April Gardening To-Do List
April is a busy time in the garden, as there is so much to get ready for the summer. The season has changed, the weather is getting warmer and your plants will have had a new lease of life. As you start spending more time gardening, don't forget these important April jobs.
Sow hardy annuals, herbs and wildflower seed. If you have already planned your seed-sowing calendar, I am sure the list for April will be nice and long. Early spring is a prime time for sowing a variety of seeds for your garden. Make sure to give the packets a good read over if you are trying something new, planning is very important. Keep your seeds trays somewhere warm and away from pests, greenhouses and porches are ideal.S
Sow a new lawn or repair bare patches. Whether you are starting a new lawn from scratch, or simply wish to top-up some patches from your current lawn, April is a great time to sow grass seed. If you are not sure how to use lawn seed, there is a great little guide from Gardeners' World here.
Plant herbaceous borders. What is a herbaceous border? A herbaceous border is typically filled with herbaceous perennial plants, which will return each year. Herbaceous plants do not have woody stems like a shrub or tree, but rather share characteristics with herb-like plants. Think peonies, geraniums and clematis - plant a sea of colour and create an impressive floral display in your garden this year.
Remove faded daffodil and tulip flowers by nipping off their heads and seed pods at the same time. Once you have removed the dead heads from your daffodils, it is important to wait for at least six weeks before touching the leaves. Continue to water and feed the bases along with the rest of your garden plants. This will help the bulb get into its best condition ready to put on another wonderful display for your garden next year.
Don't forget to feed your roses. Roses usually need just two good feeds each year. The first feed should be applied now, if you haven't done so already, and followed up with a nice fresh layer of mulch. Younger rose plants will also require a top-up feed in early July, which should encourage a repeat of flowering.
Start to regularly mow the lawn, at least once a week. If you have any patches of longer grasses or grass that is particularly flower-rich, you can leave these out of your spring mowing routine. Grass flowers and wildflowers can be very beneficial for pollinators in the spring, and so may be better left alone. Your conventional lawn patch will benefit from a weekly trim to keep it in its best condition.
Start feeding all plants, unless temperatures are very cold. Whether or not your plants will need feeding, will depend on many factors. As a general rule, it is a good idea to feed your container plants as they rely solely on the compost you have provided. Plants growing directly in the ground, have a whole host of nutrient-rich soil below them to draw upon. Spring is usually the beginning of the growing season for the majority of plant life - including house plants! You will probably notice your indoor foliage starting to flourish this month. A little top-up of plant food will always help give greenery a much-needed boost this time of year. Just be sure to always follow the instructions carefully.
Start weeding beds and borders. As we enter the growing season, you will notice that weeds also start to increase. Keep an eye on your beds and borders this month, as tackling young weed shoots is a much easier task than when they are fully established. Grab those gardening gloves and give everywhere a once over on the next sunny afternoon. Most importantly, don't forget to get outside and enjoy your garden! All this hard work only pays off if we sit back occasionally to soak it all in.
