Gardening in April: Everything at a glance!

Even if April does what it wants – you shouldn't neglect the garden despite the changeable weather. We show what gardening work should be done in April.

Gardening in April: Everything at a glance!

In April the garden will finally be colorful [Photo: Radu Bercan / Shutterstock.com]

In April the garden blooms and countless animals in the air and on land crawl out of their winter hiding place. The garden comes to life – and gardening is slowly picking up again. Now it is time to make the final preparations for the warm season, and there is also a lot to do in the vegetable patch. We have put together the best gardening tips for April.

The vegetable garden in April

If the vegetable garden was often only sparsely planted in winter, it slowly becomes really full again in April: Numerous vegetable plants need to be re-sown or planted. In addition, of course, the newcomers also need enough care to grow and thrive – a lot of work that awaits us in the bed in April. So that you don't lose track of things, we have summarized the most important gardening tasks for you in April.

What can you sow in April?

In April you can sow a large number of vegetables. While warmth-loving plants such as French beans ( Phaseolus vulgaris ), melon ( Cucumis melo ) or zucchini ( Cucurbita pepo subsp.pepo ) prefer to stay in the sheltered house or be sown in the warming cold frame, more robust vegetables such as peas ( Pisum sativum ), carrots ( Daucus carota subsp. sativus ) or spinach ( Spinacia oleracea ) can be planted directly in the bed. In our small sowing calendar we have summarized for you which vegetables can be sown in April.

Gardening in April: Everything at a glance!

In April, many plants can be sown directly in the field [Photo: Piyaset / Shutterstock.com]

What can you sow in April?

Sow on the windowsill or in the cold frame / greenhouse: French beans, fennel, cucumber, kohlrabi, herbs, pumpkin, corn, melon, Brussels sprouts, salads, runner beans, pointed cabbage, tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, corn

Sow directly into the bed: lettuce, broccoli, peas, spring onions, May beet, Swiss chard, carrots, palm kale, parsley root, radish, beetroot, Brussels sprouts, spinach, pointed cabbage, root parsley

Tip: Use a high-quality seed compost for planting, such as our peat-free and sustainable Plantura organic herb and seed compost. This means that your young plants are optimally taken care of.

What can you plant in April

Who was already busy in February and March, is now slowly reaping the fruits of his labor: (. Beta vulgaris subsp vulgaris) Early planting a windowsill, including various salads, chard but also cauliflower (. Brassica oleracea var botrytis), may in April slowly find the way out. However, not all of the early plants are ready for the big move in April: For frost-sensitive plants such as tomatoes ( Lycopersicon esculentum ) and aubergines ( Solanum melongena ) you should wait until the ice saints in May before planting them out. You can start planting your first potatoes (Solanum tuberosum ) from the beginning of April. However, the temperature of the soil should be at least 7 ° C for sticking the seed potatoes.

What to plant in April Cauliflower, fennel, potatoes, kohlrabi, Swiss chard, salads, chives, pointed cabbage, onions

Tip: Some plants grown very early, such as tomatoes ( Lycopersicon esculentum ), aubergines ( Solanum melongena ), peppers ( Capsicum ) or Andean berries ( Physalis peruviana ) should only be planted after the ice saints in May. So that they are then not exposed to a temperature shock, you should start hardening the plants as early as March. Put the plants outside on days when the temperature does not fall below 8 ° C. However, be aware of the risk of sunburn.

Gardening in April: Everything at a glance!

The first potatoes can be planted in April [Photo: FotoDuets / Shutterstock.com]

Seasonal vegetables in April

A lot can be harvested in April: Fresh lettuce ( Lactuca sativa var. Crispa ), delicious asparagus ( Asparagus officinalis ) and healthy spinach ( Spinacia oleracea ) come straight to our kitchen from the garden. In the greenhouse, however, the first radishes ( Raphanus sativus var . Sativus ) and Swiss chard ( Beta vulgaris subsp. Vulgaris ) are waiting to be harvested. Even if you do not have your own garden, it is advisable to make sure to buy seasonal vegetables. In this way you can protect the climate and the environment.

Which vegetables can be harvested in April?

