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  1. Home
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  4. April

Your Monthly Planting Guide

Gardening in April

April is the height of spring and there are plenty of jobs to do in the garden. But be aware of changeable weather and check weather forecasts. Cold nights, frosts and general low temperatures are all possibilities, which can adversely affect young, new growth, bedding and young vegetable plants. And, of course, there’s always the chance of April showers – or even torrential downpours!

Calendar

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

What to plant and do in April?

There really is so much to do and plant in April. It’s a busy, fun and very rewarding month for gardening. So whether you want to know what fruit, vegetables or flowers to plant in April, simply choose a category below and discover our essential planting tips.

  • Vegetables
  • Fruit
  • Lawns
  • Ornamental plants
  • Plants & Shrubs
Cucumbers

Cucumbers

Delicious in salads and sandwiches, the crisp, sweet crunch of a cucumber is one of the joys of summer.

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Peas

Nothing beats home-grown peas for their tenderness and taste.

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How to grow onions

Onions

Onions (Allium cepa) are an essential ingredient in every cook’s store cupboard.

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how to grow courgettes

Courgettes (Cucurbita pepo)

Courgettes are a common summer staple in the vegetable garden.

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Caring for Runner Beans

Runner beans (Phaseolus coccineus)

Runner beans (Phaseolus coccineus) are among the easiest and most rewarding vegetables to grow.

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growing salad leaves

Salad leaves

Grow your own salad and you can pick exactly how much you want and need.

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growing sweetcorn

Sweetcorn

Sweetcorn, or maize, is sweet, tender and delicious – especially when cooked as soon as it is picked. Plenty of sun and...

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how to grow spring onions

Spring Onions

Spring onions are a delicious addition to a whole range of dishes, from summer salads to stir-fries.

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Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum)

Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) are tubers that grow and form at the plant’s roots.

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How to grow tomatoes

Tomatoes

Nothing beats the taste of your own home-grown tomatoes, freshly-picked and warm from the summer sun.

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Garlic (Allium sativum)

Garlic is the base of so many delicious dishes, and growing garlic at home is now very popular.

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How to grow pumpkins

Pumpkins

Delicious in pies, soups and stews, and full of vitamins and minerals, pumpkins are a tasty autumn and winter treat.

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How to Grow Lupins

How to grow and care for Lupins

Lupins are a traditional addition to any garden, providing colourful flowers from late spring through to mid-summer.

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How to Grow French Beans

How to Grow French Beans

French beans are a versatile vegetable, producing attractive, long, thin pods, and creamy haricot beans. They are a...

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How to grow and care for Cavolo Nero

‘Cavolo nero’ is a variety of kale, closely related to broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage.

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How to grow and care for Rocket salad leaves

How to grow and care for Rocket

Salad rocket, like its name, is a fast-growing salad leaf, perfect for adding a peppery spiciness to your salads.

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How to grow and care for Chard

How to grow and care for Chard

Chard, or Swiss Chard, is a delicious and beautiful plant which will bring harvests to the kitchen and colour to the...

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How to grow Sorrel

How to grow Sorrel

Sorrel is a great substitute for spinach, with a similar texture but a sharper citrus flavour.

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How to grow sugar snap peas

How to grow sugar snap peas

​Sugar snap peas are a deliciously sweet, fun and quick-cropping vegetable to grow.

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how to grow strawberries

Strawberries

If you’re a strawberry fan, the many varieties of ‘Fragaria × ananassa’ are easy to grow at home.

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Raspberries (Rubus idaeus)

What could be better than a bowl of sweet, freshly-picked raspberries in summer?

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Blueberries

Eaten fresh, baked in muffins or as the star attraction in jams or desserts, blueberries are always delicious.

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Avocado

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Avocados are a favourite fruit used in kitchens around the world.

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How to grow and care for peaches

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What better way to round off a summer meal than with a luscious peach? Even better, a peach you’ve grown yourself!

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How to grow and care for mango trees

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Everyone loves mangoes, but did you know that you can grow a mango tree from a seed?

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Cherry trees are truly beautiful, with different species offering gorgeous flowers, bark, leaves, and fruit. You can...

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How to grow sunflowers

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If you want to grow something spectacular, plant sunflowers.

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Alliums

Alliums belong to the same family as onions, garlic and leeks, as you can tell from the scent when you crush the foliage...

