April is the best time to finally transplant those beautiful healthy seedlings from our indoor spaces into our gardens. This is the time when our gardens turn from gloomy spaces into greener spaces carrying all the seedlings that we have been babying around for all those weeks. There is a vast list of vegetables that can be transplanted outdoors in April in zone 6.
These fully grown transplants or seedlings can be planted in April in zone 6, onions, lettuce, kale, spinach, Swiss chard, Asian greens like Bok Choy, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and peas. It is also a very good time to plant the berry plants and bushes like strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. Let us not forget that the month of April is a good time to plant trees if you have not planted them yet. Plant the trees before they wake up from the dormancy.
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Is April too late to start seedlings?
April is a great time to start seedlings. It is not too late, it is the perfect time to start them. Not only you can start growing cool-weather crops but there are some warm-season crops you can grow. Started can be all cool-weather crops including broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, peas, kale, Swiss chard, brussels sprouts, lettuce, arugula, and Asian greens. Warm-season crops such as tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants can be started in April in zone 6 as well!
How do I protect my seedlings outside?
Protect the seedlings outside with coverings. To protect the seedlings from frost, cover them with garden fleece covers, hoop covers, newspapers, and straw or hay can be used as well to insulate them from frost. Protect tender seedlings from rodents, and other pests by covering them with a mesh cover.
I battle chipmunks, wild rabbits, squirrels, and deer every year. If I do not cover my seedlings once they are planted outdoors, they will be destroyed. Usually, I find them snipped off of their stem! If you do not protect your seedlings they can be eaten or just snipped off by garden pests or wildlife. In my raised beds I set up plastic hoops and attach a garden mesh or tulle fabric over the hoops to protect my garden during the whole growing season.
Do seedlings need preparation to be planted outdoors?
Yes, the seedlings need a little bit of preparation before they are planted outdoors. It is called hardening off. Hardening off the seedlings means preparing them for the outdoor environment. Because the seedlings were growing until now in a completely controlled environment, they were protected from cold, wind, harsh sun, and rain. Once they are transplanted outdoors, they are exposed to all the elements. Hardening off is getting them ready for the elements and outdoor environment.
How to harden off the seedlings?
Bring the seedlings outdoors in the shade for a couple of hours on the first day. The next day increase the hours the seedlings stay outdoors. Increase their outdoor stay each day and add sun exposure. Hardening off the seedlings takes one to two weeks. Once the seedlings are hardened off, plant them outdoors in their permanent place.
How big should the seedlings be before transplanting?
The seedlings should have at least two sets of true leaves before they are ready to be planted outdoors, and their root system is large enough to hold the soil around them.
If you are not sure your seedlings are ready to be planted outdoors or are not confident enough to plant transplant them, I invite you to read my other article, When and how to plant a seedling. In the article I will walk you through the signs to spot to tell your seedlings are ready to be planted outdoors, how long should the seedlings be in the seed trays, how to prepare the seedlings for outdoors, how to prepare the soil before planting seedlings, and how to plant the seedlings in their permanent spot, and much more!
What can I direct seed in April in zone 6?
All cool-weather crops can be directly sowed in April in zone 6. Now is the time to sow especially root crops that are recommended to be started directly in the garden rather than indoors because they establish themselves better when they are directly sowed in their permanent place. Crops like carrots, beets, turnips, kohlrabi, radish, celeriac, and parsnip, can all be direct seeded. Also, cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, arugula, greens, lettuce, mustards, collards, and Swiss chard, can not only be started indoors but also can be direct seeded. This is a great time to start seeds for those who did not have an opportunity to start their seeds indoors.
Starting seeds by direct seeding is a great way to establish the garden for those who do not have to grow lights, indoor space, or an opportunity to start seeds indoors weeks prior. You are not way behind, rather you are just on time to direct seed!
I used to direct seed almost all my vegetables before I got my grow lights. I did not have a sunny window to start my seeds earlier in the season, so I usually started them in April when the weather was warm enough to start seeds outdoors or in my mini greenhouse.
To inspire you even more, I have written a whole article about What to direct sow outdoors in April in zone 6 with beautiful photos of my direct seeded vegetables turned into beautiful seedlings once sowed outdoors in their permanent place. Get out and get growing! It’s the perfect time to get seeds into your garden space.
Can I plant flowers in April?
Bulb flowers you can plant outdoors in April are daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, lilies,
April is a good time to get some bulb flowers into the ground! I like bulb flowers very much. I even have a whole collection of bulb flowers, amaryllises! But those are in no way going outdoors in April.
Share with us what are you planting this time of the year in your gardens.
What to direct sow outdoors in April in zone 6
What to sow indoors in April, zone 6
How to start a vegetable garden
How to find out if the seeds are viable
