April: the real start of the vegetable garden
April marks a turning point in the garden: the days lengthen, the soils warm up, and nature takes back its rights. It is the ideal time to sow directly in the ground many vegetable crops. But beware: depending on the region, the risk of frost remains. So we alternate between direct sowing and sowing under cover (greenhouse, tunnel, windowsill...).
1. Direct sowing in April
If the soil is well dried (neither waterlogged nor frozen), you can sow directly:
🌱 Root vegetables
- Carrots (spring or summer varieties)
- Radishes (fast growth, harvest in 3 weeks)
- Turnips, beets, parsnips
🥬 Leafy vegetables
- Spring lettuces
- Spinach (slow to bolt varieties)
- Arugula, mesclun, garden cress
🌸 Useful and edible flowers
- Nasturtiums (repellent and edible)
- Marigolds (anti-nematodes, pollinators)
- Borage (blue melliferous flowers)
🍀 Green manures
- Phacelia
- White mustard
- Crimson clover
2. Sowing under cover or in pots for transplanting
If the soil is still cool, or if you want to get ahead, sow under cover:
🍅 Summer vegetables to transplant later
- Tomatoes
- Peppers
- Eggplants
- Zucchinis, cucumbers, melons
Tip: transplant only after the “Saints of Ice” (mid-May), once the frost risks are completely gone.
🌿 Aromatics
- Basil (keep warm!)
- Coriander, flat parsley, chives
- Sweet fennel
👉 See our collection of organic aromatic seeds
3. Practical tips for April
- Prepare your growing beds: loosen without turning over, well-matured compost, light mulching after sowing.
- Watch out for slugs: they love young shoots.
- Water regularly with fine rain, especially in dry or windy periods.
- Sow in rows or broadcast according to your preferences… but always label!
4. April: the month of beneficial associations
Take advantage of April to set up your crop associations from sowing:
- Tomatoes + basil (good neighbors, natural fight against certain insects)
- Carrots + leeks (mutual repulsion of each species' flies)
- Radishes + lettuce (quick harvest + soil cover)
👉 See our dedicated article: The best plant associations in the vegetable garden
Conclusion
April is a pivotal month, full of promises… and climatic traps. But well accompanied, it is the ideal time to launch the season. Thanks to well-chosen sowings, adapted to your climate and soil, you put all the chances on your side for a nourishing and joyful vegetable garden.
🌱 Discover our seed kits to sow.
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