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Sweetpeas (Lathyrus odoratus)

Sweetpeas (Lathyrus odoratus) are an incredibly popular summer climbing plant. They produce masses of flowers all summer...

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How to grow and care for Geums

How to grow and care for Geums

Pretty and delicate, Geums provide colour throughout the summer. They are frost tolerant, happy in a range of soil types...

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How to grow and care for Honeysuckle

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Evocative of summer country gardens twining around garden fences, walls or pergolas, Honeysuckles are a favourite...

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How to grow and care for Helenium

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Bearing bold flowers in orange, red and yellow, Heleniums are a bright and cheerful addition to the garden border.

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How to grow and care for Nerine bulbs

How to grow and care for Nerines

Perfect for autumn colour, the brightly coloured Nerine is a great addition to a sun-soaked border. They can also be...

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How to grow and care for Violas

How to grow and care for Violas

The Viola is an adaptable low growing bedding plant coming in both classic and trailing varieties.

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How to grow and care for Cosmos

How to grow and care for Cosmos

Cosmos, also known as Mexican Aster, is a great low maintenance and long flowering annual.

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How to grow and care for Snapdragons

How to grow and care for Snapdragons

Coming in a range of colours and sizes, Snapdragons bloom from June through to October on tall spire stems.

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How to grow and care for Anemone

How to grow and care for Anemone

Anemones are a cheerful and vibrant group of plants, providing interest from early spring onwards.

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How to plant a tree

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A well planted tree will live for decades, providing endless benefits to the environment and wildlife.

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Plants in the Sedum genus are easy to grow, produce lots of nectar for pollinators, and provide lovely autumn colour.

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Crocosmia

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How to grow and care for Ceanothus

How to grow and care for Ceanothus

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How to grow and care for Euphorbias

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Hailing from a diverse range of habitats/regions, there’s a Euphorbia to suit you – whether you’re looking for a...

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How to grow and care for Buddleia

How to grow and care for Buddleia

Commonly known as the butterfly bush, Buddleia davidii is a hardy, summer flowering shrub which is very easy to grow.

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How to grow and care for Bay Trees

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A slow-growing and easy-to-care-for plant, the bay tree is extremely popular. The aromatic leaves are widely used in all...

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How to grow and care for an Ornamental Quince

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The Ornamental Quince is a small, pretty shrub with lots to offer to any garden.

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How to grow and care for Asters

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Asters are perennials which produce lots of colourful daisy-like flowers year after year.

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How to grow and care for Dianthus

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How to grow and care for Verbena

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Vegetables

What vegetables to plant in April

April is a busy and productive month in your vegetable garden. Whatever your culinary tastes or skill level, there are plenty of vegetables to plant in April.

Sow indoors in pots with warmth (windowsill, greenhouse or conservatory will all work well):

  • Beans (for example runner beans or French beans)
  • Marrow
  • Courgette
  • Squash
  • Sweetcorn
  • Cucumbers
  • Aubergines
  • Celery
  • Celeriac
  • Globe artichokes

Sow outside directly into well-prepared soil (containers, beds and borders will all work, whether in a garden or on a balcony):

  • Beetroot
  • Brussels Sprouts
  • Cabbage
  • Carrots
  • Leeks
  • Lettuce
  • Onions
  • Garlic
  • Parsnips
  • Potatoes
  • Radishes
  • Shallots
  • Spinach
  • Swiss chard
  • Summer cauliflower
  • Radish
  • Peas

You should also chit and plant out second early potatoes at the beginning of the month to mid-April, whilst doing the same for maincrop potatoes from mid-April onwards.

What Vegetables to harvest in April

If you already have crops growing, or if you’re just interested to know what’s in season, the vegetables usually ready to harvest in April are:

  • Purple sprouting broccoli
  • Asparagus (when the spears are no more than 18cm tall)
  • Rhubarb
  • Radishes
  • Spring onion
  • Chard
  • Leeks
  • Kale
  • Spring cauliflowers & cabbages
  • Lettuce & rocket

Vegetable plant maintenance in April

  • As the weather can be still a little on the cold side, protect any early outdoor sowings with horticultural fleece or polythene. Do this until you’re sure temperatures will stay above around 5-7°C at night.
  • Support any pea plants – choose from sticks, mesh, green support or wire netting.
  • Begin preparing runner bean supports for planting out in June.
  • Try to thin out rows of seedlings where possible and as soon as they are big enough to be handled.
  • Keep any carrots covered with a very fine mesh or a horticultural fleece. Make sure the edges are buried to keep out carrot root fly.
  • Be aware of slugs and snails. Treat them if you’re already seeing the damage and put preventative measures in place before they can attack.

