What to do in the Garden - April

 
 

THERE’S PLENTY TO DO THIS SPRING - Lets GET GARDENING…


Feed your FRUIT

  1. Mulch round the base of fruit trees with rotted manure or garden compost (not heaped on the trunk though). We have excellent bagged manure & RocketGro peat free mulch in store.

  2. For fruit trees in pots top-dress the soil with fresh compost and a slow-release fertiliser.

  3. low release fertiliser can also go around the base of your fruit bushes and raspberry canes now

  4. Cover fruit blossom to protect them from frost - use our horticultural fleece on cold nights!

VEGGIES

  1. Pick up some of our veggie plants and get started if you havent already. There is still plenty of time to get things in the ground. All the vegetables outside in the entrance are hardy. You just need to wash out for slugs!

  2. Make a raised bed or buy one ready for purpose from our Zest Outdoor Living range. Some are standing so can take the back breaking work out of bending to grow your veg.

  3. In your raised beds or actual veg plot, dig in compost, well-rotted manure or green waste. Add blood fish and bone or manure for extra growing power.

  4. Cover the prepared ground with sheets of cardboard and old carpet to keep it drier and warmer in preparation for planting. Plastic was used previously but we would only recommend using that if it’s tough enough to use it year on year.

  5. Support pea and bean plants now. Multi branching sticks from any old prunings will do.

  6. Thin carrot seedlings - to reduce carrot flies being attracted do with in the evening when they aren’t as active.

FLOWERING/oRNAMENTAL PLANTS - trimMING and MORE

  1. Trim/Prune
    - prune forsythia after it has flowered
    winter flowering heathers can be trimmed after the flowers fade
    - lightly trim your lavenders to remove old flowers and take the growth back a little (don’t cut into old brown wood as then no growth will come from their)
    - prune your penstemons all old growth can be cut to the base if you can see new growth at the base, if no new growth simply cut to leave the lowest leaves.
    - trim perennials and ornamental grasses to make way for new growth

2. Dead head:
- deadhead daffs and tulip as they go over. Leave the foliage to die back
- deadhead pansies and violas to encourage fresh flower growth and prevent “going to seed”

3. Tie in honeysuckle and clematis stems

4. Feed your garden plants, pots & trees - liquid feed, top dress, mulch or manure.

WHAT TO PLANT

For a phenomenal list of things to grow in April - take a look here

 
 
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