Moon Planting calendar of April

Before 8:23 AM, leaf day:

VEGETABLE PATCH: 3rd day for thinning spring headed lettuce seedlings sown under a cold frame in February-March (eat the seedlings you pull out for greens), and those of spinach and dandelion / Transplant cabbage and lettuce / Plant or divide tarragon, chives, rhubarb, sorrel, lemon verbena, and provide them with compost.

LANDSCAPING: 3rd day for dethatching your lawn after mowing.

After 8:23 AM, entering a fruit & seed day:

ORCHARD: Treat the orchard against peach leaf curl; instead of Bordeaux mixture, try spraying a horsetail decoction (every 3 days) or fermented nettle tea (5% dilution) together with 2% maerl (every 10 days) / Fertilize fruit trees, if not done yet, with phosphorus and potassium (P and K) / You can still plant berry shrubs sold in containers / Finish pruning raspberry and fruit trees, and grapevine, too.

LANDSCAPING: Repot citrus trees growing in containers.

VEGETABLE PATCH: Transplant seedlings to individual nursery pots: eggplant, tomato, chili and bell pepper sown in February, and in mild climates only, transplant to the growing bed eggplant, bell pepper and chili sown end of January/early February, together with melon and cucumber sown in March / Plant strawberry if not done in March, and mulch the soil (except in colder regions where you'll have to wait a bit longer for the ground to warm up more).

ORCHARD: 2nd day for treating the orchard against peach leaf curl; instead of Bordeaux mixture, try spraying a horsetail decoction (every 3 days) or fermented nettle tea (5% dilution) together with 2% maerl (every 10 days) / Fertilize fruit trees, if not done yet, with phosphorus and potassium (P and K) / You can still plant berry shrubs sold in containers / Finish pruning raspberry and fruit trees, and grapevine, too.

LANDSCAPING: 2nd day for repotting citrus trees growing in containers.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day for transplanting seedlings to individual nursery pots: eggplant, tomato, chili and bell pepper sown in February, and in mild climates only, transplant to the growing bed eggplant, bell pepper and chili sown end of January/early February, together with melon and cucumber sown in March / Plant strawberry if not done in March, and mulch the soil (except in colder regions where you'll have to wait a bit longer for the ground to warm up more).

ORCHARD: 3rd day for treating the orchard against peach leaf curl; instead of Bordeaux mixture, try spraying a horsetail decoction (every 3 days) or fermented nettle tea (5% dilution) together with 2% maerl (every 10 days) / Fertilize fruit trees, if not done yet, with phosphorus and potassium (P and K) / You can still plant berry shrubs sold in containers / Finish pruning raspberry and fruit trees, and grapevine, too.

LANDSCAPING: 3rd day for repotting citrus trees growing in containers.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 3rd day for transplanting seedlings to individual nursery pots: eggplant, tomato, chili and bell pepper sown in February, and in mild climates only, transplant to the growing bed eggplant, bell pepper and chili sown end of January/early February, together with melon and cucumber sown in March / Plant strawberry if not done in March, and mulch the soil (except in colder regions where you'll have to wait a bit longer for the ground to warm up more).

Before 7:41 AM, fruit & seed day:

ORCHARD: 4th day for treating the orchard against peach leaf curl; instead of Bordeaux mixture, try spraying a horsetail decoction (every 3 days) or fermented nettle tea (5% dilution) together with 2% maerl (every 10 days) / Fertilize fruit trees, if not done yet, with phosphorus and potassium (P and K) / You can still plant berry shrubs sold in containers / Finish pruning raspberry and fruit trees, and grapevine, too.

LANDSCAPING: 4th day for repotting citrus trees growing in containers.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 4th day for transplanting seedlings to individual nursery pots: eggplant, tomato, chili and bell pepper sown in February, and in mild climates only, transplant to the growing bed eggplant, bell pepper and chili sown end of January/early February, together with melon and cucumber sown in March / Plant strawberry if not done in March, and mulch the soil (except in colder regions where you'll have to wait a bit longer for the ground to warm up more).

