April Garden Guide: Tasks to Do Now for a Beautiful, Healthy Garden

You’ve most likely heard the adage, “April showers bring May flowers.” Although this doesn’t apply to every growing climate, it does remind gardeners that the effort we put into our gardens now will reap benefits later. No matter your garden location, April can be a busy month of planting and growing.

Here are some of the garden tasks you’ll want to focus on in April to keep your garden in full bloom.

Make sure your peony supports are in place as the new shoots start appearing.

Are your tomato plants waiting for warmer temperatures? It might be time to pot up your seedlings.

Amend your garden soil in preparation for planting and transplanting.

Do you have your succession planting plan in place? Plant the same crop every two weeks, or plan what you’ll put in the place of your cool-weather plants.

Check your frost date! Use our Seed Starting Planner to enter your zip code and see when to direct sow all your favorite herbs, flowers, and vegetables. With an expected last frost date of April 15, I can wait to transplant my tomatoes and peppers, but I can put out broccoli, cabbage, and other cold-hardy crops.

• You can direct sow cold-hardy herbs like chives, parsley, and thyme.
• Start your tender herbs like basil, dill, and tarragon indoors.
• Start summer flowers indoors, zinnias, marigolds, and cosmos. Once your last frost date has passed, these flowers can be direct sown.
• Direct sow cold-hardy flowers such as pansies and snapdragons.
• Plant strawberries.

• Plant Trees and Shrubs: If you plan on adding trees or shrubs, April is a good time to plant them before the temperatures get too hot.

• Put out summer bulbs like dahlias and gladiolas after the last frost.

If you’ve had consistent warm days, it’s time to check for aphids. Stop those bugs early to protect your tender new plants.

• Cut back the old growth on your perennial herbs.
• Add 1 to 2 inches of compost to your perennial flower beds.
• Fertilize roses and early blooming shrubs.
• Clean up container gardens and prepare them for new plantings.

• Early spring crops like asparagus and rhubarb may be ready for harvesting.
• Peas, radishes, and leafy greens from early plantings can be picked.

• Arugula and other cut-and-come-again greens may be ready for snipping.

By mid-April, you'll be well on your way to getting your garden growing for the season! Stay prepared for any unexpected frost, and enjoy the process of bringing your garden to life again.

Even if April showers aren’t in your area, this can be one of the most pleasant times to be a gardener. Both direct sowing and transplanting will keep your garden busy in April. It’s the warm weather and sunshine that makes the flowers bloom. And, of course, adequate moisture is crucial, too. So even if you live in a warm, dry climate, with the right efforts now, you can enjoy beautiful flowers and fresh vegetables.

Plan for irrigation: In locations such as Florida and Arizona, April can be the driest month of the year. To enjoy lush blooms in your garden, plan your garden irrigation. Having a well-watered garden is key to a successful harvest.

Plan out your succession planting schedule. When temperatures rise, and your leafy greens bolt, know what crop will take its place.

• Direct sow warm-season vegetables: squash, beans, okra, cucumbers, corn, cantaloupe, and watermelon.
• Transplant heat-loving plants: Peppers, tomatoes, and eggplant.
• Warm-weather flowers are perfect for planting in April. Sunflowers, zinnias, cosmos, and even coleus can thrive in the hot sun.

Mulch garden beds to suppress weeds and maintain moisture.

Refresh your house plants with fresh soil and fertilizer.

Watch for insects and use natural methods for control. 

Consider companion plants to draw in beneficial pollinators.

In April, you can reap what you sowed earlier. Harvesting peas, radishes, Swiss chard, and leafy greens keeps you motivated to keep up with your vegetable garden tasks. 

• Monitor the Weather : Keep an eye on the forecast for late-season frosts. Have row covers, cloches, or frost blankets ready to protect tender plants.

• Direct sow seeds: Use our Seed Starting Planner to get specific dates for your zip code. If you want to play it safe, keep it at 10% chance of frost. If you feel like gambling with the weather, choose 30 or 50% and see how the dates change. For many plants you don’t sacrifice much to wait another week to ensure you’re past your last frost date.

• Celebrate Earth Day: You can do these 5 things to celebrate.

• Plant a Tree: Celebrate Arbor Day. The best time to plant a tree is now.

• Watch for Insects: This is the time when insects start appearing in the garden.

• Mulch: Mulch your flower and vegetable beds with a light layer of straw, grass clippings, or compost to keep the soil temperature stable and reduce weeds.