Jobs to do in April

Vegetable growing really takes off this month. Plant second early potatoes in the first half of the month and maincrop potatoes in the second half. It’s also time to sow seed of many crops outdoors. 

Sowing and planting

Fruit

• You can still plant pot-grown fruit trees and bushes this month.

Vegetables

• Plant out second early potatoes in the first half of the month, maincrop potatoes in the second half.

• Sow seed outdoors for beetroot, carrots, Swiss chard, summer cauliflower, kohlrabi, lettuce, leeks, radish, turnip, spring and pickling onions, peas and perpetual spinach in prepared soil.

• Try sowing unusual vegetables such as salsify, Hamburg parsley, or scorzonera.

• Sow seed indoors of marrows, courgettes, pumpkins and squash. Also sweet peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, aubergines, celery, celeriac, salads and globe artichokes. Use a peat-free compost. 

• In very mild areas sow dwarf French beans and sweet corn outside under cloches or plastic-free or re-used fleece at the end of April. In cooler areas wait until May or early June.

• Sow a seedbed of brassicas to provide sprouting broccoli, cauliflowers and cabbages for transplanting in June or July.

• Plant out broad beans grown in pots.

• Plant onion and shallot sets.

• Plant Jerusalem artichoke tubers.

• Plant asparagus crowns.

• Pot up tomato seedlings when they develop true leaves above the more rounded seed leaves.

Prevention

• Try to tolerate the presence of  aphids on outdoor crops. They are an important food source for a wide range of beneficial insects and other wildlife in the garden.

• Look out for red spider mite on plants under glass and adjust the growing conditions or use biological controls if needed.

• Keep on top of weeds around seedlings by hoeing or digging out.

General care

Fruit

• Start regular feeding of fruit trees in pots for the growing season (April to September) using an organic liquid fertiliser.

• Where possible, protect plum and pear flowers from frost but allow insects access for pollination.

• Pick forced strawberries under glass.

• Ventilate strawberries under cloches and mulch with straw or mats.

Vegetables

• Support pea plants with sticks, twigs or netting (jute, hemp or wire).

• Thin out rows of seedlings as soon as they are large enough to be handled. With many crops, such as beetroot, spinach and Swiss chard, you can add the thinnings to salads.

• Protect early outdoor sowings with cloches or plastic-free or re-used fleece.

• Prepare runner bean supports for sowing (in May/June) or planting out (in June).