Jobs for April
April is the busiest time in the garden, but don’t panic, take things one step at a time and you’ll get it all done. It’s important to take a few moments to sit in the sun, listen to the birds and admire any colour you have in the garden.
THE FLOWER GARDEN
Sowing and Growing
Start to direct sow hardy annuals, eg marigolds, poppies, dill, cerinthe, nigella, etc.
Harden off seedlings that have been started off indoors on warm still days. Place them outside during the day, but take them in again late afternoon, and do this for about a week or so. This way they will get used to the cooler conditions before being planted outside. Start planting out half-hardies, eg cosmos, in sheltered spots at end of the month.
Prick out cut flower seedlings. Good examples are Bells of Ireland (Moluccella laevis), amaranthus, tithonia and cleomes. Remember to get as much root as you can by pushing your dibber (or use a rigid plant label) right down to the base of the seed tray and lifting from there.
Sow perennials – these could include hollyhocks, delphiniums, Linaria purpurea 'Canon Went' and echinaceas. Fill a seed tray with peat-free compost and dampen with water. Sow seeds spaced at least an inch apart in a grid across the compost surface. Then scatter (or sieve) a fine covering of compost over the seeds. You don't need to water again immediately. Place in a light, cool spot, eg a window ledge or, if you have one, in a propagator in a cold frame, greenhouse or polytunnel with basal heat.
Later in the month, thin out hardy annuals sown in drifts or rows to allow plants to reach optimum size.
Pot cuttings of tender perennials, eg pelargoniums, arctotis, verbenas, penstemons and argyranthemums, taken late last summer or autumn. They'll be well rooted now and will benefit from some fresh compost and more space for root formation before planting in their summer position.
Plant out sweet peas – two plants to each upright. Dig a good, deep hole and fill the base with farmyard manure. Tie them in to the base of the arch or frame and water them in well.
Create new plants from last year’s pelargoniums – take cuttings now and they’ll be ready to be replanted in a couple of months.
Bulbs and Tubers
If you have received your dahlia tubers, now is the time to get them potted up.
Finish planting summer-flowering bulbs. This includes eucomis, crinums and the deliciously scented cousin of the gladiolus – acidanthera. Plant them in pots or in the ground.
Plant lily bulbs straight into the ground. Give them plenty of room and, on heavy soil, add grit for drainage to their planting hole. Most varieties thrive with their bulbs in some shade and tops emerging into full sun.
Any indoor forced bulbs – hyacinths or Narcissi 'Avalanche' and 'Cragford' – can be planted into the garden when they've finished flowering.
Finish planting summer-flowering bulbs.
Plant Lilly Bulbs straight into the ground in some shade with the tops emerging into full sun.
THE VEGETABLE GARDEN
Now is the time to be getting ready for the Summer Show and listed below are some of the jobs you can be getting on with this month.
Get soil ready for a mass sowing of hardy annual vegetables, such as spinach, carrots, beetroot, lettuce and radish.
Sow some quick growing half-hardy annuals, like pumpkins, squash, sweetcorn, basil and French beans.
Plant Second Earlies and Maincrop potatoes.
Plant tomatoes and cucumbers under cover.
Plant out onions, shallots and garlic.
Plant asparagus crowns.
Salad & Herbs
Some salad can now be sown undercover or in gutters in your greenhouse or conservatory such as corn salad, rainbow chard, mizuna, rocket, winter purslane, mustard and plenty of lettuces.
Direct sow chervil, chives and coriander or sow dill, fennel and French sorrel under cover.
Fruit
To avoid risk of infection, stone fruits such as plum, cherry, peach, nectarine and apricot should only be pruned during the growing season. Prune late April, when the plants are in leaf and after flowering. Immediately seal all cuts greater than 1cm (½in) with wound seal.
All soft fruits, eg strawberries, raspberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants, and gooseberries, will benefit from a mulch. Garden compost, leaf mould, organic manure, straw, hay and spent mushroom compost can all be used.
OTHER JOBS
Start staking delphiniums and tall perennials.
Plant up hanging baskets.
Make the first lawn cut with the blades set quite high then feed and treat for moss.
Use Nemaslug or similar to control slugs.
Encourage hedgehogs, frogs, toads and thrushes into your garden as they will prey on slugs and snails.
Lily beetles are already in the garden pick them off by hand or use Py spray