GardenWhat to sow in April in India
Vegetables, herbs and flowers to sow or plant in April, for the northern plains, the south and the hills, with the garden jobs of the month.
North and central plains
Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, West Bengal plains and places with a similar cold winter and hot summer.
Flowers to sow or plant: Portulaca (moss rose), Tuberose (rajnigandha).
Jobs this month:
- Water in the early morning or evening, never at midday. Pots may need water twice a day.
- Pick okra, gourds and cucumbers every other day.
- Plant ginger and turmeric in a lightly shaded spot.
- Shade young plants from the afternoon sun with a green net or an old sari.
- Empty finished pots, and spread the soil in the sun for two weeks to clean it for the monsoon sowing.
South and coastal India
Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Goa, coastal Maharashtra and Odisha: places where winter is mild and frost is unknown.
Flowers to sow or plant: Tuberose (rajnigandha).
Plant ginger and turmeric with the first summer showers. Keep everything mulched.
Hills
Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Kashmir, Sikkim, Darjeeling, the Nilgiris and other places above about 1,000 metres, with cold winters and mild summers.
Flowers to sow or plant: Marigold (genda), Calendula, Petunia, Pansy, Dianthus, Phlox, Snapdragon (antirrhinum), Sweet pea, Nasturtium, Dahlia, Gladiolus, Zinnia, Sunflower, Cosmos, Balsam (gulmehndi), Cockscomb (celosia), Globe amaranth (gomphrena), Portulaca (moss rose), Tuberose (rajnigandha).
Sow French beans, capsicum, cucumber and gourds as the nights warm. Transplant tomatoes outdoors.
Sowing windows are typical for each region and shift by a few weeks with altitude, the monsoon and the variety. Check with a local nursery if you are unsure.
All months
More garden help
- Gardening seasons in IndiaKharif, rabi and zaid explained for the home gardener.
- Balcony and terrace gardenPots, potting mix, sun and water for growing in containers.
- How to sow seedsDepth, trays, transplanting and why seeds fail.
- Compost at homeTurn kitchen waste into plant food in a bucket or a pot.
- Pests without poisonSimple, safe ways to deal with the common garden pests.
- Flower calendarWhen to sow 20 garden flowers in each region.
- Kitchen herbsTulsi, mint, coriander, curry leaf and six more.