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April Sunshine, Soil & Saving Every Drop

Hello, my lovely green-fingered friends!

Well, hasn’t April shown up like a golden retriever in a sun hat—bouncing in with sunshine, blossom, and birdsong. The Yarden is alive with buzzing bees, cheeky blackbirds digging in my pots, and the first brave blooms making an appearance. It’s been glorious.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Just when you think it’s time to dig out your shorts and slap on the SPF, along comes Jack Frost doing a sneaky cha-cha across your raised beds overnight.

To top it off, my water butt—normally overflowing in April—is nearly empty already. I mean, come on… since when did we need to worry about droughts in Ireland in spring?

So here’s what I’m doing this month in my Organic Yarden, and some handy April garden tips to keep your plot thriving, even when the weather’s having an identity crisis

Dry Days – Let’s Talk Water (or lack of it…)

If your water butt is giving you tumbleweed vibes like mine, it’s time to get clever with conservation. Here’s how to keep your soil moist and your plants happy without guzzling the mains supply:

Mulch, baby, mulch!

Layer up that soil with straw, leaf mould, compost, or even old cardboard around your plants. It’s like a duvet for your veggies—holds in moisture and keeps roots cool.

Greywater to the rescue!

You can reuse mild greywater from rinsing veg or cooling tea (yes, really!) on non-edibles or ornamentals. Just skip anything greasy or soapy. We also use the water from cleaning the coffee pot on our acid loving plants.

Group your pots together

Create little “plant gangs” of thirsty herbs, leafy greens, or flowers. This not only makes watering easier but also helps create a microclimate that slows evaporation.

Morning watering only

Water early in the day so your plants can soak it up before the heat kicks in. Night watering = soggy leaves = fungus parties and the dreaded slugs. No thanks.

Cold Nights – Sneaky Seedling Sabotage

Oh April, you big tease. Lovely in the day, freezing your sprouts by night. Here's how to stop your seedlings turning into ice pops:

Fleece it up: Drape horticultural fleece or old net curtains over your raised beds or pots at night. Instant blankie!
DIY cloches: Cut the bottom off a plastic bottle or pop a jam jar over individual seedlings like little glass helmets of glory.
Hardening off: If you’ve got trays of baby plants inside or in a greenhouse, give them short daily trips outside to toughen up—but bring them in overnight. Think of it like baby plant bootcamp.
If you can't heat your Green house add hotwater bottles wrapped in bubble wrap to warm it up - it keeps the temperature above freezing
For really tender plants bring them inside, no point risking it.

What to Sow and Grow in April

There’s SO much you can start or continue growing this month:

Indoors (in modules or trays):

Courgettes, pumpkins, squash
Tomatoes (if you haven’t yet – go go go!)
Basil, parsley, coriander

Direct in the ground or pots:

Carrots, beetroot, turnips
Lettuce, rocket, spinach, chard
Peas, broad beans
Spring onions and radishes (they're speedy!)

And it’s your last call for first early potatoes—get those spuds in the ground now if you haven’t already.

See my full guide for Jobs in the Garden HERE

Be Kind to the Bees and Pollinators

April is a magical month for bees and pollinators. Make their job easier by:

Leaving dandelions alone for now (they’re pollinator gold)
Letting forget-me-nots and self-seeders run riot
Popping in bee baths—just a shallow dish with stones and water
Leaving some wild corners—less tidying = more bugs = more birds = garden harmony

PS: Get ready for No Mow May—coming soon to a lawn near you!

From the Yarden…

This month in Our Little Vegan Kitchen and Grarden, I’ve been dancing between sunshine and fleece, sowing radishes and lettuce and watching my Daffodils and Snakes-Head Frittillary's pop their cheerful little faces up from the containers.

My water butt is bone dry (seriously considering putting Skoda on “rain dance duty” 🐶💃), so I’m being super mindful about every drop.

If you’re feeling the same, you’re not alone. April always brings the “four seasons in one day” drama, but with a bit of planning, a pinch of mulch, and a smidge of fleece—you’ve got this.