After 5:41 PM (17:41), entering a root day:

VEGETABLE PATCH: In places with mild weather, plant sweet potato directly in the plot (ridge after it sprouts); elsewhere, start germinating your tubers in crates in a warm spot / Plant storage potato, depth 4 inches (10 cm), you'll ridge them when shoots are 8 inches tall (20 cm) / Plant Jerusalem artichoke / Finish planting pink shallot and pink garlic / Thin your root vegetable sprouts (carrot, radish...) / Transplant celeriac sown in March / Transplant leek sown end of January and February to the growing bed.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day, in places with mild weather, for planting sweet potato directly in the plot (ridge after it sprouts); elsewhere, start germinating your tubers in crates in a warm spot / Plant storage potato, depth 4 inches (10 cm), you'll ridge them when shoots are 8 inches tall (20 cm) / Plant Jerusalem artichoke / Finish planting pink shallot and pink garlic / Thin your root vegetable sprouts (carrot, radish...) / Transplant celeriac sown in March / Transplant leek sown end of January and February to the growing bed.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 3rd day, in places with mild weather, for planting sweet potato directly in the plot (ridge after it sprouts); elsewhere, start germinating your tubers in crates in a warm spot / Plant storage potato, depth 4 inches (10 cm), you'll ridge them when shoots are 8 inches tall (20 cm) / Plant Jerusalem artichoke / Finish planting pink shallot and pink garlic / Thin your root vegetable sprouts (carrot, radish...) / Transplant celeriac sown in March / Transplant leek sown end of January and February to the growing bed.

Don't garden after 8:50 AM – lunar node at 1:52 PM (13:52)

VEGETABLE PATCH: 4th day, in places with mild weather, for planting sweet potato directly in the plot (ridge after it sprouts); elsewhere, start germinating your tubers in crates in a warm spot / Plant storage potato, depth 4 inches (10 cm), you'll ridge them when shoots are 8 inches tall (20 cm) / Plant Jerusalem artichoke / Finish planting pink shallot and pink garlic / Thin your root vegetable sprouts (carrot, radish...) / Transplant celeriac sown in March / Transplant leek sown end of January and February to the growing bed.

LANDSCAPING: Prune spring flower shrubs that have finished blooming / Transplant your January-sown pelargonium a second time / Keep planting flower shrubs, heath plants and perennials purchased in nursery pots / Transplant annual flowers to their flower beds / Plant dahlia in mild regions, and also tuber begonia and gladiolus.

VEGETABLE PATCH: Planting artichoke crowns 3 feet apart (1 meter) / Thin cauliflower and broccoli seedlings sown end of February.

Before 12:45 PM, flower day:

LANDSCAPING: 2nd day for pruning spring flower shrubs that have finished blooming / Transplant your January-sown pelargonium a second time / Keep planting flower shrubs, heath plants and perennials purchased in nursery pots / Transplant annual flowers to their flower beds / Plant dahlia in mild regions, and also tuber begonia and gladiolus.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day for planting artichoke crowns 3 feet apart (1 meter) / Thin cauliflower and broccoli seedlings sown end of February.

After 12:45 PM, entering a leaf day:

VEGETABLE PATCH: Plant headed, red, green or Milan cabbage, as well as kale, white cabbage and Brussels sprouts sown last March / Transplant white cabbage and Brussels sprouts sown recently / Plant perennial and annual herbs / If not done yet, now is a good time to transplant your last seedlings under a tunnel for chicory, but only if leaves have 5 true leaves (keep a lookout for slugs) / Prune medicinal sage (cut it back by half) and pinch tips of rosemary, savory, oregano, thyme.

LANDSCAPING: If not done yet, mow and dethatch your lawn.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day for planting headed, red, green or Milan cabbage, as well as kale, white cabbage and Brussels sprouts sown last March / Transplant white cabbage and Brussels sprouts sown recently / Plant perennial and annual herbs / If not done yet, now is a good time to transplant your last seedlings under a tunnel for chicory, but only if leaves have 5 true leaves (keep a lookout for slugs) / Prune medicinal sage (cut it back by half) and pinch tips of rosemary, savory, oregano, thyme.

LANDSCAPING: 2nd day, if not done yet, for mowing and dethatching the lawn.

Before 11:54 AM, leaf day:

VEGETABLE PATCH: 3rd for planting headed, red, green or Milan cabbage, as well as kale, white cabbage and Brussels sprouts sown last March / Transplant white cabbage and Brussels sprouts sown recently / Plant perennial and annual herbs / If not done yet, now is a good time to transplant your last seedlings under a tunnel for chicory, but only if leaves have 5 true leaves (keep a lookout for slugs) / Prune medicinal sage (cut it back by half) and pinch tips of rosemary, savory, oregano, thyme.