Outdoor harvest: lettuce, chicory, leek, asparagus, spinach

Harvest in the greenhouse: lamb's lettuce, kohlrabi, celeriac, Swiss chard, radishes

More gardening work in the vegetable patch

Of course, gardening in April is not just about harvesting and sowing vegetables. Here we have summarized other important gardening work in the vegetable patch for the garden month of April for you:

Get the raised bed ready to go: If you haven't already done so in March, it's time to bring your raised bed up to scratch in April. Not only newly created raised beds have to be filled now – even with older raised beds, it is a good idea to compensate for the difference in height caused by the sagging of the soil with new substrate – a good vegetable soil, such as our Plantura organic tomato and vegetable soil, is ideal for this.

Tip: After about five to seven years, the entire substrate of the raised bed should be replaced.

Moving and spreading compost : Any compost that you have not yet spread in autumn can now be spread over your beds. Compost set up over the winter can now be turned over in April.

Prick tomatoes: Those who prefer tomatoes on the windowsill should prick the tomatoes as soon as they have developed the first real leaves. With a pricking stick or a knitting needle, the plants can be carefully lifted out of the ground and then placed in their own pots.

Gardening in April: Everything at a glance!

Tomato plants should be pricked out in April [Photo: LianeM / Shutterstock.com]

The ornamental garden in April

The ornamental garden is a real pleasure in April: The numerous flowers that bloom in April enchant us with their beguiling scent and their engaging play of colors. In order for this beauty to endure, of course, gardening should not be left behind in April either. From sowing to fertilization, there is also a lot to do in the ornamental garden at this time of the year.

What blooms in April

The flowering period really started in April at the latest. The first early bloomers have already said goodbye. Instead, tulips ( Tulipa ), hyacinths ( Hyacinthus ) and daffodils ( Narcissus pseudonarcissus ) are ringing in for Easter. Upholstered phlox ( Phlox subulata ), forget-me-nots ( Myosotis ) and blue pillows ( Aubrieta ) are now showing their best side in April. The plants that bloom in April also include numerous opulent flowering shrubs and woody plants such as the wisteria (wisteria) or the bridal spar ( Spiraea arguta ).

Gardening in April: Everything at a glance!

Now in April the wisteria starts to bloom [Photo: Kristina Bessolova / Shutterstock.com]

What flowers bloom in April

Flowers and perennials: anemones, blue pillows, daisies, hyacinths, irises, crocuses, dandelions, daffodils, daffodils, cushion phlox, primroses, chess flowers, tulips, forget-me-nots

Shrubs and trees: wisteria, bridal spar, forsythia, bell hazel, judas tree, almond tree, tulip tree, tulip magnolia, ornamental cherry

What flowers can you plant in April?

When the ornamental garden shines in colorful blooms in April, you could almost forget that the time has come for sowing and planting new residents in the garden. But if you want to enjoy flowering beds in summer and autumn too, you should use April for gardening: Numerous annual summer flowers have to be sown in April so that they can present their colorful blossoms over the course of the year. But some perennials also have to be planted in April so that they can develop their full beauty over the course of the year.

Tip: If you want to do the bees in your garden a favor this year, you can sow our Plantura bee pasture outdoors now. The seed mix contains a wide variety of bee-friendly plants and will turn your garden into a true bee paradise.

What can you plant in the ornamental garden in April?

Sow in the bed: Annual summer flowers, nasturtiums, cornflower, snapdragons, poppies, morning glory, marigold, gypsophila, summer asters, sunflowers, marigolds

Plants in the bed: dahlias, garden freesia, gladioli, lilies, montbretias, nerines, giant hyacinths, roses, summer hyacinths, tiger flowers, gypsy flowers

Preference on the windowsill / in the greenhouse: Columbine, aster, Dahlias, loyal to men, sunflower

Gardening in April: Everything at a glance!

Seed bombs can be used to sow numerous summer flowers in April [Photo: Miriam Doerr Martin Frommherz / Shutterstock.com]

Further work in the ornamental garden

Planting evergreen shrubs: Evergreen plants like rhododendron ( Rhododendron ), hornbeam ( Carpinus betulus ) or cherry laurel ( Prunus laurocerasus ) are best planted between March and April. Make sure you loosen the soil thoroughly before planting and remove stones and weeds. With the rhododendron, attention must also be paid to the pH value – as a bog bed plant it only thrives optimally on acidic soil. For this reason, it is advisable to improve the garden soil with a special soil, for example our Plantura organic acidic soil.

