WHAT SEEDS TO SOW IN APRIL IN IRELAND
Apple Blossoms
After a grey and soggy start to the year, April brings a real shift in the garden — longer evenings, more light, and a welcome sense of momentum.
There’s a noticeable change now. The birds are louder, buds are bursting open, and the soil feels alive again under our hands.
At Fat Tomato, everything is moving. The polytunnel is buzzing with life, trays of seedlings are coming on fast, and the outdoor beds are filling out — onions, garlic, kale, broccoli, and cauliflower all pushing on.
The orchard is beginning to open too, with damsons, pears, cherries, plums, greengages, and apples starting to blossom.
Rhubarb is in full swing, herbs are waking up again, and the first real sowings outdoors are well underway.
Here’s what we’re sowing and growing in April:
Tomatoes
April is still a great time to sow tomatoes indoors if you haven’t already.
With the improved light and warmth, seeds germinate quickly now. We continue succession sowing to stretch our harvest right through to November.
Our earlier sowings are thriving in the polytunnel, and we will be potting them on soon and preparing beds for planting out in May.
For outdoor growing in Ireland, early varieties like Latah and Yellow Clementine perform particularly well.
You can follow our full step-by-step tomato growing guide here, or explore our collection of heritage tomato seeds grown and saved at Fat Tomato.
Runner Beans and French Beans
Start these indoors now in deep modules or pots.
They need warmth to get going, so hold off planting out until the risk of frost has passed - usually mid-May onwards.
We often use toilet roll tubes to minimise root disturbance when planting out.
Beetroot
We sowed our first beetroot in March and continue sowing now for succession.
Varieties like Touchstone Gold, Chioggia, Foniro, and Laura Anne are reliable and bring great colour and flavour to the garden and kitchen.
Carrots
April is a key month for carrots.
Sow early varieties like Early Nantes or Amsterdam Forcing directly outdoors.
They prefer fine, stone-free soil. We often sow alongside onions as a natural companion to help deter carrot fly, and cover early sowings with fleece or mesh for protection.
Salads and Leaves
This is the month to get into a rhythm with salads.
We sow lettuce, rocket, spinach, mustard leaves, and mixed salad crops every 2 to 3 weeks to maintain a steady supply.
Varieties like Little Gem, Lollo Rosso, Red Salad Bowl, Wild Rocket, and Butterhead are staples here.
Small, regular sowings make all the difference.
Courgettes, Pumpkins and Squash
Start these indoors now for planting out in late May or early June.
We sow into individual pots using rich peat-free compost - these are hungry plants and need a strong start.
Timing is key here - they grow quickly, so don’t sow too early.
Sweetcorn
Sow indoors now - one seed per pot.
We grow both eating corn and varieties for popping later in the year.
Plant out in blocks (rather than rows) in late May to improve pollination and yield.
Cucumbers and Melons
Start indoors for polytunnel or greenhouse growing.
Cucumbers like Marketmore and Crystal Apple are reliable performers. Melons need warmth and shelter, but varieties like Minnesota Midget can thrive in the right conditions.
Herbs
Continue sowing basil, parsley, coriander, dill and chervil indoors.
We’re also potting up perennial herbs like mint, oregano, thyme and chives - many of these will make their way into the Honesty Farm Shop.
A good herb supply now sets up the kitchen for the season ahead.
Brassicas
April is ideal for sowing summer and autumn brassicas - Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Kale, Broccoli, Cauliflower
Start them under cover and transplant once strong enough.
Keep a close eye out for slugs, snails, and pigeons - they’ll go straight for young plants.
Flowers for Pollinators
We sow calendula, nasturtiums, cosmos, and cornflowers now.
They’re dotted throughout the garden - between tomatoes, along borders, and even in pots by the door.
They bring pollinators in, help manage pests, and soften the space visually.
Potatoes – Second Earlies and Maincrop
There’s still time to get potatoes in the ground.
We’re finishing second earlies like Charlotte and Orla and planting maincrop varieties like Sarpo Mira.
As they grow, keep earthing them up and protect them from late frosts.
Onions and Shallots
April is the last call for sowing onions and shallots from seed.
We grow varieties like Sturon, Buan, Rouge de Huy, Ailsa Craig, and Roscoff.
Start in modules and plant out into well-prepared, compost-rich soil. Keep beds weed-free — onions don’t like competition.
Strawberries
Strawberries are coming into growth now.
We have lots of potted strawberries available at the honesty farm shop if you fancy growing some.
We grow ours off the ground in long window boxes. Feed with organic seaweed fertiliser and mulch to retain moisture and keep fruit clean.
Other Jobs for April
Harden off seedlings before planting out — gradual exposure makes all the difference
Weed and mulch regularly to stay ahead of growth
Feed seedlings with diluted comfrey or seaweed tea
Support plants early with canes or string as needed
Vent polytunnels and greenhouses - heat builds quickly now
Seeds to Try This Month
April is about momentum and consistency. Rather than sowing everything at once, we focus on succession - little and often - to keep the garden productive across the season.
It’s also a great time to experiment. Conditions are more forgiving now, making it easier to try new varieties and push the garden a little further.
You can explore our heritage seed collection here, where we offer over 60 chemical-free varieties, grown and saved from our own garden each season.