[dropcap]A[/dropcap]pril is definitely a transition time for us gardeners in zone 6. Here in Massachusetts, we haven't seen the last of the snow. Flakes may be falling next week. Luckily, it isn't sticking so the gardens are still visible even after a snow storm.
It's still too cold for plants to be out in any unheated greenhouses, and the night temps are still in the low 30's. It's definitely easy to sit back and feel like it may be too early to prep and plant. This is most certainly not the case!
I want to give you all a warm welcome back to the blog series, Tuesdays In The Garden. From April to September, I will be posting some fun garden tips and tricks along with five other fabulous garden bloggers. We will be posting something new every Tuesday of each month. All of us are looking forward to sharing and growing with you!
Right now is the perfect time to start vegetable seeds indoors and begin to prep the flower beds. Here are a few tasks I'm currently checking off my list!
Wake Up Garden, It’s Spring!
We had a few intense nor'easters here in New England. With that came an abundance of broken tree branches, broken limbs and an overall mess. It's time to get out there and start doing a large yard clean up. That's probably my least favorite task, but it makes all the difference once done.
I grab my rake, and I carefully move fallen leaves and debris off the emerging bulbs. It's very important to take notes and assess any winter damage done now. That way, you know what you have to replace or even fill in. I lost a few shrubs including an azalea bush that I'm hoping to replace this year. The good news is I have a large amount of leaves that will be perfect for composting!
So far I spy some crocus bulbs and the start of the daffodils. I keep crossing my fingers that the snow won't come and squash all my pretty crocus flowers!
Seed Starting Indoors
This year, I've decided to hit it hard when it comes to starting seeds. I've started onions, peppers, tomatoes, lettuce, romanesco and so much more! If you want a refresher in what I planted for seeds this February/March, click here. 
During the last week of March, I repotted most of my pepper plants from this seed tray into plastic cups. They are all doing very well and enjoying the setup I have going on this year.
I am really frugal when it comes to starting seeds. I don't have a large budget when it comes to shopping for supplies. I try to do a little research online before I get started and make a list of things I need. Once I have this list, I like to create a low-budget setup that will hopefully give me the best results.
I have a small stand-alone mini greenhouse that I use indoors. Most of my young seedlings start off inside there. I also bought inexpensive LED grow lights for each shelf and a mini fan to keep the air circulation going. I also use a heat mat to increase germination speed in crops like tomatoes and peppers.
I have been recycling materials like egg cartons, cupcake holders, ice cream containers, milk jugs and more this year. I've had amazing results with each! I really love to be able to recycle and re-use things I already have. 
What I’m Starting Now
I definitely have a large list of seeds I want to plant this year, but I'm keeping it realistic. I always consider the amount of space I have and time I can dedicate to my seedlings. Here's an outline of what I'm hoping to plant indoors and outdoors this month.
Veggies & Herbs
- Basil
- Bush Beans
- Carrots
- Cucumber
- Corn
- Eggplant
- Lettuce
- Melon
- Spinach
- Summer/Winter Squash
Flowers
- Marigolds
- Nasturtiums
- Sunflowers
- Sweet Peas
- Zinnias
Tuesdays In The Garden
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9 Tips For Gardening Success
- Homemade Food Junkie -
What do you have going on in your garden this April? I'm hoping the weather is warming up for you! I'm so excited for the sunny days ahead. Are you preparing to plant anything soon? Tell me all about it in the comment section below.
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7 Comments
Mellisa K.
March 27, 2022 at 7:43 pmHello! I am also living in Massachusetts. Bristol County area. I have been so tempted to start seeds in my unheated greenhouse but my gut knows, it would be a waste until nightly Temps hit 40 and above with no sudden °17 nights..omg. The thought of all that work wasted is terrifying. So, I will start seeds (ones you have suggested) in my spare room under grow lights. I will direct seed my zinnia. Can I direct seed them now?
Lacey Hoyer
April 12, 2018 at 12:05 pmI sure hope the weather improves for you soon! It’s rainy here, but then again it usually always is here in the PNW! I’m looking forward to seeing your garden on Tuesdays!
Shelly
April 10, 2018 at 10:37 pmI was hoping to get seeds started but I’ve only gotten my peas in. I’m hoping to find time to plant a little lettuce and spinach in the garden this week. And hopefully start cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers too.
We had a storm last week that deposited a bunch of branches from our trees but luckily no damage to the raspberries or strawberries, which I was thankful for.
I hope the weather turns a little warmer for you soon.
Jami
April 10, 2018 at 5:16 pmI’m so happy to see you starting seeds – and them doing so well!! I tried something different and my seedlings aren’t liking my new set-up as much. Ah well – there’s always next year, right? (the gardener’s mantra…) 🙂
Diane Williams
April 10, 2018 at 10:35 amJust starting to get to planting temps here. Dave has his tomato and peppers up from seed and the tomatoes planted in the greenhouse. He wants your lights and the heat mat too. Great ideas. His seedlings are always a bit leggy cause our light index is so poor here. Now we have a MONTH of rain in the forecast. so that light index is not going up very fast. We planted peas in our outdoor garden. Hope they don’t rot. Great to get the blog hop going again. Happy garden 2018!
Michelle Marine
April 10, 2018 at 9:43 amI had 3 inches of snow just this past Sunday! I feel ya. We have the same cold temps. I started my seeds a little late this year, so I’m curious how they will work out. Good luck with your garden this year, Angie. I’m excited to see how it works out for you!
Patti
April 10, 2018 at 8:17 amJust slightly warm down here in PA, we are finally getting some sun and warmer weather is predicted for the rest of the week. Maybe I’ll finally get out and remove all the winter debris and do some much needed pruning. I think this is the latest I”ve even got started in the garden. Love all your seed starting efforts and can’t wait to see them all growing in this year’s garden.