Thinning out the spring flowers: Many spring flowering shrubs such as the forsythia ( Forsythia x intermedia ) have already faded from mid-April. So that the plants can shine in full splendor next year too, they should be thinned out now: Remove the oldest branches near the ground – this way the young shoots have a better chance of developing in the next year.

Prepare for Easter: In most years, Easter falls in April – so it's high time to decorate the garden with brightly painted Easter eggs. For particularly beautiful eggs in the Easter basket, you can look out for shapely leaves in the garden. With a piece of old pantyhose firmly attached to a hard-boiled egg and then dipped in paint, the leaves leave decorative prints on the egg. For a festive ambience in the room, you can fall back on matching flowering indoor plants. The Easter cactus (Hatiora x graeseri ) or the Christ thorn ( Euphorbia milii ), for example, are tried and tested. You can also cut particularly beautiful branches in the garden and bring spring into your home.

Gardening in April: Everything at a glance!

Easter is coming. Don't miss out on decorating your garden for Easter [Photo: Domakhina Mariia / Shutterstock.com]

The orchard in April

It is always particularly quiet in the orchard over the winter. In April, however, the gardening season really starts again here. Not only do numerous fruit trees such as apples ( Malus ) and pears ( Pyrus ) bloom, they can even be harvested. But also the care of the orchard should not be neglected in April.

Fertilize fruit trees: Both fruit trees and berry bushes enjoy an extra portion of nutrients at the beginning of the growing season. Fertilizing with compost in spring has proven its worth: around three liters are incorporated per square meter and provide the plants with the nutrients they need for flowering and fruiting. As an alternative to compost, you can also use a universal fertilizer with a long-term effect, such as our Plantura organic universal fertilizer.

Planting strawberries: In contrast to the well-known, single-bearing summer strawberries, monthly, climbing and frigo strawberries are not planted between July and August, but in April or early May. These cultivated forms of strawberries are particularly popular because they bear fruit not just once, but throughout the summer.

Pruning raspberries: The correct pruning of raspberries ( Rubus idaeus ) is extremely important in order to bring in the richest possible harvest. With two-timer raspberries, every two-year shoots are therefore cut close to the ground in April. In the case of summer raspberries, on the other hand, the new shoots need to be thinned out in April: only about ten shoots should remain per running meter.

Gardening in April: Everything at a glance!

Raspberries should be cut back in spring [Photo: rodimov / Shutterstock.com]

Planting quinces: Young quinces ( Cydonia oblonga ) are significantly more susceptible to frost than other fruit trees. For this reason, new quince trees are ideally not planted in autumn, but only in April, when the risk of heavy frosts is significantly lower.

Harvesting rhubarb: From the end of April the time has finally come – the first tender stalks of rhubarb ( Rheum rhabarbarum ) are ready for harvest. No matter how aromatic the rhubarb tastes, you should not harvest the plant excessively: around two thirds of the stems should remain so that the plant is not weakened too much.

The lawn in April

In April the growing season is back in full swing. This also means that lawn care must not be neglected. While you could lean back comfortably in winter, mowing the lawn is now back to the typical gardening work in April. If you haven't already done lawn care in March, now is the time.

Fighting moss growth: Mosses often spread more and more in the garden over the winter. Scarifying can help with matted and mossy lawns and aerates the sward – however, scarifying alone does not necessarily help and should not be used too often, as it puts additional strain on the sward. Appropriate fertilization is just as important when combating moss in the lawn. The application of our Plantura organic soil activator also has an effect here, as it improves the soil structure and thus makes the grasses more competitive against wild herbs and mosses.

Gardening in April: Everything at a glance!

Scarifying should be done in spring if possible [Photo: Ingo Bartussek / Shutterstock.com]

Fertilize the lawn: With the first lawn fertilization in spring, the grass is supplied with important nutrients that it needs for healthy growth. Primarily organic fertilizers, such as our Plantura organic lawn fertilizer, not only give your lawn a fresh green, but are also harmless to gardeners and pets.

