USDA Zone 2 · Subarctic — very cold winters
Zone 2 April Planting Guide: Subarctic Spring Prep
April in USDA Zone 2 means the ground is still frozen or just beginning to thaw, but indoor seed starting is in full swing. Focus on cold-hardy crops that can be started indoors now for transplanting once the last frost passes, typically late May to June.
🌱 Plant now
Kale
Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before last frost under grow lights for robust transplants ready for June.
Onions
Sow onion seeds indoors now; they need a long head start to form bulbs in your short growing season.
Broccoli
Start indoors in early April and keep seedlings at 65–70°F for sturdy, stocky transplants.
Lettuce
Sow in trays indoors for cold-tolerant transplants; lettuce handles light frost well when hardened off.
Peas
Pre-sow in biodegradable pots indoors now so roots aren't disturbed at transplant time in late May.
🚫 Avoid this month
Tomatoes
Too early to start indoors for Zone 2 in April — seeds started now will be overgrown and leggy before safe transplant time.
Cucumbers
Extremely frost-sensitive and fast-growing; starting in April means plants will outgrow indoor space before outdoor conditions are safe.
Basil
Basil is a warm-season herb that sulks below 50°F and offers no cold tolerance — wait until late May to start indoors.
🐛 Pest alert
Watch for fungus gnats in your indoor seed-starting setup, as overwatered trays in warm indoor conditions create ideal breeding grounds. Allow soil surfaces to dry slightly between waterings and use yellow sticky traps to monitor populations before they damage young seedlings.
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