April is where everything changes in the garden.
Up until now, you’ve probably been focused on starting seeds indoors—grow lights, trays, getting a head start. But by April, that approach can actually start working against you.
Because once your soil warms up, a lot of plants grow faster when they’re planted directly outside instead of being started indoors and transplanted later.
In this video, I’ll show you what still makes sense to start indoors, what should be direct sown, and how to avoid one of the biggest mistakes gardeners make this time of year.
If you want exact planting dates based on your location, check out GardenGuide:
👉 https://gardenguide.com
🌱 What you’ll learn in this video:
What seeds to start indoors in April
What vegetables to direct sow outside
Why starting seeds indoors can slow you down
The difference between tomatoes and peppers in early season
How to avoid transplant shock and stalled growth
CHAPTERS
00:00 Why April Changes Everything
00:42 What This Video Covers
00:54 The April Shift (Why Indoors Can Slow You Down)
02:09 Why Location Matters (+ GardenGuide)
02:46 What to Start Indoors in April
02:59 Tomatoes (Move Outside Earlier)
03:40 Peppers (Need More Heat)
04:30 Basil (Still Start Indoors)
05:03 Cucumbers, Squash & Zucchini (Short Window)
06:17 What to Direct Sow (Main Shift)
06:25 Beans (Fast + Easy Win)
06:47 Corn (Plant in Blocks)
07:45 Carrots (Don’t Transplant)
08:15 Radishes (Succession Planting)
08:28 Squash, Zucchini & Cucumbers (Better Outside)
08:54 Melons (Warm Soil Only)
09:19 The Biggest April Mistake
10:09 What NOT to Start Now
10:39 Simple Rules to Follow
11:01 Final Shift (Let the Season Work)
11:17 Tomato Tip (Watch Next)
23 Comments
Yesss perfect explanation 👍🏾 thank you !🙏🏽 may God bless your channel! 💯💫🙏🏽
Thx 😊
Your brugmansia behind you are breathtaking! I have white but not as lovely as yours.
This is such good news! I never started my seeds indoors. 😅
What zones are you talking about …
Not mine!
We uave had an unseasonably warm February and march in Colorado.
We don't usually plant until mid May, but I think I'm going to try and plant at least beans and salad stuff in the next too weeks.😊
In Colorado zone 5 it could snow any time and destroy your entire crop in April may so bad advice .
LOL! Watching you while cleaning my raised beds.. 🌿
How about starting in pors outside so they can come inside if a cold night comes 🤔
What great news, Brian! I'm one of those who really intended to start lots of seeds indoors but life got in the way. So nice to know I'm okay to direct sow … well, once the soil warms a bit and the nighttime temps are in the 50s.
Did you hear about Charles Dowding has cancer?
good video never seen before
Thank you. Time to move outdoors.
Thanks for posting. That is a beautiful bush behind you 🙂
I’m in NM and same here- I planted my salad and beans two weeks ago – hopefully we won’t get a random frost
Thank you 🩷
Will you be having a second sowing option on the calendar on your website per zone? That would be great! Thanks!
Great video Briian! If I'm growng Sungold tomatoes would I still remove the suckers in the "armpits"?
Thank you Brian. 🌷💚🙃
My location feels left out by the gardening sites . I'm in Wisconsin and the weather is crazy ! Last week it was 70 and sunny – and we still have some 20 degree weather yet to come. All you lucky people that live in the south (a/k/a Paradise ) … can follow a chart – I have to wait till mother nature's mean streak calms down LOL
I’m not sure where you are, but we are going to be around 22 the next couple of nights. Hopefully we see nights in 50s by early June. And they moved us from zone 5 to 6b. I still plant for zone 5, because weather.
As always brilliant advice thank you ❤
I don’t know if people really watched this video. Many times you mentioned this isn’t advice for those of us in northern cold climates. Knowing your frost dates and keeping a record of temperatures in your garden is really helpful. Use row cover to help warm the soil. Plastic and fleece have helped me get those crops like broccoli and cabbage in the ground early. It’s necessary if I want to get anything before our hot weather hits. I have to keep all the brassicas covered first for frost then netting to keep the cabbage moths off. Zone 6 NW Montana last frost date may 22nd