Fruit

What fruit to plant in April

A lot of fruit tends to ripen nearer the autumn, but April is a great time of year to plant young fruit trees and bushes in time for the harvesting season.

Plant outdoors:

  • Raspberry canes
  • Blackberry canes
  • Strawberries

April is also an ideal time of year to pot grow fruit trees and bushes including apples and pears.

Plant in the greenhouse or indoors:

  • Tomatoes
  • Melon seeds
  • Strawberry seeds

Fruit plant maintenance in April

  • Look after your fruit trees growing in pots by liquid feeding them with a balanced feed every two weeks.
  • Cover any fruit blossoms with a horticultural fleece on cold nights to protect them from late frosts. Do this until you’re sure temperatures will stay above around 5-7°C at night.
  • Mulch fruit trees with well-rotted manure or garden compost.
  • If you’re growing any citrus plants in the greenhouse, mist or damp them down when the flowering begins. You should try to maintain a minimum temperature of 14°
  • Towards the end of the month, thin peach and apricot fruitlets – the trees will likely grow more than they can handle.
  • Allow covered strawberries time in the sun to be ventilated.
  • If you planted strawberries in September and they are in their first year, make sure that you de-blossom them to help with their initial establishment.
  • Look for apple and pear scab and treat accordingly.
  • Be aware of the potential for powdery mildew on grapes, peaches and gooseberries.
  • Keep your eye out for red spider mite and aphids on your strawberries in the greenhouse.

Lawn

Putting in a lawn in April

April is the ideal time to put in a new lawn, whether from turf or grass seed. The promise of warmer temperatures to come means that seed will quickly germinate. Regular April showers will also do their bit for lawn growth.

Lawn maintenance in April

April is a warmer and a wetter month. Whilst this will aid the growth of your lawn, it can sometimes make mowing difficult.

April is the month for lawn maintenance and lawn renovation after winter. It’s an opportunity that is best not to miss.

Mowing your lawn in April

  • Try and mow the lawn in the afternoon to give it some time to dry from any overnight dew.
  • Cut the grass whenever it is growing. This will likely be weekly or even more frequently as the weather warms up.
  • Keep it at the same height all throughout spring if you can. For most lawns this should be about 2.5-4cm (1-1.5in) high. If your lawn takes a lot of wear and tear, raise the height to 5cm (2in). Mow at a height of 7.5cm (3in) for very shaded areas. If you mow too low you may weaken the lawn and allow weeds and moss to establish.
  • As the grass is a little wetter and softer, be careful as you turn the mower and make sure you thoroughly clean it to remove any wet grass that has stuck underneath.
  • Trim lawn edges after every mowing to keep them looking crisp and tidy.

Feeding your lawn in April

  • April is the time to get your spring lawn feed into your grass as the demands of winter will have taken their toll. Giving your lawn a good feed in spring is crucial for a healthy lawn throughout the rest of the year.
  • Use a granular feed that supplies a regular amount of nutrients over several weeks for the best results. Apply this evenly over the lawn at the recommended rate using a lawn spreader.

April lawn care

  • Repair damaged and bare areas with fresh grass seed or a lawn patch repair product.
  • Moss is a crucial lawn problem to tackle in April. Choose a moss killer containing iron sulphate and apply to your lawn. Allow the moss to blacken – this should take two to three weeks – before raking to remove it.
  • If the moss continues, repeat the process every three to four weeks.
  • Treat lawn weeks quickly and effectively using a lawn weedkiller
  • April is also a good time for light lawn scarifying, whilst the autumn is better for more heavy duty scarifying. Use a spring-tine rake to remove dead grass, thatch and other debris that will prevent healthy grass growth.
  • Lawn aeration in April is essential. This is when the soil is mostly likely to be naturally moist and it is suitable for the holes to be set effectively. The grass also has an opportunity to heal properly. Use a garden fork or hollow-tined aerator. This will improve drainage and help reduce waterlogging problems.
  • Once you’ve aerated your lawn, apply fertiliser and top dressing. This will give your grass the extra ingredients it needs to thrive and become a thick green lawn.
  • If the ground is relatively firm, lawn rolling will help consolidate any areas raised by worms and frost. If the ground is too soft, wait until May.

