Welcome back to Can You Dig It?, your monthly look at saving time, energy, and resources for your budding garden/farming aspirations. With April being upon us, it is time to go out there and get busy! The winter of 2026 is behind us and this is that crucial moment to prepare your space(s), get healthy seedlings growing (and some in the ground), and start direct seeding some of the early spring cool weather crops.
By tackling these four tasks, you set yourself up for a smooth transition into spring, where the focus can shift to planting and maintenance rather than last-minute prep. Let’s jump into it:
Start Seeds Indoors for
Cool-Weather Crops
By mid-to-late March, you should have your cool-season transplants ready to go out in April.
What to do: Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale and Brussels sprouts. These need 4–6 weeks indoors before being hardened off (i.e. providing a 7-10 day process of allowing plants a chance to slowly work into being outside with the direct sun).
Pro Tip: If you wait until April to start these from seed, you lose a month of the cool weather they need to thrive before summer heat arrives.
Direct Sow Cold-Hardy Vegetables
Once the soil is workable (not frozen mud), you can plant directly into the garden.
What to do: Peas (snow, snap, and shell), spinach, radishes, carrots, beets and lettuce. Onion sets and potato pieces can also go in the ground this month
Pro Tip: Use row covers or cloches if a late snow is forecast. The seeds will be fine; the tender sprouts will need protection.
Perform the First Major Cleanup
& Soil Prep
You need to clear the way for April planting and wake up the soil.
What to do: Remove winter mulch (straw or leaves) from perennial beds and strawberry patches so the soil can warm. Cut back last year’s ornamental grasses and perennial foliage before new growth starts.
Pro Tip: Top-dress beds with a 1-inch layer of finished compost/cow manure/worm castings/mushroom compost. It will slowly work into the soil with spring rains, feeding the soil web without disturbing it.
Divide and Transplant Perennials
Early spring, as soon as you see the first red tips emerging from the ground, is the perfect time to dig and divide.
What to do: Dig up overgrown clumps of hostas, daylilies, sedum and astilbe. Slice them into sections with a shovel and replant the healthiest divisions.
Pro tip: Getting this done in March allows the roots to establish in the cool, moist soil before the heat of summer stresses them. It also gives you free plants to fill gaps or share.
Thank you for your time, and send any gardening questions to: canyoudigit413@gmail.com ■