Closing gaps: Unfortunately, in winter it happens again and again that the lawn dies in some areas – leaving behind unsightly, bare gaps. In the case of individual bald spots, however, you do not have to re-sow the entire lawn: With the Plantura lawn repair you can close small gaps in the lawn quickly and reliably.

Support garden animals and insects in April

Life is slowly returning to the garden after winter. Numerous insects, amphibians and birds can now be observed again. There are a number of things you can do in April to increase the biodiversity in your garden.

Create flower strips: Flower strips with a high proportion of native plants are ideal as a source of food for hungry beneficial insects, because their diversity and the different flowering times of the plants provide enough food for a longer period of time. For creating a flower strip, flower mixtures with many different plants are particularly suitable, such as our Plantura bee pasture: This not only offers the eyes an attractive sight, but also food for hungry insects.

Set up bird bath: Birds are welcome guests to most gardeners. In addition to offering food, the feathered animals can also be ideally supported with fresh water: The installation of a bird bath in the garden helps birds in search of water to drink and bathe and will soon develop into a real bird magnet.

Gardening in April: Everything at a glance!

Common toads like to hide in rotten wood [Photo: Gerry Bishop / Shutterstock.com]

Postpone spring cleaning: In spring, many are gripped by the thirst for action and the desire to restore order and order in the garden. But you shouldn't be too precise: rotten wood, piles of leaves or sticks are amphibians such as common toads ( Bufo bufo ) as welcome hiding places. So do not hesitate to allow a “wild corner” in the garden.

The balcony garden in April

What more stimulates the desire for spring than colorful flowers? Even balcony gardeners no longer have to do without it: Many flowering balcony plants ensure a good mood in April and turn our window sills into real eye-catchers. However, of course, the balcony planting also needs a little care and attention in April in order to show itself from its most beautiful side.

Growing potatoes: potatoes on the balcony? Yes, it actually works: If you don't have your own garden, you can easily grow potatoes in pots. A little less exotic, but just as tasty, are the pick salads and radishes, which can be sown directly in the balcony box in April. Strawberries can just as easily be planted on the balcony: in April, they can move from their plastic pots into the balcony box or the hanging basket.

Hardening potted plants: Cool, overwintered potted plants such as the oleander ( Nerium oleander ) are allowed to slowly return to the balcony in April, provided that there is no longer any permafrost. So that the potted plants can slowly get used to their new surroundings again, they should initially be partially shaded and protected.

Gardening in April: Everything at a glance!

In April it will be colorful on the balcony [Photo: Lapa Smile / Shutterstock.com]

Planting window boxes: Now in April you can prepare your balcony planting. If it is already quite warm, some balcony plants can be planted out as early as April – these include fuchsias ( fuchsia ), begonias ( begonia ) and the hard- working lissy (Impatiens walleriana). But the ice saints are not over yet and a late frost can cause severe damage to the plants. On the other hand, play it safe with the balcony flowers in April with pansies ( Violaceae ), horned violets ( Viola cornuta ) and numerous early bloomers such as daffodils and hyacinths.

Properly care for indoor plants in April

House plants are an asset to every household all year round. So that the green roommates feel comfortable with us, it is important to give them the necessary care in April as well.

Fertilize indoor azaleas: After their flowering, azaleas ( rhododendrons ) need a good portion of nutrients. Therefore, the right time to fertilize the azaleas has come from mid-April. A fertilizer with a long-term effect is particularly ideal for potted plants, as it continuously supplies the plants with nutrients.

Don't forget to prune: some indoor plants such as the colored nettle ( Coleus scutellarioides ), the shrub begonia (Begonia maculata ) and the house linden ( Sparmannia africana ) like to grow rather sparsely. So that they still fit well in the apartment, the plants can be pruned vigorously from the beginning of April. In the case of hibiscus ( hibiscus ) and passion flower ( passiflora ), on the other hand, pruning can increase the willingness to flower, as they bloom abundantly, especially on the young shoots.

Pause for the cyclamen: Cyclamen (Cyclamen) sets from April often a one Blühpause in the house. During this time, the plant needs significantly less water – you should take this into account when watering the cyclamen. In addition, the plant enjoys a sunny, not too warm place in the house during its rest break.

April is slowly coming to an end? You can find out what work will be done in the next month in our article on gardening in May.

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