Gardening

The first edition - April 2006  

Although this winter seemed longer and colder than those of recent years, we tend to forget this is how it used to be. Plants and shrubs are very resilient and with a little pruning and tidying up they will soon look as good as new and be putting on new growth.

If you are a keen gardener, by now you will have trays of seedlings dotted around the house or greenhouse. It is very important to prick them out as soon as possible to avoid them getting too leggy and overcrowded in their first seed tray. I am very lazy when it comes to doing this chore if the weather is a bit on the chilly side, but on a warm sunny day it is a pleasurable task.. Don`t be caught out by night frosts at this time of year as they can wipe out all your hard work in a matter of minutes. If you have tender plants in the greenhouse make sure there is heat at night, or failing that, cover plants with horticultural fleece or even old newspapers, anything to keep the frost off..

This month, as well as jobs for the month, I will be telling you a bit about Lawn Care HERE and another very important subject, safety in the garden. HERE

Jobs for the month - April

House plants

Increase watering and feed plants more frequently. You can still repot plants that have become root bound. Choose a warm sunny day to stand larger specimens outside and give them a wash with the hose pipe on `fine spray`and let them dry before bringing them back inside. This is a job that can also be done in the summer on a rainy day.

Lawns

April and May are good months for sowing or laying new lawns and I have covered this, and lawn care in general, a little more extensively on a separate page HERE.. Scarify your lawn, either with an electric scarifier or a garden rake, to remove any debris and moss that has accumulated over winter. Give established lawns their first feed of the year.

Shrub borders and roses

Plant out dahlia tubers and sow hardy annuals where they are to flower. This is the time of year to hard prune quick growing shrubs such as Buddleja and Dogwoods. Other shrubs and plants will benefit from a light trim to encourage better shape and growth. The flower borders will appreciate a mulching this month, which will help conserve moisture and stop weeds from growing. If you are using grass cuttings as a mulch, take care not to use the first three mowings after applying lawn feed as per the manufacturer`s instructions. I don't like to see grass used as a mulch except in a very hot summer.

Paths, walls and fencing

There is still time to do any necessary repairs before plant growth really gets going. Use a weedkiller such as Pathclear to kill grass and weeds on concrete areas for a whole season. Pathclear now comes in liquid form with a built in applicator, which makes the job a lot easier.. Examine the supports for climbing plants and replace if necessary. Pressure clean paths or other ground areas that have become slippery with moss and algae. (Read instructions carefully on weedkiller packets if you have pets)

Greenhouse

Increase the amount of water given to plants but keep some gentle heat on in the greenhouse during the nights as frosts will quickly kill your new seedlings, or you can cover them with horticultural fleece.. I sometimes plant up hanging baskets this month with smaller plants but make sure to keep them frost free and watered, then by the end of May they can go outside looking really established.. Use the space in the greenhouse for storing cuttings of pelargoniums (geraniums)

Vegetables

The soil should be warmer and dryer now, so you can continue to sow your favourite crops. Take care not to sow the seed too thickly, poor a little of the seed into your hand and scatter it thinly along the drill you have drawn. It is great to grow your own vegetables and fruit, then you know it is free of pesticides. A favourite of ours is Suttons Gardener's Delight Cherry tomatoes that are grown outdoors.

Fruit

This is the month when the fruit grower finds there is plenty of crop spraying to do to ensure a healthy crop and prevent pests or disease. Keep a close watch on developing fruits and treat accordingly. Take care still with late frosts and cover small trees and bushes with horticultural fleece. Refer to the appropriate section of your gardening book for fruit pest and disease control.

Trees and shrubs

Trees and shrubs will appreciate a good mulching this month to conserve water, stop weeds growing and add goodness to the soil. Look for any signs of disease or pests and spray accordingly. If there has been any late wind damage, tidy the branches so there are no ragged edges that will let the damp and disease penetrate. If you need to remove any branches of trees, there is a preparation you can buy that seals the newly sawn wood.

Water gardens

If you are `spring cleaning` your pond, be sure to put your fish in a large container where they can swim around quite happily until being returned to their pond, making sure that cats cannot get to them. Once you have cleaned out and re-filled the pond, allow the water to stand for a day or two to avoid any temperature changes before returning the fish. If you are re-lining a concrete pond take care to use the correct sealant afterwards, and give it ample time to dry. Be ruthless and thin out aquatic plants. They will soon grow and fill the pond.. You could always get the professionals in to clean out your pond..

Wildlife

Take care when pruning shrubs in your garden that you don't disturb any nesting birds.. In April the birds are still breeding and so are most of the mammals that use our gardens. Parent birds are so busy feeding their young this month that they need concentrated body-building foods themselves such as the suet fat balls that we see in the shops especially for the birds.