What to plant in April — zone 5a
Zone 5a averages its last spring frost around May 10 and its first fall frost around October 1. Everything below is timed from those two dates, so it stays useful whether you're planting for summer or for a fall harvest.
Garden care
- Wake the bedsaround Apr 5
Turn in compost, cut down cover crops, and let the soil warm two weeks before the first sowing.
- Harden off early transplantsaround Apr 12
Two weeks of increasing outdoor time keeps cold-hardy seedlings from stalling when they go out.
Direct sow
- Peaaround Apr 5
Soil is ready -5 weeks before last frost.
- Lettucearound Apr 12
Soil is ready -4 weeks before last frost.
- Spinacharound Apr 12
Soil is ready -4 weeks before last frost.
- Radisharound Apr 12
Soil is ready -4 weeks before last frost.
- Carrotaround Apr 19
Soil is ready -3 weeks before last frost.
- Kalearound Apr 19
Soil is ready -3 weeks before last frost.
- Beetaround Apr 19
Soil is ready -3 weeks before last frost.
- Onionaround Apr 19
Soil is ready -3 weeks before last frost.
- Broccoliaround Apr 19
Soil is ready -3 weeks before last frost.
- Chivesaround Apr 19
Soil is ready -3 weeks before last frost.
- Potatoaround Apr 26
Soil is ready -2 weeks before last frost.
- Cilantroaround Apr 26
Soil is ready -2 weeks before last frost.
- Parsleyaround Apr 26
Soil is ready -2 weeks before last frost.
Start indoors
- Lettucearound Apr 12
4 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (05-10). Succession sow every 2 weeks. Harvest outer leaves for a cut-and-come-again supply.
- Cucumberaround Apr 19
3 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (05-10). Trellis vertically to double yield in the same footprint and cut mildew.
- Zucchiniaround Apr 19
3 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (05-10). One plant feeds a family. Pick at 6-8 in for the sweetest fruit.
- Winter squasharound Apr 19
3 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (05-10). Cure 10 days in a warm dry spot after harvest — the skin toughens and storage doubles.
- Watermelonaround Apr 19
3 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (05-10). Ripe = tendril nearest the fruit is brown and the ground spot has turned buttery yellow.
- Cantaloupe / Melonaround Apr 19
3 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (05-10). Ripe fruit slips off the vine with a gentle tug — the smell alone tells you.
Transplant out
- Kalearound Apr 19
Goes out 3 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Broccoliaround Apr 19
Goes out 3 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Chivesaround Apr 19
Goes out 3 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Strawberryaround Apr 19
Goes out 3 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Lettucearound Apr 26
Goes out 2 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Onionaround Apr 26
Goes out 2 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Strawberryaround Apr 26
Goes out 2 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Parsleyaround Apr 26
Goes out 2 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Mintaround Apr 26
Goes out 2 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
Turn this into your own calendar
Get the full 12-month version for your exact ZIP — every sowing, transplant, and harvest window, with reminders you can add to your calendar. Free, no account needed to try.