The Lawn in April
April is a busy time for lawn care!
It’s a great time for sowing a new lawn as the soil is warming and yet April showers will keep the developing seedlings growing and establishing quickly.
Take the chance too, for ‘over-sowing’ existing lawns with fresh seed to improve the ‘sward’, Both treatments coincide with rising light levels and spring temperatures to improve germination and improve results.
Choose your lawn seed according to your requirement i.e. mixtures containing ‘thinner leaved cultivars’ are ideal for ornamental front lawns whilst those with a higher proportion of thicker leaves like ‘ryegrasses’ are ideal for back lawns subject to greater wear and tear.
You can even purchase mixtures designed specifically for use in shady areas!
Many of us might choose to use turves for quicker results and these are available using the types of mixtures detailed above,
For established lawns, as temperatures rise, you will be mowing more often and as the month moves on you can lower the blades on your lawn mower.
Now’s the time to apply a lawn fertilizer; use a slow-release one and it will provide all your lawn’s needs all through summer. Should you wish to apply a lawn weedkiller, then do it before applying lawn food.
The Flower Garden
Hopefully you’ve still got some space in the greenhouse or conservatory. There is still time to sow some of the quicker growing ‘half-hardy’ annuals like cosmos and marigolds.
Sweet peas can be sown direct into the garden.
You may need to be ‘pricking out’ (transplanting) earlier sown seedlings into pots or trays to give them more room to grow.
Some of your earliest sowings may be ready for ‘hardening off’ i.e. standing them out to acclimatise to outside conditions. But be prepared to take them in if frost threatens!
Don’t worry if you do not have a greenhouse, you can be sowing ‘hardy annuals’ like clarkia, godetia, nasturtiums and sunflowers outside when conditions allow.
As the light improves, towards the end of the month, you can be planting dahlia tubers and gladioli corms. Should you have a light, sandy soil, plant a little deeper than that recommended on the label because as the root grow, they could push the plants out of the soil! Stagger planting days for your gladioli to prolong the flowering period.
Lift and separate over-crowded perennials in the herbaceous border.
There are lots of new perennial plants in the catalogues and garden centres to tempt you but do pay attention to the instructions given.
Remove faded flower stems from spring flowering bulbs, but leave the leaves to supply sustenance to the bulbs and build them up for next year.
The Vegetable Plot
April has arrived and so much to do! You may be up to date in the greenhouse but a wet March has put many of the outside sowings behind.
Under cover, be it greenhouse, conservatory or kitchen window-sill there are sowings to be made and earlier sowings to be transplanted.
Let’s start indoors, be it greenhouse, conservatory or even the kitchen window sill!
Perhaps you’ve sown your early tomatoes and peppers? If so, you will need to transplant them into pots or trays. Now though it’s time to sow late greenhouse or outdoor varieties.
Outside, you can really get busy both with raised beds and garden soil. Rake soil to a fine tilth incorporating a vegetable fertilizer and sow seed as recommended on the packet. Your choice of items has grown this month as peas, broad beans, carrots, radish, beetroot, lettuce, spring onions and parsnips may all be sown.
Time to ‘chit’ our second-early and main crop potatoes by standing them on end in a tray in a light position to encourage shoots to break into growth before planting out.
The Fruit Garden
Starting a fruit garden? You can purchase blackcurrant, gooseberry, strawberry plants etc. that have been container grown as it’s too late for ‘bare root’ types.
Mulch established bushes and trees with well-rotted farm yard manure.
In frosty weather, if you can, protect the flowers of trees from damage with horticultural fleece.
Towards the end of the month, if you have a heavy set, thin the small fruit of nectarines and peaches to ensure bigger fruit on maturity.
Garden Shrubs & Trees
Complete the pruning of winter flowering shrubs like forsythia and berberis.
You can still plant container grown shrubs throughout spring and summer.
Greenhouse, Sheds & Garden Features
Maintain your garden hygiene inside and out. It’s important to keep on top of your weeding too at this time.
Should you have a garden pool, make sure you’ve carried out your pump maintenance. Remember too, to plant aquatics if required and thin foliage in sunken baskets.
