Its starting to get exciting in the garden and allotment. The days are longer and warmer and nature is starting to burst into life. With birds returning from their winter holidays, the sound of the bees humming around the Spring flowers and sighting of the odd butterfly bringing a splash of colour.
With the days getting longer and warmer, it means we can start a lot of our seeds or pot on the seeds earlier in the year.
In February and March we started off our Aubergines, peppers, tomatoes, celery, chillis, basil and luffa. These are now ready to pot on and will go into the polytunnel as its nice a warm in there for them but if you haven’t started these already then its fine to start them now indoors, as they do like a bit of warmth to germinate.
We are in Kent and our estimated last frost date is the end of March but we have had some cold spell this week too, so have held off from moving the above into the polytunnel and have kept them indoors for a little bit longer.
What to sow in April –
Carrots, Beetroot and Parsnips – These can be sown directly outside but you may need to cover if very cold.
Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, Kalettes, Cabbages, Kohl rabi, Sprouting Broccoli – Sow these in pots in the greenhouse ready transplant in a 1-2 months time.
Celery – Start off in pots in the greenhouse.
Courgettes, Pumpkins and squashes – Sow into pots in the greenhouse ready to plant out next month.
Beans – Sow in pot in the greenhouse.
Lettuce, Spinach, rocket and Chard – these can be sown directly in the ground or in large pots.
Leeks and onion seeds – These can both be sown directly in the ground.
Cucumber – Sow in pots in the greenhouse ready to plant out later.
Peas – Can be directly sown outside or in pots ready to plant out.
Radish – These can be sown straight out in the ground.
Main crop Potatoes
I choose to sow most of my seeds in pots in the greenhouse and then plant out but if you choose to sow directly in the ground outside, make sure the soil is warmed by covering the soil with plastic sheets during the winter.
What to Harvest
Kale, lettuce, cauliflowers, sprouting broccoli, chard.
Jobs to do this month
Build a teepee or similar ready to support your beans and peas. we use both the teepee structure, made from canes and also two rows of canes crossed at the top, it just depends on the size and shape of the area we are planting them in.
Pot on seedlings that were started earlier in the year.
Pull out weeds from the onion bed.
Happy growing.
Amy