Some seasonal tips, courtesy of a local garden centre newsletter. Feel free to add your own tips or anything gardening related... The days are lengthening and hopefully you have been tempted into the garden, although this strange weather hasn't been conducive to spending time out there very often. At last though, buds are beginning to show colour and green leaves will soon be shooting. 2 key jobs for the month Protect against late frosts and snow. April can bring very cold temperatures so be ready to protect tender plants and don?t put young seedlings or plug plants out while there is a risk of cold nights. If you haven't ventured out into the garden yet, pick a warmer day to do a general spring tidy up. This will help you to see how plants have survived the extended winter and to see where there are gaps or areas which need some attention. Vegetable growing Growing from seed April is normally the month to begin seed sowing outside, but only once the temperatures have begun to rise! Carrots, peas, broad beans, lettuce and spinach ? there?s lots that can be sown directly into prepared drills. Always read the instructions on the seed packet. Towards the end of the month, larger seeds such as sweet corn, courgettes, squash and pumpkins, and runner beans can be sown directly outside. It?s worth warming the soil before sowing or planting, with cloches, sheets of plastic or old carpet. Seeds will germinate more easily in a warm soil. With tender vegetables, the smaller the seed, the earlier it needs to be sown, so start off aubergines, chilli peppers and tomatoes in April, in seed trays in a greenhouse or on a windowsill. All tender vegetable seedlings should be hardened off before planting out, and not put outside until the risk of frost has passed. Potatoes, onions, garlic Second early and main crop potatoes can be planted this month. Onions, shallots and garlic are all ready to go into the ground during the spring months, ready for a bumper harvest later in the year. Planting Bulbs and tubers ? April is normally the time to plant summer flowering bulbs. Lilies, dahlias and gladioli can be planted in containers or directly into the ground. It?s worth having a few pots of lilies, for example, ready to fill a gap in the border later on. Spring is an ideal time to plant evergreen shrubs and hedges, and to plant herbaceous perennials, shrubs, trees, and climbers. For a reminder of best practice when planting, click here to look at our Planting Instructions on our website. Fruit Feed soft fruit bushes and strawberries with a general fertilizer to encourage bumper crops. Fruit bushes and trees can still be planted, but pinch out flowers and small developing fruit in the first year, so that the plant?s energy goes into building a strong root system. General maintenance around the garden Tidy up beds and borders. As a minimum, get rid of weeds which take moisture and nutrients needed by your plants. Dig out perennial weeds, and hoe away young annual weeds before they have a chance to get going. Or, as I mentioned last month, this is still a good time to apply a good layer of organic mulch such as horse manure or organic compost. This will help to retain moisture around plants, and the nutrients will gradually be pulled down to the roots. Tie in climbing and rambling roses and other climbers with ties or wire that won?t damage the growing stems. With climbers, tie the long stems as horizontally as possible, which will encourage the plant to produce more flowers. Place plant supports over and around tall perennials before they need them. Deadhead daffodils when the flowers have gone over. By doing this, the plant's energy goes into the bulb to form next year?s flower, rather than into producing seeds. Pruning Prune late flowering deciduous shrubs such as Hydrangeas and Buddleja if you haven?t done so already ? prune hard back to a leaf shoot or stem. Prune early flowering Forsythia and Chaenomeles once they have finished flowering. Lawns If you haven?t had a chance to prepare the lawn yet, now is the time to do it. Spike compacted areas with an aerator, or a garden fork and apply a fertiliser or top dressing. . Apply mosskiller if necessary and rake the dead moss out 2 weeks later Mow the lawn with the blades set high for the first few cuts. Sow lawn seed on bare patches, and water during dry spells. Watering pots and containers Check pots and containers regularly for watering requirements, but don?t be tempted to water already frozen compost. Garden pests and diseases Watch out for early insect attacks. Tackling problems early makes it easier to control. Early infestation of aphids can be squashed by hand if you aren?t too squeamish. Watch out too for Lily beetle, vine weevils and other infestations, remove and dispose of any you see, and treat with an appropriate insecticide. Look out for blackspot on rose leaves and pick them off ? early removal and control may eliminate the need for fungicide treatment. Wildlife People are often worried about feeding the birds as they begin to have young, but as long as you use feeders, it?s fine, and fair, to keep up the feeding routine. Water is really important for birds and other wildlife in the garden, so keep the bird bath or a plant saucer topped up daily.