Flowers and bulbs

What flowers and bulbs to plant in April

April is the perfect time to buy and plant summer-flowering bulbs, like:

  • Begonias
  • Dahlias
  • Gladioli
  • Lilies
  • Peonies
  • Crocosmias

Sow hardy annuals outdoors in April, including:

  • Sunflowers
  • Poppies

Sow the following in the greenhouse or indoors:

  • Marigolds
  • Petunia seeds
  • Nasturtiums
  • Salvia
  • Ageratum
  • Zinnia

Although British wildflowers can be grown all year round, sowing in April will often deliver the best results. Remember to check your chosen wildflower mix as occasionally mixes will contain wildflower species that are more suited to sowing at another time of year.

What flowers to prune in April

In April, you should deadhead spring-flowering bulbs when the flowers fade. These include:

  • Daffodils
  • Tulips
  • Winter pansies

When you deadhead, make sure that only the flowerhead is removed. You can do this by simply pinching out between your finger and thumb. Alternatively, a quick snip with secateurs is always effective. Once you’ve finished deadheading, it’s important to give the flowers a liquid feed.

  • Prune penstemons in late April (once we’ve seen the back of any winter weather), or early May. Once new shoots appear at the base, cut back the old shoots to the base. If there are no new shoots, simply cut just above the lowest set of leaves.

Flower maintenance in April

  • To give peonies the best chance of growing to their fullest, put a support in place before they get too tall. This will help the stems to grow and for the flowerheads to stand tall. They will also be much stronger for it.
  • Divide primroses once they have finished flowering.
  • Take basal stem cuttings from perennials, such as delphiniums and lupins.

With cold nights still lingering well into the month, protect any tender flowers with a horticultural fleece overnight.

Trees and shrubs

What trees and shrubs to plant in April

Earlier in the month, and in cooler areas of the garden, you will still be able to plant and move evergreen trees and shrubs. These could include:

  • Bay
  • Box
  • Azalea
  • Heather
  • Yucca
  • Pittosporum
  • Lavender
  • Mahonia

What trees and shrubs to prune in April

As we reach the end of April, pruning trees and shrubs becomes a regular and ongoing job in the garden.

  • Clip evergreen and conifer hedges now as they start to show signs of growth.
  • Cut back any hedges that are becoming top heavy, too tall or bare at the base.
  • Cut back smoke bush and elders to retain their bright young foliage.
  • Allow spring-flowering shrubs including forsythia and Chaenomeles to finish flowering before pruning.
  • Lightly cut back lavenders once any cold weather is gone.
  • Tie honeysuckle and clematis regularly, twining them round their supports.
  • Prune hardy fuchsias once they come into bud. Remove dead, weak or crowded branches.
  • Pinch out the tips of fuchsias to encourage growth in summer.

Tree and shrub maintenance in April

  • Mulch the soil around trees and shrubs with a 5-7.5cm (2-3in) thick mulch.
  • Tie in the shoots of climbers as they grow, spreading them out evenly over their support.
  • Protect the bark of newly planted trees by using rabbit guards.
  • Check the previous year’s hardwood cuttings. They may need planting or potting.
  • Look out for damage on deciduous trees, including bacterial canker.
  • Check for signs of blight on box and holly trees.
Things to do this month
Keep removing suckers from plants that are grafted onto a rootstock as soon as you see them.
Keep adding suitable material to the compost bin to make your own soil improver and mulch.
Continue to feed garden birds - they need lots of food to feed their young.
Keep hoe and secateurs blades sharp so they work efficiently.
Remove soil from digging tools and clean them before putting them back in the shed.
Feed all your garden plants with a suitable plant food – especially if you didn’t do it in March.
Start stocking ponds with new plants – including oxygenating plants.
Check pond pumps and filters are working. Clean them and replace if necessary.
Check for excessive algae and blanket weed growth and remove it if necessary.
Hoe annual weeds regularly to stop them getting established and becoming a problem.
Treat perennial weeds with a weedkiller containing glyphosate to kill their roots.
Treat gravel paths and driveways with a path weedkiller to keep them weed-free for the coming months.
Check plants regularly for pests and diseases and deal with them promptly to prevent them spreading.
Keep protecting susceptible plants from slug and snail damage.
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