Spring is finally in evidence as plants begin to bloom. Expect the inevitable April showers this month but with sunny days too, when you can turn your attention to the lawn. It’s an exciting month, with indoor-sown seeds well into growth, and it’s also time to start sowing outdoors. Just watch out for frosts…
Sowing and planting:
Continue sowing hardy annuals at the beginning of the month. If the ground has warmed sufficiently, you can do this directly into the ground. If the ground is still wet and cold, sow early in the month in the greenhouse. Where time is short, or space is limited, choose from our extensive selections of pot and pack bedding. Remember though that these plants will need protection from any late frosts.
Now is also the perfect time to plant perennials. These delightful plants give excellent value for money flowering year after year and can also be divided to make more plants as they grow.
Spring is also the ideal time to plant shrubs as the soil is moist and warm enough for new root growth to help the plants become established quickly.
Time to start feeding:
Signs of renewed growth in the garden means that plants will be hungry after their long winter’s sleep. Fertilizing now means that you will reap the benefits later in the year. Choose a general balanced fertilizer for routine use. Alternatively, you could you a rose fertilizer which is high in potassium for most flowering plants in the spring. Use an ericaceous fertilizer for acid loving plants such as Camellias and Azaleas.
Plant seed potatoes (protect from frosts with fleece), Globe & Jerusalem Artichokes, Onion & Shallot Sets and Asparagus.
Sow seed outdoors in mild areas with light soil, eg: broad beans, carrots, parsnips, beetroot, onions, lettuces, radish, peas, spinach, summer cabbage, salad leaves, leeks, Swiss chard, kohl rabi, turnip and summer cauliflower. Be guided by the weather, and sow only if conditions are suitable. Our full range of vegetable plants will be available by Easter.
Plant containerised fruit trees, now just bursting with spring blossom including dwarf varieties for smaller areas.
Strawberries can be grown in a wide range of soils, from light sand to heavy clay. However, water logging will cause the fruits to become diseased and the plant to rot. The ideal soil is well-drained and rich in humus. They prefer to be planted in full sun, out of the wind.
Mow lawns when necessary – whenever the grass is growing – the aim is to maintain a constant height throughout the year.
Repair the lawn edges using a half-moon edging iron or spade to create a 7.5cm (3in) ‘gutter’ around the lawn. This will prevent grass creeping from the lawn into borders.
Repair bumps and hollows by peeling back the turf, removing or adding soil, and then replacing the turf.
Apply a high nitrogen spring lawn fertiliser at the beginning of the month to encourage good, strong growth. If moss is a problem choose a combined fertiliser and mosskiller.
April is the best month to apply lawn weedkiller. Always follow instructions on the packaging very carefully as lawn chemicals (including fertilisers, weedkillers and mosskillers) can cause pollution of groundwater if used incorrectly.
Lightly rake lawns with a spring-tine rake to remove old plant debris. This can also be done to rake out dead moss a couple of weeks after applying a chemical moss killer.
Sowing new lawns, or over-seeding dead patches, can be carried out from mid-April to early May. If the soil is very wet or cold germination will be poor, so delay until the weather improves. Prepare the ground for sowing, by cultivating, leveling and lightly firming beforehand. Do not walk over or mow newly sown grass until it has reached a height of 5-8cm (2-3in), and then only give it a light trim at the highest setting.
Continue to deadhead winter-flowering pansies and other winter bedding. Pansies will carry on into the spring and even to early summer, if attended to frequently.
Deadhead the flowers of Narcissus (daffodils) as they fade, but allow the foliage to die down naturally.
Check whether containers need watering. Even at this time of year, they can dry out. Pots that are sheltered by eaves or balconies can miss out on any rainfall. If in doubt, check the compost at a hand’s depth to see if it feels dry. Aim to keep pots moist, but not wet.
Pots and tubs benefit from topping up with fresh John Innes compost. Old compost can be removed and replaced with new if there is not much room for topping up.