April’s tasks include, among others, the planting of tender vegetables, the removal of weeds, and the feeding of spring bulbs.
Beautyful red flowers
The month of April brings with it longer days and, with any luck, warmer weather. Spring bulbs add much-appreciated colour to borders and pots, while new plantings begin to take over the vegetable garden at this time of year. There are a lot of things that need to be done in order to get your garden in shape for the summer.
Upkeep of the garden during the month of April
Cutting Lawn
Cut your lawn
When the grass begins to grow again, it will need to be cut on a more regular basis. In order to prevent scalping the lawn and to give weeds and moss a chance to develop, you should adjust the mower blades to their highest setting. Over the next few weeks, the height of the blade should be gradually decreased. If you haven’t used any weedkiller, you can throw the grass clippings on the compost heap with the rest of the yard waste. Both a shovelful of dirt and a product called Complete Rot performed well in our test to hasten the decomposition process, so feel free to use any one of these methods.
Weeding
In the spring, weeds will begin to sprout, and if you keep a sharp eye out for them, you’ll be able to pull them out while they’re still in their infant stages. It is recommended that you remove them by hand in order to get rid of all of the roots in the ground. When conditions are dry, hoeing is most effective since the weeds can die from lack of moisture after being severed from their roots.
Rectify your outside space.
It is possible for April to provide some unusually warm and bright days, which makes this the ideal month to have meals outside. Get your patio in tip-top shape by sweeping it with a stiff broom and hosing it down with the hose or using a pressure washer. At the same time, remove any algae from the furniture in your garden by giving it a good brush. Oil or stain can be used to treat wooden furniture to give it a more finished look.
Plant potatoes
In regions with a milder climate, early cultivars were planted in the month of March; nevertheless, planting of any kind is possible in April. Place the tubers in rows that are 60–75 cm apart and leave 40 cm of space between each row. They need to go in anywhere between 15 and 25 centimetres deep. As the shoots sprout, cover them with soil (also known as “earthing up”). This will prevent the leaves from becoming damaged by frost and will also prevent light from reaching the tubers as they grow, which could cause the tubers to turn green. Gain knowledge on how to cultivate potatoes.
Make sure the just planted vegetables are covered.
Covering the produce with fleece, Thermacrop, or a cloche will ensure that it gets off to a healthy start. It will assist in preventing cold winds from blowing through and will confine the warmth of the sun close to the plants. If you’re going to use fleece, choose a heavier weight (between 30 and 50 grammes per square metre), as it will be less prone to tear. Put bricks or heavy stones all the way around the perimeter to keep it from moving.
Sowing tender veg
Sow tender veg
Beginning in the middle of April, you should start planting numerous fragile vegetables indoors. Don’t give in to the temptation to start sowing your seeds any sooner, because your plants will mature before it is safe to transplant them outside. Tomatoes, cucumbers, basil, courgette, squash, and sweet corn are some of the vegetables that can be sown outside to thrive. Wait until May to plant your bean seeds.
Jobs related to plants and flowers available in April
planting summer bedding plants
Begin the process of planting summer bedding plants.
Begin planting seeds in April for annuals that are only half hardy, such as cosmos, marigolds, and zinnias, to provide colour in the summer. You could also purchase plug plants online and then repot them using compost purchased from Best Buy specifically designed for the cultivation of young plants. When you receive plants in the mail, remove them from their packaging as soon as possible so that they can be exposed to light. Learn more about the best compost to purchase for starting seedlings here.
Spring bulbs should be fed.
Feeding bulbs in the fall makes a significant impact in how well they flower in the following spring. Always use a tomato feed, and wait to prune the leaves until they have turned brown on their own. Never use scissors.
Feeding bulbs
Grow some sugar snap peas.
A sunny location is ideal for planting sweet peas, whether they were started from seed in the spring or purchased from a garden centre. Your plants will need something to help them grow upwards, such as bamboo canes or an obelisk made of willow. Help the plants find their bearings by tying them up. After a few weeks, they will affix themselves to the host plant using the tendrils that they have.
Take dahlia cuttings
Dahlia tubers that were potted up early on should have started growing shoots by this point in the process. You may have the option of purchasing a plant that is already established in a container from a garden centre. If you take basal cuttings from a few of these, you may use them to start new plants. However, you should be sure to leave approximately five shoots on the tuber so that the plant can still be used in the garden. Before putting it in a pot of Best Buy compost to raise young plants, you should remove the leaves from the bottom of the plant. Gain knowledge on how to cultivate dahlias.
Put in some bulbs that will bloom in the summer.
If you plant some galtonia, gladioli, and other bulbs that bloom in the summer, you can look forward to some additional colour.
Stake perennials
When you notice that your perennials are starting to develop, you should install stakes so that the stems won’t become harmed. You can either buy plant supports that are already created or make your own, such as using pea sticks. Continue to secure your plants with ties as they get larger.
Care for camellias
Care for camellias
Make use of an ericaceous feed and carefully till it into the surface of the soil using a hoe. If the plants are growing in containers, remove the top few centimetres of compost, replace it with new ericaceous compost, and feed for ericaceous plants that has a regulated release. You should clear the area around your plant of any weeds and then apply a layer of mulch, such as well-rotted manure or garden compost, over the bare soil.
The soil will retain more moisture as a result of this action. After flowering, the vast majority of camellias only require a slight pruning to be brought back into form. When necessary, plants that have become too large might be severely pruned back. They will grow additional shoots from the base of the structure. There will be a delay in blossoming for a few years, but the plants will eventually recover.
