April brings a wider range of harvests to UK vegetable gardens and allotments. Purple sprouting broccoli, spring cabbage and overwintered greens remain productive, while asparagus, early radishes and rhubarb begin adding fresh spring produce.
Harvest times still depend on the variety, weather and location. Some crops are ready in sheltered gardens while others need several more weeks.
For a year-round overview, see our UK Harvest Calendar.
April Harvest at a Glance
April combines the last overwintered vegetables with the first fresh spring harvests.
| Crop group | What may be ready | April conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Winter and spring vegetables | Purple sprouting broccoli, spring cabbage, leeks, kale | Established, mature plants |
| Early spring crops | Asparagus, radishes, spring onions | Established crowns or sufficiently early sowings |
| Conditional harvests | Winter cauliflower, winter cabbage, remaining winter roots | Depends on variety, maturity and crop condition |
| Salads and leafy greens | Spinach, chard, winter lettuce, corn salad, rocket, mizuna | Established plants, some under protection |
| Rhubarb and early fruit | Outdoor rhubarb, exceptionally early protected strawberries | Established crowns or specialist growing conditions |
| Hardy herbs | Chives, parsley, mint, sorrel, thyme | Healthy established growth |
Sheltered gardens in milder regions may have crops ready earlier than northern or exposed plots. Late frost can still affect tender new growth.
What Vegetables Can You Harvest in April?
Browse the crop groups below for April-specific advice, with links to the relevant harvesting or growing guides.
Purple sprouting broccoli and mature spring cabbage are among April’s main harvests. Remaining winter leeks and kale may also be available, although some plants will be nearing the end of their cropping period.
Suitable winter and spring cauliflower varieties may produce mature heads, depending on conditions.
Established asparagus beds may begin cropping from mid-April, while newly planted crowns need time to establish.
Early radishes can be ready from protected sowings, and overwintered spring onions may also be available. Crops first sown outdoors in April generally need longer.
Established overwintered salads can provide fresh leaves as growing conditions improve, particularly under protection.
Spinach, rocket and some other leafy crops may begin bolting as temperatures rise and days lengthen. Harvest healthy leaves while plants remain productive.
Early Rhubarb and Hardy Herbs
Early Rhubarb and Strawberries
Established outdoor rhubarb can produce usable stalks during April, with early varieties and sheltered gardens often cropping first. Newly planted crowns should be allowed to establish rather than harvested during their first growing season.
For detailed advice, see When and How to Harvest Rhubarb in the UK.
Exceptionally early strawberries may be available under glass or specialist forcing conditions, but ordinary outdoor strawberries generally begin cropping later in spring or summer.
Hardy Herbs
Established chives, parsley, mint, sorrel and thyme may provide fresh April pickings. Mint and sorrel produce tender spring leaves, while overwintered parsley and thyme remain useful.
Avoid heavy cutting from plants still recovering from winter.
What Should You Harvest or Leave Growing?
April brings more active growth, but not every vegetable showing new leaves is ready to harvest.
- Harvest now: Mature spring cabbage, ready purple sprouting broccoli, overwintered spinach approaching bolting and early radishes or spring onions that have reached a usable size.
- Leave developing: Young asparagus beds, immature spring crops and healthy plants that haven’t reached harvesting size.
- Not ready yet: Garlic bulbs, maincrop onions, most early potatoes, courgettes and sweetcorn generally need more growing time.
Late frost remains possible, particularly in colder areas. Protect vulnerable growth and judge harvest readiness by the crop rather than the calendar.
Stored Produce in April
Stored potatoes, onions, apples, pears and winter squash may still supplement fresh April harvests where storage conditions have been suitable.
These crops were generally harvested during the previous growing season. Check remaining stores regularly and discard anything showing signs of spoilage.
What to Do After Harvesting
As overwintered crops finish, clear spent plants and make use of the available growing space. Avoid unnecessary digging if beds remain wet.
For advice on what to sow next, see our Spring Vegetable Planting Guide UK.
Looking ahead? See What to Harvest in May UK for next month’s potential harvests.
FAQs: What to Harvest in April UK
Purple sprouting broccoli, spring cabbage, leeks and kale are among the main April vegetables. Established asparagus, early radishes, spring onions and overwintered salad leaves may also be ready, depending on conditions.
Yes. Established asparagus beds can begin producing spears from mid-April in suitable conditions. Newly planted crowns should be left to establish rather than harvested immediately.
Yes. April is a normal harvesting month for suitable spring cabbage varieties. Mature heads and spring greens may be ready, depending on the variety and local growing conditions.
Yes. Established outdoor rhubarb commonly begins cropping in April or May, particularly in sheltered gardens. Early varieties may be ready sooner, while newly planted crowns should be left to establish.
Occasionally, but April strawberries usually come from specialist protected or forced growing conditions. Ordinary outdoor strawberries generally produce their first harvests later in spring or early summer.
