Early April Garden To-Do List
Are you loving it?! The sun, the warmth, the insatiable desire to eat ice cream and walk barefoot in the grass? Spring has fully arrived in Middle Tennessee along with flowering trees and bright tulips, and April is a month of rapid growth and plenty of action in the garden. Yes, the weather is warming up, but surprises are always possible, so keep an eye on the forecast. Here’s your guide for what to do in the garden during early April.
Planting: Keep It Cool (For Now)
Don’t worry if spring break travel or a busy stint at work or whatever life threw at you in March has kept you from planting “on time.” It’s still prime time for cool-season crops, but the window is closing fast. Get these in the ground before temperatures climb:
🌱 Direct Sow:
Carrots, beets, radishes, turnips
Potatoes
Sugar snap peas and fava beans
🥦 Transplant:
Broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and cabbage
Cilantro, dill, and parsley
Onions, leeks, and scallions
Lettuce, spinach, arugula, and Swiss chard
Strawberries for a sweet summer harvest
🌺 Flowers:
Alyssum, snapdragons, calendula, and bachelor’s buttons
Echinacea, rudbeckia, and other perennials
Try something new this year. If an unusual plant calls to you when you are shopping or browsing seed catalogs, why not try it out? Maybe you’ll find out that homegrown turnip greens taste totally different than the bagged stuff at the store. Or that radishes are just the absolute cutest little seedlings and are amazing when roasted. Make your garden a place of discovery.
Keep holding on the Warm-Season crops. It’s not time for tomatoes, peppers, or cucumbers just yet. Resist the temptation for a couple more weeks!
Water Wisely
Longer days and warmer temps mean young plants dry out faster. Keep soil moisture consistent for happy seedlings.
🚰 Tips:
Check soil daily, especially on sunny days.
Water deeply in the mornings.
Make sure seeded areas stay moist until the tiny plants have established strong roots. This means hand-watering for a couple of weeks. Drip irrigation probably won’t cut it.
Speaking of irrigation, it’s time to assess the status of your system. Parts may have frozen and busted, been chewed on by critters, or even just need a new battery. All systems need ongoing attention and maintenance, so get your in working order now before the hot and dry weather comes.
Watch for Frost (and Protect Those Blossoms!)
April can still bring surprise frosts, and fruit blossoms are vulnerable. If you have blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries, be ready to cover them when temperatures dip below 32°F.
🍇 Fruit Protection Tips:
Keep frost cloth or row covers handy. We like these drawstring bags for protecting blueberry shrubs.
Only prune dead growth once the plants have fully leafed out.
If frost is forecasted, water your plants the day before for added protection.
Prepare for Warm-Season Planting
While it’s too early to plant your summer crops outside, now’s a great time to prep.
🌼 Start Indoors (here’s the skinny on how):
Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and basil
Summer flowers like zinnias and cosmos
If you are craving a certain variety of plant, like Armenian cucumber or a ruffly orange heirloom tomato, shop for seeds online now. These are usually not available in garden centers.
Other Early April Tasks
👷 Weed Smart - Weeds grow quickly in spring, so stay ahead with frequent, shallow cultivation.
💚 Support Pollinators - Allow herbs like rosemary and thyme to bloom and offer early nectar sources.
🐛 Patrol for Pests - Slugs can devour baby seedlings in one night. If they are an issues, bait with iron phosphate and repeat after rains. Wash off aphids with a spray of water. If' you’ve dealt with cabbage moths and cabbage loopers, you probably will again. Cover crops with netting to prevent moths laying eggs, or spray brassicas weekly with bacillus thuringiensis.
🔄 Patience with Perennials - If oregano, sage, or rosemary looks rough, give it a few more weeks before deciding to replace it. Many perennials are just waking up!
April is a hopeful, busy time in the garden. Savor the process. Let me repeat: savor these days. You know the heat is coming so don’t take this month for granted! Happy gardening.
