At a glance
April is the month when the UK garden accelerates from dormancy into full growing mode. Soil temperatures climb above the critical 10°C threshold that triggers germination for most vegetable seeds, blossom appears on fruit trees, the lawn starts growing in earnest, and the beds that were dormant through winter suddenly need attention from multiple directions at once. It is one of the most satisfying months of the gardening year – and one of the most demanding, with more competing tasks than any single weekend can accommodate.
The key discipline in April is not trying to do everything immediately. Some jobs are time-sensitive: chitting and planting potatoes, sowing tender crops under cover before it is too warm for cool-season crops but warm enough for heat-lovers. Others are less urgent. Weeding, mulching and general tidying can happen throughout the month. Frosts remain likely throughout April in most parts of the UK, particularly in the north and on higher ground, so resist the temptation to plant tender crops outdoors before the last frost date for your area. April is also the perfect month to make sure your asparagus bed is weed-free and mulched before the spears begin emerging, as hand weeding around established crowns is the only safe method once they are growing.
April in the UK garden
Day length has now extended to around 13-14 hours in southern England, providing enough light for most vegetable seedlings to grow strongly without supplementary lighting. Soil in beds that were mulched over winter will be warming faster than unmulched ground – a reminder of why autumn mulching pays dividends in spring. Ground that is still cold, wet or compacted is not ready for direct sowing. The soil-temperature test is simple: push your hand 5cm into the soil. If it feels cold to the touch, wait another week or two before sowing. If it feels cool but not cold, direct sowing of hardy crops can begin.
What to sow in April
April is the peak sowing month for most UK kitchen gardens. Under cover – in a greenhouse, cold frame or on a bright windowsill – sow: tomatoes (if not already done in March), peppers, aubergines, courgettes, squash, cucumbers, sweetcorn, French beans, runner beans, basil and celery. These crops need warmth to germinate and are not frost-hardy, so they must stay protected until after the last frost.
Direct outdoors from mid-April onwards in the south (later in the north once frost risk reduces), sow: carrots, parsnips, beetroot, salad leaves, spinach, rocket, radishes, spring onions, peas, broad beans (if not done in autumn or March), chard, kale and leeks. Staggered sowings of salad leaves every two to three weeks from now through to July provide continuous supply without gluts. A short row of radishes every week provides a fast-cropping marker alongside slower-germinating seeds like parsnips.
What to plant out in April
Early to mid April: plant out onion sets and shallot sets – April is the main planting window and they establish quickly in spring soil. Plant garlic if not done in autumn – spring-planted garlic produces smaller bulbs but still delivers a reasonable crop. Plant asparagus crowns from mid-April in well-prepared, manured beds. Pot-grown strawberry runners or bare-root plants can go out from mid-April.
Late April – with caution and frost protection ready: early potato varieties can go in the ground once chitted, ideally under fleece in colder areas. Broad beans sown indoors in March can be hardened off and planted out. In the south, courgette plants started early under cover and well-hardened off can go out in a sheltered spot from late April, with fleece kept handy. Everywhere else, courgettes wait until May. Never plant frost-tender crops outdoors without a fleece or cloche close to hand in April – a single hard frost after planting out can destroy weeks of indoor growing work.
Warm the soil before planting by covering with black polythene two weeks in advance. Black polythene laid over beds in early April raises soil temperature by 2-3°C – enough to make a meaningful difference to germination times and early establishment of transplants. Remove it immediately before sowing or planting to avoid trapping too much heat as the season progresses.
What to harvest in April
April harvests are modest but welcome after the hungry gap of late winter. Spring cabbages and spring onions are at their best in early April. Overwintered spinach, chard and kale continue producing. Purple sprouting broccoli reaches its peak in April – harvest the side shoots as they develop for several weeks of cropping. Asparagus spears begin emerging from established beds from mid-April onwards and should be checked daily once they start – they grow quickly in warm spring weather and are best harvested at 15-20cm.
Rhubarb is at its peak in April. Forced rhubarb (grown under a pot or bucket to exclude light) produces earlier, paler, sweeter stems from February, but un-forced outdoor rhubarb produces the main harvest from April through to July. Pull stems rather than cutting them – grip low and pull outward and upward. Never harvest more than half the stems from a crown in any one year, and stop harvesting by late June to allow the plant to rebuild energy for the following season.
Lawn care jobs
April typically brings the first proper mow of the year. Set the mower to its highest setting for the first cut – around 5-6cm – to avoid scalping the lawn after winter. Grass at this height is better able to cope with any remaining cold nights and establishes faster than closely mown grass. Lower the cutting height gradually over successive April and May mows rather than cutting to summer height in a single pass. Apply a spring lawn feed in April – a high-nitrogen formulation appropriate for spring – to kick-start growth after the dormant winter period.
April is an excellent month for overseeding thin or bare patches. Soil temperatures are warm enough for germination and there is usually enough spring rainfall to establish seed without irrigation. Scarify any patches with a spring-tine rake before overseeding to remove thatch and make soil contact easier for the seed. Keep newly seeded areas moist and off the mower for at least six weeks.
Fruit garden tasks
Fruit blossom appears throughout April on plums, pears, apples and cherries in roughly that order. Be prepared to cover vulnerable blossom on plants trained against walls if a late frost is forecast – a single frost night can eliminate an entire year’s crop. Floating horticultural fleece draped loosely over wall-trained fruit overnight is sufficient protection against most April frosts.
Summer-fruiting raspberries need their new canes tying in if not done in March. Feed all soft fruit with a high-potassium fertiliser in April – sulphate of potash is ideal – to support fruit bud development. Strawberries in beds will begin putting out runners from mid-April onwards; pot these on into modules if you want new plants, or remove and discard them to maintain the fruiting bed’s vigour. Blueberries will be coming into flower in April – check soil pH is 4.5-5.5 and apply an ericaceous fertiliser if not already done in March.
Borders and ornamentals
April is the prime month for dividing established perennials – clumps of hostas, daylilies, agapanthus, crocosmia and most other herbaceous plants can be lifted, divided and replanted as they begin showing new growth. Division rejuvenates old clumps, increases stock, and produces vigorous new plants that establish quickly. Lift the clump, separate into sections each with several growing points, discard any dead central growth, and replant immediately in improved soil.
Summer-flowering bulbs can go in from mid-April: dahlias, gladioli, begonias and cannas. Dahlias in particular benefit from an early start – tubers planted in April have longer to develop before flowering in July. In colder areas, start dahlia tubers in pots under cover in April and plant out once the risk of frost is past in late May or early June rather than planting directly into the ground.
April checklist
Late frosts in April can be severe and arrive without much warning. The UK’s most damaging late frosts historically occur in clear-sky, high-pressure conditions in late April and early May – nights that follow warm, sunny days. Always check the forecast before leaving tender plants uncovered overnight and keep fleece or cloches readily accessible throughout April. A forecast of 2-3°C is enough to damage or kill newly transplanted tender vegetables.
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