This is a list of seeds to start in April for south coastal British Columbia and the US Pacific Northwest. Finally it’s April and we are past the last average frost date in the BC Lower Mainland. Because this date is an average, it means that we may still get frost as late as mid-April, so embrace spring with caution. The soil is not yet warm at this time of year, and that is a very important detail to remember. If you plant beet seeds in cold soil, for instance, they may not develop large roots. Seeds like corn and beans may simply rot in the ground if the soil is too cold. Other seeds, like those of the Brassica group, don’t need warm soil to germinate.
The weather also plays a key role here. A good general rule: If you can walk across your garden bed without huge clumps of mud sticking to your boots, it’s planting time.
One last piece of advice – don’t plant the whole seed packet. Plant short rows of seeds, and save some to plant two or three weeks later, and again two or three weeks after that. It is way easier to have your crops mature over a period of several weeks than it is to suddenly have everything come at once.
If you live in a region with harsh winters, simply adjust this list to the two weeks immediately following your last average frost date. Or simply consult our Regional Planting Guides.
Sow these seeds indoors in April:
Agastache (before April 15th)
Asparagus
Basil
Cauliflower
Celery
Chrysanthemum
Eggplant
Lobelia (before April 15th)
Marjoram
Melons (in the last two weeks of April)
Oregano
Peppers (before April 10th)
Rosemary
Sage
Stevia
Thyme
Tomatoes (before April 15th)
Begin direct sowing in April:
Arugula
Bergamot
Borage
Broad Beans
Beets (after the 15th, or later)
Broccoli
Cabbage
Calendula
California Poppies
Carrots
Catnip
Celosia
Chamomile
Chives (after the 15th)
Cilantro
Clarkia
Cleome
Coreopsis
Corn Salad
Cornflowers
Cosmos
Delphinium
Digitalis
Endive & Radicchio
Fennel
Gaillardia (after the 15th)
Gaura
Gypsophila
Iberis (after the 15th)
Kale & Collards
Kohlrabi
Lavatera
Lavender
Leeks
Lemon Balm
Lettuce
Lovage (mid-April)
Lupins (before the 15th)
Marigolds
Morning Glory
Mustard Greens
Nasturtiums (after the 7th)
Nemophila
Nigella
Onions (storage onions & scallions)
Pac Choi & Choi Sum
Parsley (after the 15th)
Parsnips
Peas
Phacelia
Poppies
Radishes
Rudbeckia
Scabiosa
Spinach
Sunflowers (after the 15th)
Sweet Peas
Swiss Chard (after the 15th)
Turnips
Wildflowers
Zinnias