12 Easy-to-Grow Plants to Begin Growing in April

Asparagus is a perennial plant that, once established, will produce edible spears year after year. One key to ensuring its success is not to harvest for the first couple of seasons. Your patience will pay off: asparagus beds can remain productive for up to 20 years (and sometimes longer!). You can plant asparagus crowns early in the season, as soon as soil temperatures rise above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Plant in at least partial sun for best results.

Melon plants can be started indoors and transplanted outdoors after six to eight weeks. If sowing melon seeds directly outdoors, make sure all threat of frost has passed. (After all, all melon varieties are techically tropical natives.) Plant melon seeds in full sun, one inch deep and 18 inches apart in raised rows to encourage drainage.

In regions where temperatures are consistently 60 degrees Fahrenheit and warmer in April, okra can be planted this month. Okra plants require full sun, and should be planted 10 inches apart. Give okra plants at least one inch of water per week, and feed with a continuous-release plant food for a more robust harvest.

April is a great time to transplant or directly sow onions. But choose your onion variety based on your climate: long day onions are best for cool climates while short day onions are best for warmer climates. For best results, sow seeds in full sun when your soil is at least 45 degrees Fahrenheit.

April is a great time to plant both pole and bush beans as these vegetables should not be started inside (their fragile roots would not survive transplanting). Sow bush beans one inch deep in soil and two inches apart. For pole beans, you'll need a trellis or stalking to support their growth. For best results, plan in full sunlight and try sowing seeds every two weeks—this will ensure a robust harvest all summer.

Sowing carrot seeds in April will produce an early summer crop. Seeds will germinate in soil as cool as 50 degrees Fahrenheit, but optimal soil temperature for carrot see germination is 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Carrots require full sun, but they also thrive in cool soil with constant moisture (about one inch of water per week).

April is also an ideal time to plant bare root perennials that thrive in spring and continue their color show through summer. Bare-root perennials are available at nurseries or online catalogues; they arrive ready for transplanting with soil removed from rooms.

One such plant: shade-loving astilbe. It grows from spring through summer and products bottlebrush-shaped blooms flowers in shades of pink, lilac, white, and red. Plant in partial shade with some filtered sun for best results.

Daylilies are another easy-to-grow flowering perennial that can be planted in April. They flower best when planted in full sun, and can be used in perennial beds, grouped with ornamental grasses, or planted in masses along fences. Many daylily culltivars will rebloom; removing faded flowerheads will encourage reblooming.

April is an ideal time to plant annuals that bloom in summer like sunflowers. These sturdy plants are easy to grow and require little care once planted. When the soil temperature reaches at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit, plant sunflower seeds no more than one inch deep and about six inches apart in a spot that receives at least six to eight hours of full sunlight.

Known for attracting birds, bees, and butterflies, these daisy-like summer-blooming annuals are also quite easy to grow from seeds sown in April. Plants will bloom in shades of pink, orange, red, yellow, white, and maroon. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep 12-18 inches apart in full sun for best results.

Flowering shrubs such as rosemary, which produces small blue or purple flowers that are actually edible, are also good for planting in April. This drought-tolerant shrub will thrive through summer, so long as it receives at least six hours of full sunlight.