Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 4 hours ago
It’s early April in Louisville, Kentucky (Zone 6/7), and my spring garden is already throwing problems at me.
Last year, we had some of the highest rainfall on record. This year, it’s the opposite—dry conditions, fast-moving pests, and a lot of pressure to keep everything alive while building a native plant nursery from scratch.
In this video, I walk through:
- what to plant in early April in Zone 6/7
- how I’m dealing with harlequin bugs without pesticides
- using trap crops like mustard to protect brassicas
- how to harden off seedlings properly (and avoid killing them)
- what’s ready (and not ready) in my native plant nursery
This is a real look at spring gardening—not the polished version. Some things are ahead, some things are behind, and I’m figuring it out as I go.
If you’re gardening in Kentucky or a similar climate, you don’t need to wait until the Kentucky Derby to start planting. Cold crops like kale, cabbage, and broccoli can go in much earlier with row covers and season extension.
💬 Let me know:
What are you planting right now?
And seriously—if you have a good chard recipe, I need it.
🌿 About
I’m Tyler—building a garden focused on native plants, food production, and ecosystem health while starting a small native plant nursery.
📍 Location
Louisville, Kentucky (Zone 6/7)
It’s early April in Louisville, Kentucky (Zone 6/7), and my spring garden is already throwing problems at me.
Last year, we had some of the highest rainfall on record. This year, it’s the opposite—dry conditions, fast-moving pests, and a lot of pressure to keep everything alive while building a native plant nursery from scratch.
In this video, I walk through:
- what to plant in early April in Zone 6/7
- how I’m dealing with harlequin bugs without pesticides
- using trap crops like mustard to protect brassicas
- how to harden off seedlings properly (and avoid killing them)
- what’s ready (and not ready) in my native plant nursery
This is a real look at spring gardening—not the polished version. Some things are ahead, some things are behind, and I’m figuring it out as I go.
If you’re gardening in Kentucky or a similar climate, you don’t need to wait until the Kentucky Derby to start planting. Cold crops like kale, cabbage, and broccoli can go in much earlier with row covers and season extension.
💬 Let me know:
What are you planting right now?
And seriously—if you have a good chard recipe, I need it.
🌿 About
I’m Tyler—building a garden focused on native plants, food production, and ecosystem health while starting a small native plant nursery.
📍 Location
Louisville, Kentucky (Zone 6/7)
