Oops & What to Grow in April

Oops!  I started this on the first of the month and, look, it’s now the 17th.  I am only finishing this off at this point because I have been awake since stupid o’clock and have already cooked spaghetti bolognaise for later, done some work for my sports job, booked and paid for a clutch of yoga sessions!  It is another half an hour until I will set off for school, so I thought I would get this done and dusted.

As it is actually mid-April it’s probably a better time to add this to the mix as all the gardening advice says that this month is the busy time for sowing seeds and planting out but then issues grave warnings about being careful of heavy rain, damaging wind and late frosts!  So, I’m bucking the trend then and it was all part of the plan….! Ha!

​So, I receive a number of subscribed emails or notifications and sometimes they can be a tad irritating as I think it can create additional low-level stress, encouraging more ‘busyness’ and information over-load.  However, if you are keen to garner more ideas and inspiration then check out the following:

​Grow Your Own | Allotment Online
Home - Thrive
Spring Raffle 2024 | RSPB Spring Raffle 2024
Soil Association / Growing at home (soilassociation.org)
April in the Garden | Gardening To Do List | Sarah Raven
Organic Seeds - Vital Seeds - We help you grow food - Buy online now / Growing Resources - Vital Seeds
Quality flower, fruit, herb & vegetable seeds – Seeds To Suit
Grow Your Own - April advice and gardening tips / RHS Gardening
Home - National Garden Scheme (ngs.org.uk) / Top tips & tutorials Archives - National Garden Scheme (ngs.org.uk)
Garden Organic - Discover organic growing (via the Co-Op website)

And here is the key advice for April:

• Avoid planting out too early due to the risk of frosts
• Plant chitted second earlies during the first fortnight followed by main crop during the last two weeks this month … this refers to potatoes!
• Keep hoeing the little weeds appearing to save time and work later on!

Vegetables to grow in April:

• Beetroot
• Broad beans
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Chard
• Garlic
• Herbs
• Leeks
• Lettuce
• Onions
• Parsnips
• Peas
• Potatoes
• Radish
• Spinach
• Turnips

Flowers and more to follow - but I must gather myself together for another day at the rockface!