Jackie's Tips

MONTH OF APRIL

·       Now is the time to clean your garden furniture that has been stored away for winter months or just sitting in the garden. Hose down any leaves or cobwebs from the sets and dust from the table and chairs. Follow with wiping them down with soapy warm water, all ready for the spring and summer season.

·       April is the time to sow half-hardy flowers including nemesia, rudbeckia, cosmos and French marigold under cover and hardy annuals such as oxalis and clarkia either indoors or outdoors.

·       Feed fruit bushes, fruit trees and raspberry canes to encourage good crops this season. Apply a slow fertiliser around their base. (April is your last chance to plant raspberry and blackberry canes for a summer harvest)

·       Now is the time to support beans and pea plants. A straightforward way – place twiggy sticks around the plants.

·       Sow perennial herbs in your greenhouse like lemon balm, rosemary, sage, and thyme.

·       Cucumber and gherkin seeds should be sown towards the end of the month in individual pots in the greenhouse.

·       It’s the month for planting out salad and early potatoes. Then from mid-April, make sure you’ve planted your second-early and maincrop potatoes. If they’ve already been planted indoors, transplant them outside but make sure you don’t damage the roots.

·       Divide primroses once they have finished flowering.

·       Your new honeysuckles and clematis stem should be putting on a growth now so tie them to and train them along their support.

·       Plant sunflower seeds inside this month ready to harden off in late May before planting outside.

·       It is now the month to prune your lavender to keep it in decent shape and promote its growth. Also, feed it weekly with an excellent quality liquid feed to keep it healthy.

·       Remember to deadhead early flowering primulas as early as possible, as they tend to crossbreed very easily.       

·       Plant up your hanging baskets with plug plants and keep them under cover in a warm greenhouse until all risk of frost has gone.

·       All hardwood taken last year will need to be planted or potted on.

·       Get ready and spring clean your borders – weed and clear out leaves and twigs.

·       Divide any overgrown pond plants and add some new aquatics (water lilies and irises).

·       Towards the end of April start feeding your fish.

·       Place pumps and fountains back into ponds, making sure they have been, thoroughly cleaned.

·       Now is the time to start planting up your hanging baskets and spring bedding pots, borders etc.

·       Check your guttering on sheds and greenhouses are clear from fallen leaves and debris, so that April showers fill up water butts.

·       Now is the time to look at your lawn and treat it to ensure it’s in a good condition ready for the summer months. When the weathers good, give it’s first cut and feed it well.

·       There is still time to sow your lawn or lay turf if you didn’t get time to do it in March.

·       Remove dirt and leaves from paths and paving before the summer arrives. Also, apply weed killer to any perennial weeds on patios and paving slabs.