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April
At last summer is just around the corner and the days are getting a little warmer so we can get outdoors a little bit more now. The sun and showers make ideal growing conditions for plants and weeds, hoeing the weeds when they emerge on dry days makes life a lot easier later. April is the month of sowing and growing so there is quite bit to be done in the garden maybe planting up a new border, sowing a new lawn or starting a veg patch for delicious fresh vegetables. Even though the day time temperatures are on the rise beware of the cold nights and the occasional frosts.
SHRUBS & TREES
• Move evergreen shrubs.
• Apply manure pellets, growmore or fish blood and bone to the base of trees, shrubs and fruit bushes.
• Prune spring flowering shrubs after they have flowered.
• Tie in climbing roses and other climbers.
IN THE BORDERS
• Sow hardy annual seeds direct into the border.
• Sow sweet peas direct outside.
• Plant out sweet peas that have already been grown in pots.
• Plant summer bulbs such as Lilies and Gladioli.
• Plant perennials into borders.
• Divide Bamboo.
• Prune Lavenders, Rosemary and Sage.
• Apply a general purpose fertiliser to flower borders.
• Put in plant supports for tall perennial's.
• Deadhead Daffodils and Tulips.
• Keep deadheading winter bedding plants to promote new flowers.
• Keep on top of any weeding.
• Mulch borders.
• Keep a look out for slug, snails and aphids.
• Trim winter and spring flowering Heathers after flowering.
IN THE VEG PATCH
• Keep on top of the weeding.
• Dig in well rotted manure, manure pellets or growmore.
• Use any home made compost.
• Sow vegetable seeds directly outside.
• Sow salad every couple of weeks for a continuous crop.
• Plant out second early and main crop Potatoes.
• Plant Herbs either in to the veg patch or containers.
• Thin any vegetable seedlings that are growing to close together. Now is a good time to thin Carrots.
• Plant a Strawberry bed.
• Mulch any fruit bushes.
IN THE TUNNEL OR GREENHOUSE
• Increase watering.
• Increase ventilation.
• Watch out for aphids, insects and slugs.
• Sow hardy annuals and veg into seed modulars or seed trays.
• Plant hanging baskets, pots and containers leave inside until next month.
• Sow Sweetcorn, Tomatoes, Courgettes, Cucumbers and Squash.
• Move any plants out into a cold frame to harden off.
• Plant summer bulbs in containers ready to be moved outside.
• Plant ready grown Tomatoes into borders or grow bags.
CONTAINERS AND BASKETS
• Pot up summer flowering bulbs like Dahlias and Lilies protect from any frosts.
• Top dress existing containers and pots.
• Plant Strawberries into pots for lovely fruit during summer.
• Plant a Herb window box for fresh grown herbs.
