FRESH FOOD IN SEASON

Foraging for wild food

If you are foraging for wild food, remember to always follow the Foraging Code (WildFoodUK), respect the land, animals, birds and other creatures who depend on wild food and undisturbed habitats to survive.

I have written about the benefits of foraging and where to start in The Wonders of Wild Food and Foraging for Nature's Bounty.

In the fields and hedgerows

Alexanders, Beech Leaves, Bistort, Burdock, Chickweed, Comfrey Leaves, Dandelion, Fat Hen, Good-king-henry, Hawtorn Tips, Hop Tips, Nettle Tips, Orache, Rampion, Salad Burner, Sea Beet, Sorrel, Tansy, Watercress, Wintercress, Wood Sorrel

Edible Wild Flowers

Cowslips, Violets, Broom, Dandelions, Wild Garlic

At your local market or farm shop

Vegetables - Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Carrots, Brussels Sprouts, Turnips, Beetroot, Spinach, Jerusalem Artichoke, Kale, Chard, Lettuce, Chicory, Endive, Cauliflower, Cabbages, Celeriac, Swede, Leeks, Forced Rhubarb

Fresh Herbs - Winter Savory, Parsley, Chervil, Coriander, Rosemary, Bay, Sage

THINGS TO DO IN THE GARDEN

There is always something to do in the garden at any time of year and get ready for a busy time as Spring unfolds. Work with the longer days to gradually increase your range of gardening tasks. This is the perfect time to prepare seed beds and sow your seeds. It is also your last chance to prune your Roses.

Tidying - leave the lawn to grow, trim the edges, remove invasive weeds, re-organise potting shed and greenhouse

Flower Beds - prepare beds for the growing season by removing any invasive weeds and digging in a 5cm (or more) layer of compost or well-rotted manure. You can also add general-purpose fertiliser such as organic fish, blood and bone.

Planting - sow seeds outdoors for Sweet Peas and for vegetables including Beetroot, Carrots, Swiss Chard, Summer Cauliflower, Kohl Rabi, Lettuce, Leeks, Radish, Turnip, Spring and Pickling Onions, Peas and Perpetual Spinach

Herb Garden - many herbs can be planted out in April including Basil, Coriander, Chives, Dill, Lemon Balm, Mint, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Sorrel and Thyme.

Potatoes - plant potatoes at the bottom of a trench, mound soil over them and continue to mound them up as further growth appears - this encourages the most potatoes to form

Bird Feeders and Nesting Boxes - keep bird feeders, nesting boxes and bird baths clean to continue supporting birds as they prepare for the breeding season.

THINGS TO DO IN NATURE IN APRIL

Return of the Swallows

The main event to look forward to this month is the return of the Swallows, Swifts, House Martins and Sand Martins flying home from the warmer climes of foreign lands.

They are here to raise their young during the Spring and Summer months and inspire us with their aerial acrobatics and displays. Only these beautiful birds can master such sky-high moves and precision as they expertly scoop up water and catch flying insects for their hungry broods.

Woodland Stars

With their white starry flowers, Wood Anemones grow very slowly because their seeds are mostly infertile. This means that they colonise woodlands mainly through their tiny twiggy rhizomes. It is said that it takes a hundred years for them spread six feet which is why they are a good indicator of fertile ground.

Sun-loving and gentle, Wood Anemones are one of the first Spring blooms, arriving to take in the light through the leafless canopy in ancient woodlands.

Badger Watching

Now is the time to venture out in the evening to watch out for Badgers and their young cubs. Badgers are omnivores who eat fruit and nuts, and insects, earthworms, slugs, snails and small mammals.

The best way to spot Badgers is to locate their sett in the daytime, often in woodlands or on the edges of fields. These nocturnal creatures have poor eyesight but a great sense of smell so when you return before dusk, remain downwind and position yourself against a tree or thick bushes to hide your silhouette.

Stay as still as possible and prepare to be patient. You’ll be in for a wait but rewarded with a glimpse of these special woodland animals.

I hope you enjoy making the most of Nature through April for your good health, happiness and wellbeing, and look forward to seeing you here for the next Almanac on 1 May 2025.

Sue Cartwright

Spiral Leaf

Buy a book!

Books with seasonal information presented for each month of the year are available from the Spiral Leaf bookshop using the links below.

The Almanac - A Seasonal Guide to 2025 by Lia Leendertz

The Leaping Hare Nature Almanac by Raluca Spatacean

The Forager's Calendar: A Seasonal Guide to Nature’s Wild Harvests by John Wright

Wild Hares and Hummingbirds by Stephen Moss

The Running Hare by John Lewis-Stempel

The Leaping Hare by George Ewart Evans and David Thomson

Meadowland - The Private Life of an English Field by John Lewis-Stempel

Spiral Leaf may earn a small commission on books sold using the above links in support of independent book sellers and bookshops at no extra cost to you!