Lucy Corkhill

By Lucy Corkhill

19th April 2013

We’ve had a long cold winter and the soil is just beginning to warm up. A good sign that your garden is ready for planting is when the weeds start growing strongly! April is the month when everything starts springing into life and you need to keep on top of the planting to make the most of your plot.

Lucy Corkhill

By Lucy Corkhill

19th April 2013

Lucy Corkhill

By Lucy Corkhill

19th April 2013

Things to sow outdoors this month include:

Beetroot – this vibrant and versatile vegetable is linked to low blood pressure and improved stamina, delicious in juices and grated in a salad.
Broad beans – these are gorgeous in the garden with their fragrant flowers and are a summer treat on grilled halloumi, yum!
Brussels sprouts – whether you love em or hate em, these little sprouts are high in vitamin C and are pretty tasty cooked up with chestnuts.
Broccoli – cruciferous vegetables are renowned for their anti-cancer properties. Perfect in a stir fry with ginger, garlic and tamari sauce.
Carrots – jam-packed with vitamins, carrots are at their very best when grown at home. Pull them straight from the soil for a tasty snack that makes you feel alive!
Chicory – add a delicious bitter crunch to summer salads
Dill – along with other herbs can now be planted directly in the soil. Add to fish dishes and Greek spinach pie.
Lettuce – plant it in containers near your back door so you can get at it easily. There are so many varieties you can enjoy a vibrant salad every day.
Parsnips – this sweet root can be planted direct ready for warming soups and roasties later in the year.
Peas – stagger sowings over several weeks to prolong harvesting
Spinach – delicious in salads, stews, curries and soups, home-grown spinach is packed with iron
Spring onions – fabulous in salads, stir fries and soups.
Chard – not only one of the most nutritious vegetables around, chard brightens up the garden.
Nasturtiums – trail them over ugly bits of garden you want to cover up, and add the leaves and flowers to beautify salads.
Sunflowers – look wonderful along the edges of your plot and are exciting for children to grow.
Marigolds – brighten up your vegetable beds and attract insects.

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