What to plant in April

In zones 7–8, April is the primary planting month for warm-season crops (tomatoes, peppers) with last-frost awareness. In zones 5–6, April is for cool-season crops outdoors and continued indoor starts. In zones 9–10, April is prime warm-season growing. The biggest April mistake i

April is the transition month — cool-season crops are at peak production in most zones, and warm-season crops are moving outdoors for zones 7 and warmer. The last frost date looms over every decision this month.

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Zone-by-zone April calendar

Zones 3–5 (Upper Midwest, northern New England, mountain West)

April activity: Last frost dates range from April 30 (zone 5a) to June 1 (zone 3). April is not safe for warm-season outdoor planting in these zones.

What to do:

• Continue indoor starts for tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers (still 4–8 weeks away from outdoor planting)
• Direct sow spinach, peas, lettuce, and kale outdoors in zone 5 when soil is workable (typically late April)
• Plant onion sets and transplants outdoors in late April in zone 5b

Per University of Minnesota Extension, "zone 4 gardeners should wait until mid-May for warm-season outdoor planting" and April is primarily for cool-season crops.

Zones 6–7 (Philadelphia, Long Island, DC, Nashville)

April activity: Last frost dates range from April 1 (zone 7b) to April 30 (zone 6a). This is the transition window.

Cool-season crops (continue or start):

• Direct sow beets, carrots, more lettuce successions, radishes throughout April
• Per Penn State Extension, "continue succession planting of lettuce every 2 weeks through April for continued harvest"
• Transplant broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower starts outdoors in early April

Warm-season crops:

• Zone 7b–7a (last frost April 1–15): Transplant tomatoes and peppers outdoors in mid-to-late April with frost cloth available. Per Penn State Extension, "tomatoes can be planted 1–2 weeks before the last frost date with floating row cover protection."
• Zone 6 (last frost April 15–30): Wait until May 1 for unprotected warm-season planting. With row cover, mid-April transplanting is possible.

In my zone 7a beds, I typically transplant tomatoes around May 1, occasionally April 20–25 if the extended forecast looks clear. I don't rush it — a cold, slow-starting tomato that gets set back in late April often performs no better by July than one planted May 1 in warm soil.

What to direct sow outdoors in April (zones 6–7):

• Beets, carrots, Swiss chard, more peas, more lettuce, more spinach
• Cilantro (prefers cool weather; sow directly, resists transplanting)
• Dill (direct sow only; dislikes transplanting)
• Nasturtiums (seeds germinate best in cool to warm soil, 55–65°F)

Zones 8–9 (Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Sacramento)

April activity: Warm-season growing is fully underway.

Direct sow outdoors:

• Beans (after last frost; soil 60°F+): bush beans and pole beans germinate in 7–10 days at 60–70°F. Per NC State Extension, beans are "very sensitive to cold" — plant after soil has warmed.
• Summer squash, zucchini: direct sow or transplant. Per NC State Extension, "direct sowing is preferred" as squash dislikes root disturbance.
• Cucumbers: direct sow after last frost. Germination in 5–10 days at 65–85°F.
• Corn: direct sow in blocks (not rows) after soil reaches 60°F. Per Penn State Extension, "corn needs to be planted in blocks of at least 4 rows wide" for adequate pollination.

Transplant outdoors:

• Tomatoes: zone 8 last frost is mid-to-late March. April tomato planting is safe (2–4 weeks past last frost). Per Clemson HGIC, "soil temperature at transplanting should be at least 60°F."
• Peppers, eggplant, basil

Cool-season crops winding down: April is the last month for cool-season crops in zone 8–9. Lettuce, spinach, and peas will bolt as temperatures climb. Harvest frequently and plan to pull them by late April.

Zone 10–11 (Miami, Hawaii, South Texas)

April activity: Midsummer-equivalent conditions in zone 10–11.

For zone 10 (Southern Florida, the Rio Grande Valley): Transition to heat-tolerant vegetables. Per UF IFAS Extension, April through September is "the hot season" in South Florida, requiring heat-tolerant varieties. Plant sweet potatoes, Southern peas (cowpeas), okra, and Malabar spinach.