April Gardening Advice
April 1st, 2022 | News | Comments Off on April Gardening Advice
At last, it’s time to take our foot off the brake and dive headlong into sowing and planting. Although the days may feel balmier, watch out for Jack Frost, who’s still keen to ruin gardening plans with an overnight frost, so keep cloches and horticultural fleece close at hand to protect young plants and newly sown seeds.
Whatever the challenges are this month, the gentle music of birdsong and buzzing bees returning to our gardens will guarantee to lighten the heart.
In the flower garden
Fading displays
Spring pansies and violas will be keen to set seed, so remove faded flowers to encourage new displays.
Winter primroses will now be past their past, but by lifting and dividing you can increase plant stock for next season. Whether it’s with your hands or a trowel, prise the plants apart. Don’t worry about damaging them as they’re quite tough. Re-plant where you’d like to see them appear next year.
Before daffodils go to seed, deadhead them. This will transfer the energy back into the bulb in readiness for next year’s display. Also let foliage die back naturally.
Maintenance
Young plants need all the nutrients they can get, so don’t let them be bullied by emerging weeds. Remove all weeds from beds, making sure you pull them out by the roots.
As climbing roses, clematis and honeysuckle start to flourish, tie in the new growth. There’s still potential for a late frost and high winds, so secure them safely and you’ll be rewarded with a display of stunning blooms later in the season.
Growing perennials will be swaying under their new growth, so stake them to prevent damage. Do it sooner rather than later, as the root ball is keen to grow and you run the risk of damaging it if you leave it too late in the season.
The warmer weather will encourage slugs and snails, who will be eager to devour fresh foliage. There are numerous methods to reduce slug and snail numbers, including beer traps. However, the easiest method is to take a turn about the garden early in the morning, at dusk or after a rainfall, when numbers are high. Pick them off and remove from site. Other pests to be aware of and remove if found are vine weevil and the red lily beetle.
Harden off
Depending where you are in the country, towards the end of the month you may want to start to harden off certain plants. To do this, you’re simply getting plants that you’ve sown indoors acclimatised to cooler, outdoor temperatures. For example, if you’ve been growing sweet peas, they will grow all the better for a few weeks in a cold frame before planting out into their final position. If you don’t have a cold frame, then place plants outside on a bright day for a few hours, then bring them in before the temperature drops or the weather takes a turn for the worse.
Sow
Get your summer flowers, such as marigolds, nasturtiums and petunias, off to a good start by sowing them indoors. Fill a tray with multi-purpose compost, tamp down and sow thinly across the surface. Lightly cover over with compost, label and place in a larger tray of water, allowing the compost to soak the water up – watering from above may cause the seed to disperse. Place in an unheated greenhouse or cold frame. Germination can take up to 28 days, depending on the seed variety.
Bulbs
If you’re planting summer bulbs and corms in pots, ensure the compost has plenty of grit so water can drain off easily and not cause the bulbs to rot. It’s also a good idea to place crocks at the base of the pot to improve drainage.
For planting straight into beds, think about how you want your floral display to look and plant accordingly. If you haven’t grown bulbs before, the rule of thumb is to plant the bulb at a depth of three times its height. If your soil is heavy, add grit to the base of the hole and then fill with a gritted-compost mixture to help drainage and prevent the bulb from rotting.
Hanging baskets
Pre-ordered annuals for hanging baskets could now begin to turn up on your doorstop. Plant them up with good compost and a slow-release fertiliser. Add water retention granules, as this will help retain moisture during the height of summer. Once potted up, keep them in the greenhouse until the last frost has passed, giving a chance for your plants to grow on. Before hanging them in their final growing position, harden off for a week or two. Ensure you establish a regular watering regime for the season ahead, as baskets can dry out quickly.
Plant out sweet peas
If you pinched out your sweet peas last month, they should now be starting to bush up. Towards the end of the month, you should think about planting them out. Whether it’s directly into the ground or into a container, make sure you use a support so the tendrils have something to latch onto. Keep an eye on their growth, as they will quickly need to be tied in.
On the veg patch
Sow
Salads, radishes, beetroot, chard, kohl rabi, carrots and parsnips can now be sown. Remember to sow little and often, otherwise in a few months’ time you could end up with a glut.
If the ground is still too cold, sow into modules, trays or pots, then keep them somewhere warm, with plenty of sunlight, such as a greenhouse or polytunnel.
Any seeds sown back in March may now need thinning out, or even re-potting. Remember, as you carry out this task, it’s important to hold the seedling by their ‘true leaves’, not their stems. While a damaged leaf won’t hamper the plant’s growth, a damaged stem will leave the young plant helpless.
Towards the end of the month, you could consider sowing members of the cucurbit family; pumpkins, squashes, marrows, cucumbers and courgettes can all be sown indoors. Also, consider sowing runner beans, French beans and sweet corn.
Potatoes
This is the month to finish planting the last of your chitted tubers, but it’s a good idea to keep horticultural fleece handy. If the weather turns, you may have to protect exposed foliage from frost. For potato plants with substantial growth, consider earthing them up. This will not only protect the plant, but will encourage it to produce more potatoes, stop them turning a poisonous green, and can even prevent blight.
Herbs
If you don’t have space for a herb garden, then grow them in pots and containers. Give them plenty of sunshine, and plant them into some well-gritted soil. As herbs often originate from hot Mediterranean climates, it’s advisable to try and replicate these conditions, so don’t overwater.
April is the time to prune lavender, sage and rosemary. Remove any dead and diseased foliage, but avoid cutting into the woody parts of the plant.
Structures
If you’re growing beans and peas, then think about setting up your runner bean poles. Peas will also need a support structure, such as netting, poles or twiggy hazel sticks. Prep the beds and get your structures ready.
Fruit trees and soft fruit
A warmer climate will encourage hungry pests to seek out buds and blossoms on fruit trees. Be vigilant and remove pests by hand or spraying the affected area with diluted soapy water. Keep an eye out for their eggs as, once hatched, the damage can be devastating,
Other jobs
- Longer days and warmer temperatures will encourage your indoor plants to grow, so you may need to step up your watering regime. Larger plants will require extra watering, and possibly a liquid feed.
- Cut back forsythia to a strong pair of buds once it has ceased flowering.
- If you have a bare patch in a sunny part of the garden, encourage wildlife by sowing wildflower seeds.
- If you don’t have the space to grow from seed, consider buying plug plants.
- Begin a regular routine of mowing the lawn. At this stage, keep the blades fairly high. Scarify and apply a good fertiliser.
- With warmer weather on its way, this is a good time to install a water butt. There are plenty to choose from and they can help keep your water bills down.
Written by Ade Sellars, garden writer and presenter.