With the arrival of spring, the Growing Season is now raring to go! But what can you sow in April? In this week’s video, Ben shows us exactly which seeds you can get started right now.
There’s something for everyone here, whether you have lots of space or just a few pots or a patio. This selection includes some old favourites and some cracking crops so grab a notepad and pen and get these on your ‘To Sow’ list!
For more Sowing To Harvest videos, check out our playlist where you can find everything from A to Zucchini:
If you love growing your own food, why not take a look at our online Garden Planner which is available from several major websites and seed suppliers:
https://www.GrowVeg.com
https://gardenplanner.almanac.com
https://gardenplanner.motherearthnews…
and many more…
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48 Comments
Aside from the leeks is there anything I can grow in the garden straight from seed and not in pots first? It's an exercise for my children really as it's a new garden and we haven't set everything up yet.
I'm not growing much this year yet – still have over 6 feet of snow in our yard & on our raised beds!!! I have started seeds inside – kale, collard greens, cabbage, onions…The room that I normally do all my seed starting is FREEZING right now so I must wait until things warm up quite a bit!!! I am chomping at the bit waiting for my spring to arrive!!!
I’m new to growing and had recently got an allotment so a very exciting journey.
Currently on the go I have courgette, carrots, broccoli, Tomatoes. I brought 2 lots of potatoes which are chitting but one batch seem very soft and wrinkly 🤷♀️
Is there any advice people can give me re seeds and their origin/quality etc. Are garden centre seed ok or should i go for organic non commercial seed? Thanks
Another great video. I love your enthusiasm; it always brightens my day.
One quick question: where do you get your plug trays from? All the garden centres and shops around me just seem to have the flimsy single use ones. Yours look lovely and sturdy.
Dear Ben, thanks for all the useuful information and keep up the good work. This summer im growing onions, french beans, potatoes, lettuce, radicchio, rocket, cherry and regular tomato, pepper, cucumber, melon, courgette, squash, cabbages, strawberries, mint and camomile.
Good one. Celery section very useful – I'll give it a go shortly. Cheers Ben. 👍
Have you tried growing the base of shop bought celery and live lettuces to regrow and produce more. I know you planted shop bought herbs.
I never worry about planting depth with large seeds. A couple of years back some pumpkin seeds ended up in some compost, which ended up getting buried in my raised bed about half a foot. They sprouted all the way to the top with no problem. I took one of the sprouts out and it was the length of my forearm. I let one of the plants grow and got some nice pumpkins in the fall.
Your enthusiasm is wonderful. I’m still waiting for above zero temperatures before I sow seeds. Your dog is adorable 🥰
Was there a March version of this?? I can only find the February and April one
Experiment with priming seeds. Warm water soak 12-24hrs before planting. Corn needs to ensure warmer than 55degF, but do better with higher temperatures like you'll see in June rainwater.
Another fine video Ben 👍 looking forward to the planting in pots next as I have a courtyard garden & all my veg is in pots..first year for me so a bit of a novice..I have three varieties of potatoes 🥔 already in..Two varieties of onion 🧅 (poking their heads thru) Chives..I have also got leeks starting to sprout & orange cherry tomatoes 🍅 I’ve also bought a small four tier wooden garden growhouse,so hopefully get some spring onions & lettuce 🥬 on the go shortly 😊
How would you recommend protecting celery from slugs? Eyeballing and manually removing? Or coffee grounds in soil?
great video Ben. my veg patch is in the italian part of switzerland… we sow already in late february because cool crops need to be harvested by the time it’s searingly hot in july. anyhow, parsnips are already 2cm tall, carrots up too. garlic has overwintered so will be harvested soon. I have sown cherry toms, courgettes, onions and various herbs
So funny. I work on a farm and enjoy growing this and that no expert tried some corn and got it started went out the other morning and there gone mouse got them 😂😂
Per Beans: I’d heard that it is better to plant them direct than to transplant them since bean roots supposedly do not appreciate the disturbance of transplantation?
Per Corn: I gave up on corn a few years ago for two reasons. Cost/area available for my vegetable garden. And, most importantly if I planted them direct the squirrels ate them soon after they shot up. I had to wait until indoor-sprouted seedlings got about eight inches tall before the squirrels would leave them alone! It’s the same reason that I will be growing sunflowers inside until they are about eight inches tall this year.
My tip for planting tiny seeds: Paper towels or tissues. Sprinkle seeds on a paper towel, spread them to the distance you’d like then lightly spray with water to sort of set them in place. Then, fold over the towel and cut (or carefully tear) the seeded area and plant it. Think of it as a DIY “seed tape”. 🙂 Seed tapes are great but are pricier than seed packets; plus, seed tape isn’t available for every tiny seed you might like to plant.
