In truth, down here in Devon, March came in 'fits and starts!' with some very cold nights combined with a lack of sunlight during the days.
Time then to take a look at how our garden areas are faring, starting with the garden lawns!
Your Garden Lawn
April is the time to really think about mowing if you are not there already! If not then get the mower down to the workshop ASAP!
Remember to have the cutting blades high for those first cuts and lower them as the month goes on.
There’s still time to deal with moss in the lawn, by raking it out, or using a proprietary product.
Dig out small weeds with a trowel and larger ones with a small fork. Fill in with a mixture of compost and a little fertiliser Over-sow with quality lawn seed.
Spring is one of the main times for sowing a new lawn or repairing a mature one.
First though, decide what kind of lawn you want, is it purely ornamental, or for the kids to play on? This will determine the type of seed mixture to purchase!
Apply a slow-release fertiliser to feed your lawn through the summer.
You can also apply a season-long weed killer.
Follow this programme, watering as necessary, and you will have a super lawn this year!
The Flower Garden
You may already have sown half-hardy annuals inside, such as begonias and geraniums which need a long growing period in order to flower properly. Don’t worry if not though, as you can buy ‘part grown’ plugs mail order or from garden centres to grow on youself.
Today though I have been sowing annuals that will flower relatively quicky, such as lobelia, alyssum and cosmos. They will be ready for planting out late May/June after hardening off to outside conditions.
No facilities for growing your own in a greenhouse? Then sow ‘hardy annuals’ direct outside in the garden.
March and April are the ideal times for sowing.
Just dig over your chosen patch, apply some general fertiliser and rake to a fine tilth (surface) You have a fine choice of flowers such as calendulas, annual poppies, candytuft etc.
Early sweet peas, sown in pots can be planted out this month.
Hanging baskets, can be planted out late in the month either from your own plants or bought in for the purpose. Remember to plant trailing plants around the edges of the baskets and intermediate height, upright plants around a larger central ‘feature plant’ like a large flowered begonia or geranium in the middle.
Perennial plants, as the name suggests will live for a number of years and are often planted in April. There’s still time to separate and move established plants if they are becoming overcrowded.
Flowering plants from tubers such as dahlias and corms like gladioli can be planted this month.
Still got fading narcissi from your spring flowering? Remove the flower stems but leave the leaves to build the plants for next year!
April is a busy month in producing a super display this year!
The Veggie Plot
Well we thought it was going to be a busy month in the flower garden! Now for the vegetable growers!
Running behind on things? Well you can buy tomato plants, or alternatively there is still time to sow seed. This year I did an early sowing to grow just a few plants (I only have an 8x6ft glasshouse) and last week a late sowing.
Why?
Well last year I had a poor crop due I think to a poor quality peat-free compost, despite constant liquid feed! So this year I changed the compost brand! and thought I would try an early and a late crop – I will report back!
You may have ‘chitted’ and planted your early potatoes, but if not – get out there! Second early types can also be planted.
I tend to start my runner bean seed in pots this month and plant them out later as I find they produce a larger harvest.
Continuity of sowing is everything in sowing your salads to keep supplies going throughout the summer. Try growing one of the newer long red beetroot. They are easier to slice in rings and very productive.
The Herb garden is now bursting into life, but you can still lift and separate plants to improve cropping and gain extra plants.
Rember to keep that hoe going through the plot when the weeds are just seedlings – it will make your life easier!
Trees & Shrubs
Container-grown plants can still be planted.
Finish pruning autumn flowering shrubs like late flowering clematis and winter flowering shrubs such as mahonia.
Apply slow release fertilisers.
The Fruit Garden
Frosts are still about so hang horticultural fleece over your fruit trees to protect the blossom.
Plant pot raised strawberries in larger containers or direct in the garden soil.
Apply a slow-release fertiliser to fruit bushes and trees to encourage strong growth
The Garden Pond
Now’s the time to thin out overgrown plants and plant new aquatic plants such as iris and water lily.
Don’t forget your pump and pipe maintenance!
April is most likely the busiest month in the garden, so let’s hope that unlike last year, the weather is more sympathetic to us gardeners!
If there are any signs to cheer us, I note that the farmers crops are looking much better than this time last year!
Happy gardening!
