Gardeners are being urged to plant five types of seed in April in order to “set themselves up for success”. Expert Benedict Vanheems, known as Grow Veg, says April is the “most important sowing month” for gardeners.

He believes it is important not to miss that “all important sowing window” as the warmer weather approaches. And Benedict admits he “can’t wait” to get those first harvests as his crops begin to grow.

Firstly Benedict recommends that gardeners should plant any “overwintered carrots”. He opts for the stump-rooted variety because it is “so much more carroty” than the vegetables he finds in his local supermarket.

In a video , he said: “They may be cheap to buy but this is why you grow carrots, for that insanely deep carroty taste. Carrots are happiest when sown directly into the soil and left well alone.”

He went on to explain that they don’t enjoy being “transplanted” and while they might survive, they might grow in “unusual” shapes. He recommends shorter stump-rooted varieties in heavier and stony soil or maybe even making carrot planters.

Benedict sows five types of seed in April(Image: Getty)

Benedict however warns that slugs “love” carrot seedlings, meaning gardeners will have to keep an eye out for the pests. Elsewhere he suggests sowing courgette now, describing it as the “plant that keeps on giving”.

He says courgettes grow from seed to plant in the “blink of an eye” and says he likes to “harvest them young” as they are at the “densest and nuttiest”. He recommends sowing them between three and four weeks before the last frost.

Benedict suggests putting them into a pot and planting into a larger container before it’s time to move them outside. In a similar manner to courgettes, Benedict is sowing his cucumbers now because they will “germinate really quickly in the warmth”.

Carrots will flourish if you sow them now(Image: Getty Images/Image Source)

He says the key to growing a cucumber is “regular feeding and regular watering”. Noting that “inconsistent moisture” leads to a bitter-tasting fruit.

Elsewhere Benedict enjoys planting chard in his garden for “reliability and productivity”. He added: “Chard can be colourful, incredibly productive, and is far more tolerable to heat and cold than many other greens.”

He warns that planting the seeds too early could mean they flower prematurely. Once in the soil, they need to be well watered to keep the leaves growing.

While celery has a “reputation for being a little bit difficult,” Benedict likes to grow the tiny “dust-like” seeds in his garden. He scatters them over the surface of his pot before misting them.

He then puts clear plastic over the pot to give them a “snug environment”. This is removed ahead of planting them in the garden.

And while Benedict enjoys planting vegetables in his garden, his final tip is to plant vegetable-friendly flowers in your garden. He suggests marigolds, zinnias, and allysums.