Where to you purchase your reuseable sprouting plug trays from? All the ones available in my area are one time use. BTW, love when your dog makes an appearance. She is so sweet.
Thanks for this lovely video! I am so curious about your trellises! I love compact they are. Where did you get them?
Hi Ben, great video with lots of useful information about sowing indoor & outdoor too. Thanks for sharing and take care 😊
Can I ask where did you get your arches and what do you grow up them?
are there any tips on not growing leggy seedlings? I grow mine in a hothouse with good potting mix and they always typically end up leggy! the hothouse gets good light too, loving these beginner friendly videos as well.
Great video! But could you tell me where you got the puppy 🐶 seeds from 😜😂 he is adorable!
I am going to grow
Squash & Pumpkins, Beetroot Bolt hardy, 3 types of Chillies, 2 types of Courgettes, Cucumbers, climbing French beans, Runner beans, Leeks Musselburgh, Tomatoes Gardeners Delight and Mini Bell and three types of onions! I have 5 metal raised beds, hexagonal ones, they are about knee high and am in a tizz as to how to plant in them! In hindsight I should have got rectangular beds, I also have 12 x 30ltr pots !
Family show 😂😂😂won’t be doing that ❤❤❤😂😂😂
I don't plant anything in the spring any more. Nothing grows. Oh sure, seeds might sprout. Then die. If I plant at all, it's in July or August when the weather is dry and hot. I've given up buying grown plants started by nurseries because they die or get diseased and I'm out money and enthusiasm. Sometimes flowering plants might survive a little while. My mother had a green thumb. She could grown anything. Everything I learned from her doesn't work for me. It's disappointing and disheartening, yet every spring I start again hoping this year will be the one where something grows and grows well. I'm glad seed starting works for other people. Have fun!
I just subscribed to your channel and been binge watching your videos! I am inspired to do more this year esp to those seeds I struggle with. I like d plug trays u use..do u have a link where u buy them? 😊
do you reside in canada?
Just seen a familiar pair of glasses on my tellybox talking about tomatoes! Was it just the one episodesequence?
When you said last frost date, I heard a prostate… think I need to visit the Drs…its an angel sign…
My favor Garden teacher.. you are Ben.. Thank you !!🤩
Would love to see you do an experiment, does hardening off make a difference?
Easy one to test and film, simply take half the seedlings of one batch and transplant outside and the other half, do the hardening off process.
I'm not convinced it makes a difference and it would be a nice job not to worry about!
I absolutely love this channel. Between you and Huw you are my mindful retreat. Seeds purchased. Let's get growing!!
Should I sow peas yet?
Many thanks.
No need to thin out carrots, also distribute seeds within 100mm wide rows; this works , also disturbing the soil will encourage carrot fly.
I am a new subscriber. I truly enjoy watching your videos that I had to subscribe. You explain everything quickly, clearly and to the point. You are so excited about growing your vegetables and very knowledge that it is contagious. I enjoy every video. What growing zone are you in? Happy Gardening.🥕🍅🥗🌱
I won't. Just to spite your clickbaity title.
Love the videos. Question….is there a reason to use peat-free potting mix, is it better for the seeds/plants? I make my own potting mix which has peat in it, should i be using coco instead?
😆…I think my wife will have an issue with the bare-bottom temperature test in the garden.
I just discovered my new favourite gardening channel and Brittish accent is the cherry on the top haha.
For some reason it's soothing and relaxing, videos got solid information and is visually beautiful.
Greets from the other side of the pond (Netherlands)
I have noticed in all the seed starting videos the potting soil (or seed starting soil) appears to be very moist. Do you wet the soil mix before filling plug trays? Some of the mix I have seems very dry in the bag. I'm concerned I might get dry pockets in the trays. I do my seed planting in my garage. Thank you very much.
I'm in perth Scotland and I'm just waiting to sow my potatoes they're red flesh, forgot the name, also just sowed beetroot, radish, spring onion, and my Gladioli bulbs I dug up in winter as we have widened our beds, also planted a lot of bee friendly wild flowers which came in a ball that looks like mud, cool and just seen my first bee collecting pollen
Hi Ben, this may seem a silly question but I use a mix of JI no1 and Melcourt silvergrow for seedlings and potting in, but i steralise it first! Is this necessary? Please advice as im oushed for time because i have to do all I can before starting chemo
This year, i have not been successful with my onion seed germination. Don’t know if the it has to do with the cold weather although this has been kept indoors.
Great information. Thank you.
If I win the lottery, I get a house with a big sunny garden.
Great vlog always informative thanks 👍