April Tips

Ornamental Trees and Shrubs

• Plant trees, shrubs perennials and annuals now.
• Examine shrubs for winter injury. Prune out all dead and weakened wood.
• Prune spring flowering shrubs such as Azaleas and Camellias after they finish blooming.
• Begin planting out summer bulbs such as caladiums, gladiolus and calla lily at 2 week intervals for longer blooming.

Lawns

• Continue broadleaf weed control – Bonide Weed Beater or Jonathan Green Lawn Weed Control.
• Test lawn soil pH and apply Mag-I-Cal if needed.  April is a great time to get your lawn into shape. Pick-up a copy of our brochure (or click here), “Lawn Care Recommendations“. If you need personal help, please see a garden associate for assistance.

Vegetables    

• Finish planting broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and lettuce plants into the garden.  Use Dr Earth Vegetable Fertilizer to help get plants off to a quick start.
• Start cucumber, cantaloupe, summer squash, and watermelon seeds indoors in peat pots.
• Finish sowing seeds of all cool-season vegetables not yet planted.
• Thin out crowded seedlings from early plantings of cool season crops such as beets, carrots, onions and radish.
• Mix organic matter and fertilizer into your vegetable garden. We recommend Coast of Maine Lobster Compost and organic Dr. Earth Tomato Vegetable & Herb Fertilizer.
• Water Deeply – your veggie garden will need about an inch of water a week.  Remember, water the roots NOT the plant leaves!

Fruits

• Plant fruiting trees and shrubs now. You’ll have berries and fruit to pick by next summer.
• Protect bees and other pollinating insects. Do not spray insecticides on fruit trees that are blooming.

Miscellaneous

• Mount a rain gauge on a post near the garden to keep track of precipitation so you can tell when to water. Most gardens need about 1 inch of rain per week between April and September.
• Hummingbirds return from their winter home in Central America so put out your feeders now to attract the incoming hungry hummingbirds.
• If you have a pond, begin feeding your fish Tetra Spring & Fall Fish Food when the water temperatures are above 50 degrees.