What to Plant in April in the UK

April is one of the busiest months in the UK vegetable garden. As the soil warms and daylight increases, many more vegetables can be planted outdoors.

Frost is still possible in some areas, but longer days and milder temperatures make April an important planting month.

It’s a great time to expand on the early planting you started in March.

Vegetables to sow outdoors in April

Many vegetables can be planted directly into the soil in April.

These include:

  • carrots

  • beetroot

  • lettuce

  • spinach

  • peas

  • radishes

  • spring onions

If the soil is workable and not waterlogged, most hardy crops can be sown safely.

Raised beds often warm up faster and allow earlier planting.

Vegetables to start indoors

April is a good time to start tender vegetables indoors so they’re ready to plant outside later.

You can start:

  • tomatoes

  • courgettes

  • cucumbers

  • sweetcorn

  • squash

Seedlings started in April will usually be ready to move outside in May.

Planting potatoes

April is one of the main months for planting potatoes in the UK.

Plant seed potatoes in:

  • garden beds

  • raised beds

  • containers

  • grow bags

Once shoots appear, soil can be earthed up around the stems to protect developing potatoes.

Garden preparation in April

April is a good time to prepare growing spaces for the season ahead.

You can:

  • add compost to beds

  • prepare containers

  • support climbing plants

  • thin early seedlings

  • remove weeds

Regular small jobs keep the garden manageable.

Protecting young plants

Although spring is underway, late frosts can still happen in April.

It helps to:

  • watch weather forecasts

  • protect seedlings with fleece

  • delay planting tender vegetables outdoors

Most gardeners wait until May before planting frost-sensitive crops outside.

A busy month in the garden

April is often when vegetable gardens really begin to take shape.

Planting a variety of crops now helps spread harvests across the growing season.

Even small planting sessions each week can make a big difference later in the year.

laura tennant