LANDSCAPING: 3rd day, if not done yet, for mowing and dethatching the lawn

After 11:54 AM, entering a fruit & seed day (make the most of this half-day before the moon starts ascending tonight):

BERRY FRUITS: Prune tamed wild blackberry, removing any stems that have born fruit / Pull out excess raspberry offshoots (keep about 12 per square yard or meter to allow for aeration and nice fruit formation) / Plant blackberry / Renew your strawberry patch (every 4 to 5 years) / It's still time to plant all berry shrubs (sold in containers), in soil amended with compost beforehand.

VEGETABLE PATCH: In mild regions, plant eggplant, chili, bell pepper sown in January and-or February / If not done yet, transplant in individual nursery pots eggplant, chili, bell pepper and tomato sown in February, keep indoors for the time being / Transplant Physalis sown last March to a nursery / Run the hoe along rows of pea and faba sown in march, ridge each plant; train pea along their poles.

ORCHARD: Cleft, shield and bark grafting of fruit trees.

VEGETABLE PATCH: Sow round pea, wrinkled pea and mangetout, as well as faba bean / In a warm spot, it's still time to sow melon, watermelon, squash, zucchini, pickle and cucumber in nursery pots (you'll pinch melon seedlings when they get 3-4 leaves, above the first pair of leaves) / Sow physalis in a warm setting / Indoors, sow kiwano, an exotic fruit worth discovering / Sow sticky nightshade in nursery pots under a cold frame; transplant to the garden starting in Mid-May.

Before 6:51 PM (18:51), fruit & seed day:

ORCHARD: 2nd day for cleft, shield and bark grafting of fruit trees.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day for sowing round pea, wrinkled pea and mangetout, as well as faba bean / In a warm spot, it's still time to sow melon, watermelon, squash, zucchini, pickle and cucumber in nursery pots (you'll pinch melon seedlings when they get 3-4 leaves, above the first pair of leaves) / Sow physalis in a warm setting / Indoors, sow kiwano, an exotic fruit worth discovering / Sow sticky nightshade in nursery pots under a cold frame; transplant to the garden starting in Mid-May.

After 6:51 PM (18:51), entering a root day:

VEGETABLE PATCH: If you stratified root chervil seeds last fall, now is a good time to sow them in the growing bed / Sow black salsify, which resists heat better than common salsify (remember to pinch flower stems as soon as they appear); harvest in fall / Sow kohlrabi under a cold frame or tunnel, transplant seedlings to the growing bed when they get 4 leaves / Also sow directly in the plot: parsnip, root parsley, red beet, helianthis, swede, fall leek, and of course radish, carrot, turnip.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day, if you stratified root chervil seeds last fall, for sowing them in the growing bed / Sow black salsify, which resists heat better than common salsify (remember to pinch flower stems as soon as they appear); harvest in fall / Sow kohlrabi under a cold frame or tunnel, transplant seedlings to the growing bed when they get 4 leaves / Also sow directly in the plot: parsnip, root parsley, red beet, helianthis, swede, fall leek, and of course radish, carrot, turnip.

Before 4:21 PM (16:21), root day:

VEGETABLE PATCH: 3rd day, if you stratified root chervil seeds last fall, for sowing them in the growing bed / Sow black salsify, which resists heat better than common salsify (remember to pinch flower stems as soon as they appear); harvest in fall / Sow kohlrabi under a cold frame or tunnel, transplant seedlings to the growing bed when they get 4 leaves / Also sow directly in the plot: parsnip, root parsley, red beet, helianthis, swede, fall leek, and of course radish, carrot, turnip.

After 4:21 PM (16:21), entering a flower day:

LANDSCAPING: Sow cup-and-saucer vine (in nursery pots), hibiscus moscheutos, petunia, New Guinea impatiens in a warm setting; transfer to the ground after the last frost / In the growing bed directly, sow annuals: zinnia, California poppy, cosmos, mallow, everlasting, cornflower, centaury, love-in-a-mist, sweet alyssum, delphinium, clarkia, sweet pea (with a lattice for this last one) / In the ground, under shelter, start sowing whiteweed, columbine, four o'clock flower, gypsophila, carnation, Aztec marigold, all to be transferred to the ground in May / Cut wilted tulip stems, but don't remove leaves until completely yellow / Prepare hibiscus cuttings in water, indoors.

