Heirloom Vegetable Seeds to Sow in April UK
, by Ellen Rignell, 1 min reading time
April is an excellent month for sowing vegetable and herb seeds. The days are getting longer so your seedlings have plenty of light to grow strong and healthy. That said, it's best not to get too trigger-happy! In spite of the extra light, the soil is still wet and cold and there's still a strong possibility of frosts (even here is mild, maritime Dorset).
April is an excellent month for sowing vegetable and herb seeds. In the UK, days are getting longer so your seedlings have plenty of light to grow strong and healthy. That said, it's best not to get too trigger-happy! In spite of the extra light, the soil is still wet and cold and there's still a strong possibility of frosts (even here is mild, maritime Dorset).
So my advice to you is to sow the vast majority of your April sowings in pots (even if you're sowing them outside). There are (of course) exceptions to this rule but most crops will benefit from being sown into seedling compost and planted out in a month or so when they're bigger. And it'll give them a fighting chance against the slugs and snails...
With that all said, here's my list of what to sow in April, broken down into what to sow undercover (i.e. in a greenhouse or windowsill), what to sow undercover or outside (ideally in pots/modules) and what to sow direct into the soil (if it's workable!).
April Vegetable Sowings - undercover
Tomatoes (especially outdoor varieties)
Cucumbers
Physalis
French Beans
Runner beans
Basil (including Thai and Greek basil)
At end of the month sow:
Squash, Pumpkins & Courgettes
Sweetcorn
April Vegetable Sowings - undercover or outside
Lettuce
Beetroot
Chard
Broccoli
Kale
Cabbage
Spring Onions
Parsley
Coriander
Rocket
Leeks
Spring Onions
Salad greens (stridolo, mustards, cress etc)
Radish
Peas
Broad beans
April Vegetable Sowings - direct into soil
Carrots
Parsnips
Radish
Broad Beans
Peas
Dill
Wrinkle Cress
