Spring Garden Kickoff: What to Plant in April

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When I first started gardening, I thought neat rows and wide spaces were the goal. But nature doesn’t grow in straight lines — forests don’t leave bare soil between trees, and weeds are just plants rushing in to fill the gaps.

These days, I’ve become a believer in planting close, letting roots and leaves support each other, and using companion planting to do what pesticides never could: keep pests away, feed the soil, and outcompete weeds.

April is when the garden really wakes up. Here’s what you can plant this month — and how to tuck it together so your garden thrives like a little ecosystem.

What to Plant in April (PNW Focus)

Direct Sow (in the ground now):

  • Carrots, beets, radishes

  • Lettuce mixes, spinach, arugula

  • Peas (sugar snap, snow, shelling)

Transplants (start indoors, plant out now):

  • Brassicas: broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage

  • Onions, leeks

Start Indoors for Later Transplant (still too cold outside):

  • Tomatoes

  • Peppers

  • Squash & cucumbers (plant out in May/June)

Companion Planting & Close Spacing

Plants grow better with friends. Companion planting mimics natural ecosystems:

  • Radishes between carrots: radishes grow fast, break up the soil, and are harvested before carrots fill in.

  • Lettuce under brassicas: cabbage and broccoli shade lettuce, keeping it crisp and tender.

  • Onions around cabbage: their smell confuses cabbage moths.

  • Peas with dill or cilantro: peas add nitrogen to the soil, herbs bring in pollinators.

Close spacing = fewer weeds, more shade for the soil, and less evaporation. Think of your garden like a living quilt — tight enough that weeds don’t stand a chance.

Building Your Beds the Easy Way

If you’re starting fresh this year, don’t break your back double-digging. Beds built in layers — mulch, compost, manure, fungi, soil — create a no-dig system that naturally suppresses weeds, holds water, and feeds your plants from the ground up. Think of it like a lasagna for your garden: stack the layers, soak each one as you go, and let the microbes and worms do the hard work.

👉 I’ll share a full step-by-step No-Dig Garden Bed Guide soon, but for now, just know you don’t need tilling or chemicals to grow strong plants. Nature’s already figured out the system — we just mimic it.

Flower & Allium Borders

Don’t leave garden edges bare. Borders act like a living fence:

  • Flowers (pollinators + pest traps):

    • Marigolds repel nematodes + aphids.

    • Nasturtiums draw pests away from veggies.

    • Calendula and alyssum bring in pollinators.

  • Alliums (pest repellents):

    • Garlic, onions, chives = natural bug deterrent.

    • Ring brassicas with garlic or onions to keep away moths.

    • Chives near lettuce or carrots repel aphids.

  • Herbs (ecosystem boosters):

    • Dill + cilantro attract ladybugs + lacewings.

    • Basil (later season) helps tomatoes grow stronger.

👉 Together, flowers and alliums keep pests at bay while making your garden a pollinator’s paradise.

Homeschool Harvest Tie-In

  • Math: measure spacing (tight rows vs. wide rows) and chart growth.

  • Science: study root systems + companion planting “ecosystem maps.”

  • Art/Nature Study: sketch your bed with flowers, veggies, and herbs in place.

  • Life Skills: track harvest dates, compare yield between mixed beds vs. monocrop rows.

Cheat Sheet: April Planting at a Glance

  • Sow Now: carrots, beets, radishes, lettuce, spinach, peas.

  • Transplant Now: brassicas, onions, leeks.

  • Start Indoors: tomatoes, peppers, squash.

  • Companion Wins:

    • Radish + carrot

    • Lettuce + brassica

    • Onion + cabbage

    • Dill + peas

  • Borders: marigolds, nasturtium, calendula, garlic, onions, chives.

Gardening doesn’t have to be about fighting nature — it works best when you let plants help each other out. Fill the soil with good neighbors, edge it with flowers and alliums, and watch your April garden turn into a thriving ecosystem.

Here’s to produce and provision,

Brenna