VEGETABLE PATCH: Sow cauliflower and broccoli cabbage in a nursery.

Don't garden before 7:25 AM – moon is at perigee at 2:23 AM

LANDSCAPING: 2nd day for sowing cup-and-saucer vine (in nursery pots), hibiscus moscheutos, petunia, New Guinea impatiens in a warm setting; transfer to the ground after the last frost / In the growing bed directly, sow annuals: zinnia, California poppy, cosmos, mallow, everlasting, cornflower, centaury, love-in-a-mist, sweet alyssum, delphinium, clarkia, sweet pea (with a lattice for this last one) / In the ground, under shelter, start sowing whiteweed, columbine, four o'clock flower, gypsophila, carnation, Aztec marigold, all to be transferred to the ground in May / Cut wilted tulip stems, but don't remove leaves until completely yellow / Prepare hibiscus cuttings in water, indoors.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day for sowing cauliflower and broccoli cabbage in a nursery.

LANDSCAPING: 3rd day for sowing cup-and-saucer vine (in nursery pots), hibiscus moscheutos, petunia, New Guinea impatiens in a warm setting; transfer to the ground after the last frost / In the growing bed directly, sow annuals: zinnia, California poppy, cosmos, mallow, everlasting, cornflower, centaury, love-in-a-mist, sweet alyssum, delphinium, clarkia, sweet pea (with a lattice for this last one) / In the ground, under shelter, start sowing whiteweed, columbine, four o'clock flower, gypsophila, carnation, Aztec marigold, all to be transferred to the ground in May / Cut wilted tulip stems, but don't remove leaves until completely yellow / Prepare hibiscus cuttings in water, indoors.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 3rd day for sowing cauliflower and broccoli cabbage in a nursery.

VEGETABLE PATCH: Sow mesclun (harvest in 4 to 6 weeks) and lettuce: batavia, head lettuce, romaine, cutting lettuce / Sow orache directly in the plot, only burying seeds just a little; select gold or red varieties that will add color to the vegetable patch / Sow chard, also in the growing bed / Sow kale in a nursery / Sow oyster plant (Mertensia maritima) / In a well-exposed nursery or under a tunnel, if the soil is warm enough (at least 54°F or 12°C), sow branch celery and sweet fennel.

LANDSCAPING: Sow lawn seed in well-prepared soil, rake it in evenly (criss-cross pattern), roll it down and water until it sprouts.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day for sowing mesclun (harvest in 4 to 6 weeks) and lettuce: batavia, head lettuce, romaine, cutting lettuce / Sow orache directly in the plot, only burying seeds just a little; select gold or red varieties that will add color to the vegetable patch / Sow chard, also in the growing bed / Sow kale in a nursery / Sow oyster plant (Mertensia maritima) / In a well-exposed nursery or under a tunnel, if the soil is warm enough (at least 54°F or 12°C), sow branch celery and sweet fennel.

LANDSCAPING: 2nd day for sowing lawn seed in well-prepared soil, rake it in evenly (criss-cross pattern), roll it down and water until it sprouts.

Don't garden before 4:30 PM (16:30) – solar eclipse at 4:16 AM and lunar node at 11:30 AM

VEGETABLE PATCH: Sow dwarf pea and wrinkled pea; ridge when the plants are over 6 inches tall (15 cm) / Sow sticky nightshade in nursery pots under a cold frame; transplant to the garden starting in Mid-May / Sow watermelon, squash, zucchini, pattypan squash, in a warm spot, covering them with a pane of glass until they sprout.

ORCHARD: Bark grafting of fruit trees

Entering the Breaking Ice moon.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day for sowing dwarf pea and wrinkled pea; ridge when the plants are over 6 inches tall (15 cm) / Sow sticky nightshade in nursery pots under a cold frame; transplant to the garden starting in Mid-May / Sow watermelon, squash, zucchini, pattypan squash, in a warm spot, covering them with a pane of glass until they sprout.

ORCHARD: 2nd day for bark grafting of fruit trees.

