What to Plant in April to Have a Garden in the Summer

Ah Spring! What a beautiful time of year. The weather is finally warming up and the chill in the air is disappearing. Then snow melts and you notice your brown lawn and dreary garden. Don't fret, there's good news! You still have plenty of time to work on your yard and garden before summer. You might want colorful flowers in your garden. Or maybe you want delicious vegetables or fruits. Maybe you want both. Here are just a few things to plant in April to have a garden in the Summer.

Plants with Wood

Plants like shrubs, bushes, and trees can be planted in the spring. Choose a plant with bare-roots if you are planting in the Spring. Bare-roots are the trees or shrubs you buy without a root system already in place. The cool air and rains will help the plant with bare-roots to grow strong roots for the dry Summer. You might also want to consider planting something that is deer resistant if they are prominent in your area. American holly, dwarf Alberta spruce and switchgrass are all great choices.

Annuals

A lot of annuals can survive freezing temperatures. Since April’s weather can sometimes be unpredictable, these plants might be a better choice for you. Some plants will die immediately if they freeze and need to be planted when there is no risk of frost. The pansy, snapdragon, painted tongue, English daisy, and diascia can all withstand lower temperatures.

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Vegetables

Many vegetables can be planted in your garden in April, even with the danger of frost. Lettuce, cauliflower, cabbage, and onions are a great way to go. These are strong vegetables that have a good chance of growing. If you live in a warmer climate you can plant even more vegetables in April. Tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers are family favorites. However, you’ll need to make sure that the danger of frost has past to plant them.

Inside Growing

Inside growing may help your garden to be more successful. Some plants cannot be planted outside in April, due to the risk of cold weather. If you start your plant inside and let it germinate and grow before summer, you can transplant it later. For vegetables that work well in warm weather, you'll need to plant them in your garden around June. Or you can start growing them inside around March 15-April 1. This will give the plant enough time to mature. In June when the weather is hot, you can transplant your vegetables into your garden.

Summing Up

April is close to summer and you might think you’re out of time to fix your garden. Have no fear! There is still plenty of time to plant or start growing your favorite plants. You could have flowers fit for a wedding bouquet. Maybe you want your vegetables to win first prize at the county fair. Shrubs or trees that line your walkway might be your dream. No matter which route you want to take, there are a lot of things to plant in April. These are just some of the things to plant to have your dream garden in the summer.