Gardening Tasks for April

Spring is here and with it a flurry of activity in the garden. Start planning now to make the most of any Easter break you might have planned.

• Towards the end of the month sow hardy annual seeds such as Calendula into gaps in borders
• Plant out young plants of native wildflowers to provide food for insects and birds
• Plant Spring bedding plants such as Primulas, Polyanthus, Violas and Pansies in pots and at the front of borders to give a splash of colour
• Protect new shoots of Hostas, Delphiniums and other vulnerable plants from slugs and snails using slug pellets or Slug Gone
• Dead-head spring flowering bulbs and bedding plants to stop them wasting energy on seed production
• Harden off plants overwintered indoors, such as Cannas, remembering to keep an eye on the weather forecast to bring them back in when frost is forecast
• Spray the new leaves of roses with Fungus Clear to control mildew, blackspot and rust, and spray for aphids if needed
• Prune Hydrangeas by cutting back the old flower stems to a string shoot
• Prune Buddleias to a healthy shoot
• Restart old and tired shrubs such as Potentillas, Spiraea and Berberis by cutting back hard to the base
• Lift and divide congested clumps of hardy perennials such as Asters, Hemeracollis and Hostas
• Plant out Lily Bulbs and Dahlia tubers
• Start planting water plants in garden ponds and water features
• Split and replant overgrown water plants
• Push in a fertiliser tablet to aquatic planters to give them a good feed
• Add barley straw pouches to ponds to help prevent the build up of blanketweed
• Switch water pumps back on after cleaning all filters
• Prepare the vegetable garden ready for planting
• Plant out hardened off leeks and onion plants
• Plant Second Early and Maincrop potatoes in trenches in the veg garden or in pots or potato bags
• Plant out brassicas remembering to place cabbage collars around the stems to deter cabbage root flies
• Sow seeds of courgettes and cucumbers indoors ready for planting out when the risk of frost has passed
• Start off seeds of Broad Beans, French beans and Runner beans indoors
• Sow small batches of rocket, radishes and salad leaves outdoors, and coriander and basil indoors
• Plant out fresh strawberry plants and hardy herbs
• Continue sowing and pricking out of bedding plants and perennials
• Sow sweet peas in deep pots or Root-trainers in a greenhouse or sunny windowsill
• Plant tomato plants into growbags or Wool Tomato Compost in a heated greenhouse or polytunnel
• Don’t forget to open greenhouse doors and vents on sunny days to aid ventilation
• Repair damaged lawn patches with turf or lawn seed
• Remove moss and weeds from turf and boost grass growth with a lawn feed
• Cut back old and tatty fern fronds to make way for fresh unfurling shoots
• Keep watching the weather forecast and have rolls of fleece handy for protection against frosts
• Prune out unwanted suckers from trees and shrubs
• Hoe between rows of vegetable plants regularly to control weed growth
• Spray off more troublesome weeds and remember to respray as they regrow
• Keep an eye out for aphids on new shoots of emerging plants and spray as required with pesticide or soapy water
• Weed, feed and mulch any borders and beds not yet done

Continue feeding birds as they are now busy raising their young