Five top gardening jobs for April
April is a busy month for gardeners, as the combination of April showers and warmer weather spurs growth in established plants and trees and provides the ideal conditions for planting flower and vegetable seeds.
April gardening tips
1. Give established plants a little TLC
Take time to do a bit of plant maintenance to ensure established plants and trees continue to thrive. Dead head tulips and daffodils, but leave the leaves intact. Check for aphids on roses and remove before they take hold. Feed with fertiliser and spray with fungicide if required. Cut back dead foliage on plants like hydrangeas. Add mulch – compost- to the base of trees and shrubs, particularly fruit trees, or feed with fertiliser.
2. Give your lawn a boost
April is a good month for repairing any bare patches in our lawn and getting rid of weeds or mossy patches that may have flourished in winter. Plant grass seed, or cover patches with fresh turf, and use a lawn fertiliser to encourage healthy growth. Some of these also include weed and moss killers.
3. Keep on top of slugs and snails
Slugs and snails love munching through tender seedlings before they have a chance to establish. Physically removing as many as possible will help, or invest in organic slug pellets or nematodes – these microscopic worms control slugs, and other pests. Encouraging birds and even toads into your garden will also help keep populations under control.
4. Flower seeds plant in April
The best garden flowers for April sowing include sunflower seeds, poppies, cosmos and wildflower mixes. These easy to grow annuals produce beautiful blooms throughout the summer months and bees love them too.
5. Vegetable seeds to plant in April
You can sow plenty of vegetable seeds directly outside on well prepared soil in April. Good vegetable seeds to sow now include: beetroot, leeks, parsnips, sweetcorn carrots, spinach, lettuce, peppers, spring onions and cabbages.
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You might also enjoy this one on how to attract birds to your garden, this one on balcony gardening or Jane Perrone’s advice on cultivating indoor plants. Alternatively, to enjoy large and beautiful gardens without all the hard work, take a look at our retirement developments across the UK.