Welcome to the April edition of our newsletter. It's always tempting to slow down a little once the weather starts to cool, but April is actually a top time of year to do some planting. There's often some gentle rain about, lower daytime temperatures mean less risk of heat stress, and the days are still sunny and warm enough to help plants settle in.
Autumn is also the perfect time to focus on the health of your soil by adding a layer of compost and some aged animal manure, or by growing a green manure crop. Green manure, also called a compost or fallow crop, are plants sown purely to improve soil quality, texture, nutrients or disease load. A crop grown over autumn and winter can be tilled into the soil just before it flowers and left to compost in situ before planting flowers or veggies in late winter or spring. Browse our range of green manure seeds here.
Happy gardening from everyone at The Seed Collection!
April Planting
Seeds to Sow in April
The allium family stars in the winter garden, and bunching onion, chive and shallot seeds can all be sown this month. Also sow seeds of Chinese cabbage and spinach, along with peas, broad beans, carrot and beetroot. In the flower garden, plant hardy annuals now for a great show in early spring. Find a full list of Seeds to Sow in April here.
Seed Garlic
All varieties of seed garlic can be planted in April. Simply separate the bulbs into individual cloves and pop them 3-5cm deep into cultivated soil. Mounding up the soil or planting in raised beds is a good way to ensure it will drain perfectly. A liquid fertiliser can be applied every six weeks once shoots appear. Browse all seed garlic bulbs here.
Spring Flowering Bulbs
April is prime bulb planting time in all climates. Nighttime temperatures are dropping and the soil is cooling, creating perfect conditions for your bulbs. Flower bulbs and corms planted in April and May will develop strong root systems before sending up shoots in winter and early spring. Browse all flower bulbs here.
