April can be a tricky month on the allotment. It’s tempting to get seeds in early, but cold, wet soil can prevent germination and increase the risk of seeds rotting or being eaten by mice. Don’t be too tempted to rush – wait for the conditions to improve, and remember that there is still a risk of frost.
Sowing outdoors
There are plenty of crops that can be sown directly on the plot during April, including beetroot, parsnips, carrots, turnips, broad beans, chard, spinach, coriander, leeks, lettuce, mizuna, parsley, peas, radish and salad onions.
There is still time to plant onion sets, shallots and garlic. Later in the month, when the soil has warmed up, you can sow beans, sweetcorn, squashes and some brassicas directly outside.
Sowing indoors
If you have space indoors or a greenhouse, you can get a head start by sowing courgettes, tomatoes, chillies and peppers, pumpkins and squash, cucumbers, herbs, brassicas, sweetcorn, beans and basil in pots. Gradually harden these plants off before planting them outside towards the end of May or in early June, once the risk of frost has passed.
Don’t be tempted by tomato plants already being sold by some retailers unless you have somewhere warm and sheltered to keep them. Planting them outside too early leaves them vulnerable to frost, slugs and snails.
Garden Focused has a useful personalised vegetable-growing calendar, including information on expected frost dates for different areas: www.gardenfocused.co.uk/calendar-veg-personalised.php
Planting potatoes
April is a good time to plant potatoes. Keep an eye on the weather forecast, though, as late frosts are still possible. If shoots emerge and frost is forecast, cover them with fleece or earth to protect them.
Above all, don’t be in too much of a hurry. Avoid sowing or planting when the ground is very wet or a frost is forecast. Nature has a way of catching up, and seeds planted in the right conditions will usually do better than those sown too early.