Northwest April Checklist: Planting Annuals, Vegetables, Fruits, Herbs, Lawns, and Perennials

Planting

• Annuals: Cool-season color (calendula, English daisy, pansy, snapdragon, stock, sweet alyssum, viola) and summer annuals (impatiens, marigolds, petunias, portulaca, zinnias).
• Cool-season vegetables: Transplants: broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, chard, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, spinach. Direct-sow: carrots, peas, radishes. Set seed potatoes.
• Fruits (Zones 1–3): Bare-root at nurseries: blackberries, raspberries, grapes, hardy kiwis, strawberries, tree fruits.
• Herbs: Chives, lavender, marjoram, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, tarragon, thyme now. Wait post-frost for basil, cilantro.
• Lawns: Zones 1–3: after snowmelt/thaw, sod/seed. Zones 4–7: sod/seed anytime. Consider long-term irrigation: last year OR/WA had no month (Feb–Oct) with enough rain for healthy turf. Most grasses need ≥1″ water/week in warm months.
• Perennials: Basket-of-gold, bleeding heart, columbine, rockcress, sweet woodruff, wallflower. Plant immediately.
• Summer veggies: Start corn, cucumbers, eggplants, melons, peppers, tomatoes in coldframe/greenhouse/sunny windowsill. Transplant in 4–6 weeks.
• Wasabi (Zones 5, 17): Seeds/seedlings from Pacific Farms (800-927-2248, www.freshwasabi.com). Needs cool shade, moist soil summer, frost-free winters. Whole plant edible; paste from 2-year carrot-size rhizomes.

Maintenance

• Repot houseplants: April 3 = National Repot Your Plant Day (marketing aside, good annual practice). Knock out, rough up rootball with knife, strip coiled roots. Replant in slightly larger pot with fresh mix. Water well; fertilize after 2 weeks—new growth appears quickly.