by Megan Minnick, Purchasing Director
If there’s one word that sums up my advice for April gardeners, it’s patience. Those first warm, sunny spring days can easily cast a spell that lulls you into thinking that it’s time to start planting your veggie seeds and starts, but most experienced home gardeners have learned the hard way to resist this springtime urge, and prudently wait until all chances of winter are past.
The wait isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. There’s nothing sadder than a cold tomato plant that dies before it has a chance to grow; or a whole row of carrot seeds that fail to germinate because the soil was too cold.
It may seem like planting early increases the chances of an early harvest, but that’s generally not the case. Even if that cold tomato plant survives, its growth will be stunted. A tomato plant set out in late May in optimal conditions will probably outpace the growth of that early tomato, simply because it’s a healthier and more vigorous plant.
So what should you plant in April?
We carry a small but well curated selection of organic seeds from Seed Savers Exchange in Iowa. Spinach, arugula, lettuce, kale, radishes, peas, and beets can be direct seeded this month, although it’s generally best to wait until after April 15. Keep an eye on the extended forecast: If it’s April 10, with clear, warm weather predicted for the next few weeks, you’re probably safe. Conversely, if it’s April 16, and there’s a late snowstorm predicted, it’s a good idea to wait.
Organic, locally grown vegetable seedlings from Voss Organics and West Star Organics will be arriving at our stores later this month. Plants that are suitable for April planting outdoors include perennial herbs (not basil!), broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, leeks, and collard greens. Late April is a good rule of thumb for planting these seedlings, but make sure to watch the weather forecast.
Whether starting from plants or direct seeding, make sure you fence off your garden from wildlife. Rabbits love nothing more than your young, tender plants after a long cold winter.
Everything else—tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, melons, and more—should wait until late May when all chance of frost is passed and soil temps have risen—unless you are planning to plant in a container that can be moved indoors when the weather threatens. Madison’s last average frost date is May 10, but we often have frosts after that date, so as always, keep an eye on that forecast!
So, it’s the beginning of April and it’s a beautiful, sunny, warm day. Your back yard or community garden plot is calling you, but you’ve made up your mind to resist the urge to plant. There’s a lot that you can do in the garden while you wait for planting time, and getting these things done now will make the rest of the growing season easier and more successful.
Spring cleaning
Some people clear out last year’s dead plants and debris in the fall. I’m generally so busy harvesting and preserving veggies in the autumn that garden cleanup just seems like too much. Rather than scramble to do it all at harvest time, I let the cleanup wait until spring, when the old plants have died back and are easier to wrangle.
Prepare your soil
This one can’t be stressed enough: healthy soil is the most important part of a successful garden. Soil preparation can be done in a number of ways. Some people prefer the no-till method where compost and other soil amendments are spread over the soil without digging them in; some (like myself) prefer the more traditional methods of working compost into the soil with a shovel or pitchfork. Once you've prepared your beds, mulch them with straw or marsh hay to prevent the loss of nutrients from you newly added compost and to get a head start on weed prevention.
Plan out your garden and set out your plant supports
I find it so much easier (and more enjoyable) to plan my garden while I’m actually in the garden. I generally have an impressionistic garden map drawn out, but it always changes when I’m actually outside marking off my rows and beds. It’s also a good idea to go ahead and set out any supports that your future plants will need such as tomato cages and bean trellises—this will save you time and effort later.
Hardscaping
These are things like stone or brick edging for beds, pathways, or anything else that uses a permanent material to define parts of your garden. Now is the time to tackle hardscaping projects, because you probably won’t have time later in the summer, and the job gets harder as plants start to take the garden over.