This month you can plant a lot of annual and perennial flowers inside and outside to get beautiful displays of bright flowers.
April is an ideal time to sow many flowers from seed. Growing flowers from seeds is a quick, easy, and cheap way to get plants that will add lots of color to your beds, borders, and containers this summer.
As the weather gets warmer in the spring, you can plant more types of flowers in April. In the past few months, most planting had to be done indoors. But now that it’s April, you can safely start planting directly into the ground if you want to.
This month you can still plant popular flowers like sweet peas, zinnias, marigolds, and black-eyed susans. But April has a lot more flowers to plant. To give you some beautiful ideas, here are seven beautiful flowers you can plant this month, along with instructions on where and how to plant them. ( credit: Getty s/Darrell Gulin).
April showers bring May flowers, as the saying goes. But you’ll need to sow some seeds in April first to reap a bountiful floral harvest later in the season! As the weather warms up and the last frosts disappear, April is an ideal time to sow a wide variety of annual and perennial flower seeds.
With the right planning and preparation, you can fill your garden with gorgeous blooms all summer long. From sun-loving zinnias to shade-tolerant impatiens, I’ve rounded up the top flower seeds to plant in April for stunning results later on.
Annuals That Can Be Sown Directly Outdoors in April
Here are some classic annual flowers that grow quickly from seed sown right in the garden bed:
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Marigolds – Cheerful marigolds come in shades of orange, yellow, and red. They bloom profusely all season long and help repel pests.
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Zinnias – Available in almost every color but blue, zinnias produce abundant, long-lasting cut flowers. Attracts butterflies.
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Cosmos – Easy to grow, cosmos have delicate, daisy-like blooms. Great for cutting.
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Nasturtiums – Edible flowers in red orange and yellow. They also help trap aphids.
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Sunflowers – Fast-growing and charming. Sunflowers come in many sizes and colors.
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Calendula – Also called pot marigold Pretty edible flowers with medicinal uses
Popular Perennials to Start from Seed in April
Many classic perennial flowers can be successfully started from seed in April
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Hollyhocks – Tall, old-fashioned beauties with large, ruffly blooms. Self-seeds readily.
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Columbines – Graceful flowers in the butterfly family, with bell-shaped blooms.
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Echinacea – Iconic daisy-like purple coneflowers, popular in wildflower gardens.
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Yarrow – Flat-topped clusters of tiny blooms. Attracts beneficial insects.
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Shasta daisies – Classic white daisies with yellow centers. Gorgeous cut flowers.
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Primroses – Early spring bloomers, available in many colors. Require partial shade.
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Foxgloves – Tall spikes loaded with tubular flowers. Biennial that self-seeds.
Half-Hardy Annuals to Start Indoors in April
Some flowers require an early indoor start, before being moved outdoors after the danger of frost:
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Petunias – Available in every color but true blue. Thrive in full sun.
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Geraniums – Classic bedding plants with zonal or ivy leaves. Bold colors.
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Coleus – Grown for their vividly colored and patterned foliage. Shade lovers.
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Impatiens – Flowers beautifully even in full shade. Reduces weeding.
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Begonias – From miniature varieties to huge bloomers, begonias love shade.
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Salvia – Long blooming spikes in red, blue, white, pink and purple.
Top Tips for Starting Flower Seeds in April
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Check seed packets for sowing instructions specific to your USDA zone.
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Start seeds indoors for more control over moisture, temperature, and pests.
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Use clean containers and seed starting mix to prevent damping-off disease.
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Water carefully to keep seeds moist, not soaked. Mist to avoid dislodging seeds.
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Move plants outside gradually over 7-10 days to harden off, then transplant.
With the right planning and care, the flower seeds you sow in April will flourish into a spectacular summer garden filled with color and fragrance. Happy planting!
Nasturtium (Image credit: Future)
Nasturtiums are fantastic flowers to grow as part of any backyard ideas. They look great and come in bright colors like red, orange, yellow, and more. The flowers and leaves can also be eaten, and they make great plants to plant with other plants.
As well as their many benefits, growing nasturtiums is very simple to do. In April, plant nasturtium seeds indoors, like in a greenhouse or on a sunny windowsill. You can also plant them outside once the soil is at least 68 degrees. ºF. However, starting nasturtiums indoors is a good idea because slugs and snails like to eat new seedlings.
Nasturtiums can come in various colors or you can get seeds that will produce a range. The Nasturtium Alaska Mix, which you can get at Burpee, is one of these types. It has different colored flowers and leaves.
Can you plant flower seeds outside in April?
It will depend on your particular climate, but many flowers can be planted outside this month.
When the ground has warmed up and the frosts have passed where you live, you can plant hardier flower seeds directly in the garden. Still, it’s best to plant tender or half-hardy flower seeds indoors. Once the weather gets better, especially if you live in a cooler area, you can move the plants outside.
You can choose where to plant seeds, but many people choose to do it indoors because they can control the environment and don’t have to worry about bugs eating the seedlings. Some flowers, on the other hand, do better when planted outside, so always do your research and check the seed packets to see how to plant them.
What Flowers To Sow in April | What to Sow Now!
FAQ
What month do you plant flower seeds?
Is it too late to plant flower seeds in May?
Can you grow flowers from seed in April?
April is an ideal time to sow many flowers from seed. Growing your flowers from seed is an inexpensive and effective way to give you plants to fill your beds, borders, and containers with explosions of color come the summer. As the spring weather warms the soil, it expands the range of flowers that you can plant in April.
Can you plant flowers in April?
April is a wonderful time to start planting flowers.As the weather warms up and new leaves emerge, your garden comes to life.Whether you’re in a hot climate or a colder region, there are plenty of options
Is it too late to plant flower seeds in April?
It is not too late to plant flower seeds in April. Depending on the type of flower and your climate, you can often have success planting as late as mid-April. Flower seedlings are typically very resilient and will typically germinate quickly when planted in warm enough soil for growth.
Can you grow vegetables in April?
Even though the weather may still be unsettled, there are a lot of choices for vegetables to grow in April. Plant seeds of cool-season vegetables directly in the garden as soon as the soil dries enough to be worked. Lettuce is a vegetable that loves the cooler weather. So, April is the perfect time to plant some!