VEGETABLE PATCH: New time frame for sowing most types of root crops: parsnip, turnip, root parsley, red beet, helianthis, swede, black salsify, common salsify, fall leek, and of course radish and carrot / Also sow chicory directly in the growing bed.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day for sowing most types of root crops: parsnip, turnip, root parsley, red beet, helianthis, swede, black salsify, common salsify, fall leek, and radish and carrot / Also sow chicory directly in the growing bed.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 3rd day for sowing most types of root crops: parsnip, turnip, root parsley, red beet, helianthis, swede, black salsify, common salsify, fall leek, and of course radish and carrot / Also sow chicory directly in the growing bed.

LANDSCAPING: Keep clearing perennial flower beds and dividing clumps that are too large / Plant perennials purchased in nursery pots, gladiolus, dahlia and canna, and, in milder regions, annuals sown in January (pelargonium, carnation and begonia) / Transplant to the flower bed your impatiens seedlings, and to pots those of petunia that were set to sprout last February, and thin sprouts for annuals sown in March / Keep pruning shrubs that have lost their flowers by now.

VEGETABLE PATCH: Transplant broccoli and cauliflower cabbage sown at the end of winter.

LANDSCAPING: 2nd day for clearing perennial flower beds and dividing clumps that are too large / Plant perennials purchased in nursery pots, gladiolus, dahlia and canna, and, in milder regions, annuals sown in January (pelargonium, carnation and begonia) / Transplant to the flower bed your impatiens seedlings, and to pots those of petunia that were set to sprout last February, and thin sprouts for annuals sown in March / Keep pruning shrubs that have lost their flowers by now.

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day for transplanting broccoli and cauliflower cabbage sown at the end of winter.

VEGETABLE PATCH: Plant headed, red, green or Milan cabbage, as well as kale, white cabbage and Brussels sprouts sown last March / Transplant white cabbage and Brussels sprouts sown recently / Plant perennial and annual herbs / If not done yet, now is a good time to transplant your last seedlings under a tunnel for chicory, but only if leaves have 5 true leaves (keep a lookout for slugs) / Prune medicinal sage (cut it back by half) and pinch tips of rosemary, savory, oregano, thyme.

LANDSCAPING: If not done yet, mow and dethatch your lawn / Prune evergreen shrubs such as boxwood: topiary, edges and hedges.

Don't garden before 11:45 AM – moon is at apogee at 6:43 AM

Before 4:17 PM (16:17), leaf day:

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day for planting headed, red, green or Milan cabbage, as well as kale, white cabbage and Brussels sprouts sown last March / Transplant white cabbage and Brussels sprouts sown recently / Plant perennial and annual herbs / If not done yet, now is a good time to transplant your last seedlings under a tunnel for chicory, but only if leaves have 5 true leaves (keep a lookout for slugs) / Prune medicinal sage (cut it back by half) and pinch tips of rosemary, savory, oregano, thyme.

LANDSCAPING: 2nd day, if not done yet, for mowing and dethatching the lawn / Prune evergreen shrubs such as boxwood: topiary, edges and hedges.

After 4:17 PM (16:17), entering a fruit & seed day:

VEGETABLE PATCH: Transplant, in rich compost-amended soil, eggplant, chili, tomato, bell pepper, physalis, cucumber, pickle, squash, zucchini, pattypan squash, melon, eventually protecting them with garden cloches or tunnels / In milder regions, Peruvian groundcherry is a perennial; instead of sowing, divide last year's clumps.

BERRY FRUITS: Plant sea-buckthorn / Plant small berry shrub cuttings that you've prepared in fall or in January (red currant, raspberry...).

VEGETABLE PATCH: 2nd day for transplanting in rich compost-amended soil eggplant, chili, tomato, bell pepper, physalis, cucumber, pickle, squash, zucchini, pattypan squash, melon, eventually protecting them with garden cloches or tunnels / In milder regions, Peruvian groundcherry is a perennial; instead of sowing, divide last year's clumps.

BERRY FRUITS: 2nd day for planting sea-buckthorn / Plant small berry shrub cuttings that you've prepared in fall or in January (red currant, raspberry...).

VEGETABLE PATCH: 3rd day for transplanting in rich compost-amended soil eggplant, chili, tomato, bell pepper, physalis, cucumber, pickle, squash, zucchini, pattypan squash, melon, eventually protecting them with garden cloches or tunnels / In milder regions, Peruvian groundcherry is a perennial; instead of sowing, divide last year's clumps.

BERRY FRUITS: 3rd day for planting sea-buckthorn / Plant small berry shrub cuttings that you've prepared in fall or in January (red currant, raspberry...).