cold soil stalls them.

Peppers want warm soil. Going out two weeks after the last frost beats rushing them.

Slower to germinate than sweet peppers, so give them the full head start.

Even fussier about cold than peppers. Warm soil is the whole game.

Direct sowing usually catches up to transplants. They hate root disturbance.

One or two plants is plenty unless you really love zucchini bread.

Needs a long run. In short-season zones start it indoors.

Wants heat and room. Look for an icebox variety if space is tight.

Same needs as watermelon but finishes a little sooner.

One cold night will blacken it. Wait for settled warm weather.

Self-seeds happily once you have it, and the bees find it fast.

Easy from seed and quick to bloom.

Poor soil gives you more flowers and fewer leaves.

Sow a little every two weeks instead of all at once.

Bolts the moment it gets hot, so spring and fall are its seasons.

Frost actually sweetens it. The fall crop is the better one.

Bulbing fennel does better as a fall crop in most zones.

Wants sharp drainage and tolerates being forgotten.