What to Plant in April: Canadian Zone-by-Zone Guide

April is the month when Canadian gardens start to wake up. Snow recedes, soil thaws, and the urge to get seeds in the ground becomes irresistible. But April planting looks very different depending on whether you are gardening on the BC coast or on the Saskatchewan prairie. This guide breaks down what you can realistically plant in April across Canadian growing zones.

Use our planting date calculator to get customized dates for your exact location and frost date.

Understanding Your Zone and Frost Date

Before diving in, a quick reminder: your growing zone tells you what perennials survive your winters, but your last frost date is what drives spring planting decisions. Here are rough last frost dates by zone:

Zone 3 (Prairies, Northern Ontario/Quebec): May 25 - June 5
Zone 4 (Southern Prairies, Central Ontario/Quebec): May 15 - May 25
Zone 5 (Southern Ontario, Montreal, Maritimes): May 10 - May 20
Zone 6 (Niagara, Halifax, Southwestern Ontario): May 1 - May 15
Zone 7-8 (Coastal BC): March 15 - April 15

For detailed frost date information, see our Canadian frost dates guide.

Zones 7-8: Coastal British Columbia

April in coastal BC is full-speed planting season. Your last frost date has passed or is imminent, and the soil has been workable for weeks.

Direct Seed Outdoors

Peas -- Snow peas, snap peas, and shelling peas. Sow every 2-3 weeks for succession harvests through June.
Lettuce, spinach, and arugula -- Direct seed every 10-14 days for continuous greens.
Radishes -- Fast-maturing varieties like Cherry Belle are ready in 25-30 days.
Carrots -- Sow now for summer harvest. Soil should be at least 7 C.
Beets -- Direct seed in early April. Soak seeds overnight for faster germination.
Swiss chard and kale -- Hardy enough to handle any remaining cool snaps.
Potatoes -- Plant seed potatoes in early to mid-April.
Beans -- Bush beans can go out in late April once soil reaches 15 C.

Transplant Outdoors

Brassicas -- Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and kohlrabi that you started indoors in February.
Onion sets and transplants -- Get these in the ground as early as possible.
Lettuce transplants -- Head lettuce transplants go out earlier than direct-seeded.
Herbs -- Parsley, cilantro, dill, and chives can handle cool temperatures.

Start Indoors

Cucumbers, squash, and melons -- Start 3-4 weeks before your planned transplant date (late April or early May).
Late-season tomatoes -- If you want a second succession of tomatoes, start now.
Flowers -- Cosmos, sunflowers, and nasturtiums for transplanting in May.

Zones 5-6: Southern Ontario, Montreal, Southern Maritimes

April in Zones 5-6 is a transition month. The soil is thawing and drying, but frost is still a real threat. Focus on cold-hardy crops outdoors and keep your indoor seed starting operation running.

Direct Seed Outdoors (Mid to Late April)

Peas -- As soon as the soil can be worked, get peas in the ground. They tolerate frost.
Spinach -- Sow as early as soil can be worked. Spinach germinates in soil as cool as 4 C.
Lettuce and mesclun mixes -- Direct seed under row cover for extra warmth.
Radishes -- A quick win. Sow every 10 days for continuous harvest.
Onion sets -- Plant sets and multiplier onions as soon as soil is workable.
Broad beans (fava beans) -- These cold-hardy legumes thrive in cool conditions. Plant in early April.
Parsnips -- Slow to germinate, so get them in early. Fresh seed only.

Start Indoors (Early to Mid-April)

Tomatoes -- If you did not start in late March, early April still works for Zone 6. Zone 5 gardeners should have started by now.
Cucumbers -- Start 3-4 weeks before outdoor transplanting (late May).
Zucchini and summer squash -- Same timing as cucumbers.
Melons -- Start in mid-April for a late May or early June transplant.
Basil -- Start indoors now. Basil hates cold soil.
Flowers -- Marigolds, zinnias, and cosmos for June transplanting.

Transplant Outdoors (Late April, Zone 6 Only)

Brassicas -- Harden off and transplant broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower under row cover.
Lettuce transplants -- Can go out in late April with protection.
Onion transplants -- If you grew from seed, April is transplant time.

Zones 3-4: Prairies, Northern Ontario, Northern Quebec

April in Zones 3-4 is still winter's domain outdoors. Snow may still be on the ground into mid-April, and the soil will not be workable until late April or May at the earliest. This month is all about indoor seed starting and soil preparation planning.

Start Indoors (Early April)

Tomatoes -- The classic early April start for a June 1 transplant date. Use 4-inch pots and grow lights.
Eggplant -- Start one week before tomatoes if you have not already.
Ground cherries and tomatillos -- Same timing as tomatoes.
Brassicas -- Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts. Start in early April for late May transplanting.
Head lettuce -- Start indoors for transplanting once soil is workable in May.

Start Indoors (Mid to Late April)

Cucumbers -- Start 3-4 weeks before your transplant date (early to mid-June).
Squash and zucchini -- Same timing as cucumbers. Do not start too early; they grow fast.
Melons -- For short-season varieties only. Start mid-April.
Herbs -- Basil, dill, and cilantro. Start indoors for transplanting after last frost.
Flowers -- Marigolds, zinnias, sunflowers, and cosmos.

Outdoor Preparation

Even if you cannot plant yet, April is the time to:

Remove mulch from perennial beds to let the soil warm.
Set up cold frames or low tunnels if you have them.
Test your soil -- Send samples to a lab or use a home test kit for pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
Turn compost -- Get it heating up so it is ready for May.
Prep raised beds -- Remove debris, top with compost, and cover with clear plastic to warm the soil faster.

Crops That Work Across All Zones in April

Some crops are so cold-hardy they can go out (or start indoors) in April regardless of your zone:

Peas -- Outdoors in Zones 5+ as soon as soil is workable. Indoors in Zones 3-4 is not recommended; they transplant poorly.
Spinach -- Outdoors in Zones 5+. Start indoors in Zones 3-4 only if you have a cold frame to transplant into.
Onion sets -- Outdoors in Zones 5+. Wait until early May for Zones 3-4.
Indoor herbs -- Start basil, parsley, cilantro, and dill indoors in all zones.

April Seed Starting Tips

Do not start cucurbits too early. Cucumbers, squash, and melons grow quickly. Starting more than 4 weeks before transplanting produces root-bound plants.

Harden off gradually. Transplants going outdoors need 7-10 days of hardening off, starting with 1-2 hours of sheltered exposure and increasing daily.

Use row cover. Lightweight row cover adds 2-4 degrees of frost protection and lets you transplant brassicas and lettuce 1-2 weeks earlier.

Succession plant greens. Sow lettuce, spinach, and radish every 10-14 days to prevent everything maturing at once.

Planning Your Full Season

April is an excellent time to map out your entire growing season. If you have not already, consider creating a full season plan that accounts for succession plantings, bed rotations, and fall crops. Our garden calculator can help you build planting schedules based on your specific frost dates and crop selections.

For guidance on starting your garden from scratch, see our beginner's guide to planning your first garden.

The bottom line: if you are in Zones 7-8, April is go time outdoors. Zones 5-6, get cold-hardy crops in the ground and keep starting seeds indoors. Zones 3-4, focus on indoor starts and preparing your beds for May. Whatever your zone, April is a month of momentum -- use it well.

What to Plant in April: Canadian Zone-by-Zone Guide