"What veggies can I plant in April in Minnesota?"

I don't know about you but this time of year I am always itching to get outside.

I have this pull to start cleaning up the perennials from over the winter.

I see the onion sets and potatoes and seeds that I ordered sitting on the shelf ready to be planted.

ALL I want to do is to get outside and get things done.

We are expanding our gardens in 2021.  We tilled up this area in early April for the first time.

One of the challenges of gardening is every year is different.  Every spring will be different.  Determining when we can plant our cole crops all depends.

In 2021, our spring got quite warm very quickly at the beginning of April, however we are now back to our late winter/early spring temperatures back down in the 40's.  I also saw snow in the forecast for this week!

As a general rule of thumb, cole crop planting can start when the soil can be turned (in other words - it's no longer frozen) and the forecasts are above 32 degrees both during the day and at night.

In all transparency - we have cold frames where our cole crops are housed this time of year, and our tomatoes and peppers will live when it starts to warm up.  Other than that we do not currently have any season extenders in our gardens

Our Buttercrunch lettuces are looking beautiful as they sit in the cold frame,

waiting for the time to plant.

"So...what veggies CAN we plant right now?"

1. Potatoes - We tend to plant our potatoes first.  Potatoes are quite hearty and can withstand colder temperatures than many vegetables.  We planted our first round this past weekend.

2. Onions - Similar to potatoes - and most root vegetables for that matter! - onions are also hearty.  One of my favorite things about onions is how versatile they are in the kitchen, and also how they take up limited space in the garden.

3. Root Vegetables from Seed (for example: Beets and Carrots) - These can be directly sown in the soil and are relatively hearty.  I tend to plant these after my potatoes and onions are in the ground.

4. Lettuce and Spinach - Our head lettuces we started in our basement about 6 weeks ago, however leaf lettuce and spinach can be directly sown.  They tend to germinate quickly and within a few weeks you will have fresh greens from the garden!  Greens do not like the extreme heat we get in the summer months and they tend to bolt quickly once we get to the hotter part of the summer.

5. Broccoli and Cauliflower - Broccoli tends to be one of the last cole crops we plant in the garden.  To play it safe I tend to wait until the temperatures are consistently over 40 degrees, both in the daytime and overnight.  Broccoli seedlings can handle cooler temperatures, however if temperatures get below freezing at any point, I would not trust them in ground.

Our broccoli have been thriving in the cold frames as they wait to be planted in a week or two!

6. Cabbage - Similar to broccoli and cauliflower, I like to make sure the temperatures are consistently over 40 degrees before planting any cabbage plants.  Since both plants need to start as seedlings, I want to keep them protected for as long as I can.

Be aware that heat loving plants - especially things such as tomatoes and peppers, need to be protected until at least mid May when overnight temperatures are consistently 50 degrees and over.

Comment below with any questions you have about planning your vegetable garden!