April is when you start planting new fruits, vegetables, and herbs in your garden. The weather is warmer, and the days are getting longer, so you can enjoy being outside and tending to your plants. It would help if you did some things this month to get the most out of your garden.

In this gardening guide, you will find tips on:

What to plant in April

Finalize your food garden plan

Preparing your garden beds

Transplant you plant starts

So let's get started!

What to Plant in April

Earlier this month, sow these plants indoors.

Chicory, cucumbers, endive, lettuce, pumpkin, and squash. If you didn't start your fruiting plants last month, you could do so now with Tomatoes & eggplant.

You can also direct sow these plants earlier in the month Arugula, Asian green, carrots, cilantro, endive, fava beans, onion sets, parsnips, peas, radishes, and spinach.

Late in the month, you can catch up on all the previous plants and direct sow more vegetables like beans, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, green onions, lettuce, and turnips.

If you're not sure what to grow in your garden, write down the recipes and meals you enjoy eating. Write out the components and then underline the ones you'd want to cultivate.

Finalize your food garden plan

If you are a new gardener, it's important to take the time to plan out your garden before you start planting. This plan will help you make sure you are growing the right plants in the right places and will help make gardening easier for you.

To finalize your food garden plan, you will need to:

-Choose the location for your garden.

-Decide what plants you want to grow.

-Create a planting schedule.

-Make a list of the supplies you will need.

Once you have finalized your food garden plan, you are ready for the next steps!

Preparing Your Raised Garden Beds

One of the most important things you can do to prepare your garden for April is preparing your raised garden beds. Raised garden beds are a great way to start gardening, as they are easier to care for than traditional in-ground gardens.

To prepare your raised garden beds, you will need to:

-Remove any weeds or dead plants from the beds.

- Use a garden fork to aerate the soil; this technique helps new roots take hold.

-Add compost or manure to the beds to improve the quality of the soil.

After you have prepared your raised garden beds, you are ready to start planting!

But if you are new to gardening, you need to design and install your garden.

Read Why use raised garden bed in a food garden. This blog can help you better understand selecting the right raised garden bed.

Transplant your plants start.

When transplanting your plants, make sure to take some time to harden them off. Harden off means you will need to take your plant starts outside a few hours to get acclimated before its full transition to its new location.

After that period is all clear then, here are the steps you move your plants to start to their new location.

-use a garden fork to loosen the soil around the plant

-lift the plant with as much of the root ball as possible

-gently shake off any excess soil

-place the plant in its new location

-press down on the soil around the plant to secure it in place

-water the plant well

And that's it!

In conclusion

Now that you know what to plant in your garden this April, it's time to finalize your food garden plan and prepare your raised garden beds. Make sure to follow the tips in this guide to have a productive and healthy garden this season.

Happy gardening!