April is the month when we’re really looking to get outside on a regular basis, taking advantage of the preparatory work we’ve been doing indoors. Hardy young plants such as peas, beetroots and brassicas will be planted out this month.  This year we got the peas going earlier than usual and these have already been planted.

Young Peas in mid-April

Amongst the more tender plants, young tomatoes, peppers and aubergines will probably be planted in the greenhouses (unless the weather is particularly cold). The most tender plants (like pumpkins, squashes and cucumbers) will be sown in propagators, so that they’ll be ready to go out next month along with outdoor tomatoes and peppers.

We’ll be keeping a careful eye on our young plants, keeping potato shoots protected from frost and everything else protected from the critters that want our lunch before we get to eat it.  Our greenhouse potatoes that we’ll be hoping to harvest next month are thriving in their cosy home.

Greenhouse potatoes in mid-April

Our strategy for crop protection is based mostly around stopping pests reaching the plants, so our plots tend to be identifiable by the range of nets, cages and other barriers. We also try to adapt growing times, for example we get our peas going early so that they’ll be harvested before maggots become a problem. We once tried carrots that were supposed to be less palatable to carrot root fly and on tasting them, understood why the pests weren’t so bothered. So, we carry on with tasty varieties, a netting barrier and an acceptance that by the end of the season the critters will be starting to win.

On the harvesting front we’ll be starting to cut asparagus this month, which is a real treat. Later in the year we’ll write about establishing an asparagus bed.

Asparagus ready for cutting in April

For windowsill gardeners, this is a great time of year to start leafy summer herbs like basil and coriander. Simply sow the seeds in a sieved compost, with a bit of grit added for drainage and put them on sunny windowsill and in only a few weeks you’ll be cutting fresh herbs.  Coriander, in particular, tends to run to flower quite quickly, so sowing every 4-5 weeks will give you a succession of leaves to use throughout the summer and autumn.