Menu
April is finally here and with it, Spring has sprung meaning there is plenty of work for you to complete outside now! With daffodils and flowering trees starting to bloom, there is finally evidence that the growing season is here.
Although there will be usual April showers, more sunny days will be with us ready for you to capitalise on and get your garden in order. Sort your lawn, sow seeds both indoors and outdoors but you need to be wary of the April frosts!
To help you manage your workload or skip certain sets of tasks that may not be relevant to you, this month’s jobs have been split into four categories:
Spring is finally here and with it (hopefully) some lovely weather to allow you to get outside and keep your garden in tip-top condition. Most of the tough maintenance tasks seem to be behind us for now, so enjoy this month’s ‘easier’ collection of jobs.
There is a big focus on ponds and lawns this month to ensure both are ready for the soon-to-be here summer months. Our pond jobs will make certain your water is clean, filtered, algae-free and full of thriving aquatic plants. Whereas the lawn tasks will help you achieve a full, healthy & tidy grassed area.
It is recommended that you complete as many of these tasks as you can before moving on to the rest of our April gardening chores. Your hard work over the past few months is coming to fruition and your garden will reward you for the continued upkeep!
Be sure you treat any problem weeds, such as nettles and brambles
Birds are now busy raising their broods, keep putting out food for them
Clear the guttering on sheds and greenhouses so that April showers will fill up water butts
Now is the time to lay turf or sow grass seed to create a new lawn or repair damaged patches
If present, remove moss and weeds in turf, and boost growth with a nitrogen-rich lawn feed
Begin to mow your lawn regularly or as required. Start to lower your mower blades at the end of the month.
Keep cloches or large sheets of fleece handy to protect young plants if late frost is forecast
Hoe between rows of veg seedlings regularly, as weeds grow rapidly at this time of year
Look out for clusters of aphids on shoot tips and young leaves, and wipe off before they multiply
Put pumps and fountains back into ponds, thoroughly cleaning the filters first
Put a bag of barley straw in ponds to discourage algae and keep the water clear all summer
Add new aquatic plants to ponds and divide established plants that have outgrown their baskets
Cut back tatty old fern fronds to make way for new ones that are starting to unfurl
Cut away unwanted suckers growing around the base of trees and shrubs
Spring is finally here and with it, comes some much wanted warm weather! Whilst this further broadens our growing opportunities and this is incredibly exciting, we must also be wary of the potential frosts that are still present through April and make sure we don’t jump the gun, thinking the summer weather will be a constant for the entire month.
This is why your greenhouse can be your best friend through April, the protection of your plants, flowers, fruit and vegetables is invaluable when it comes to early sowing and summer preparation. Keeping your greenhouse in the best condition possible ensures it can perform to its highest capability, providing the ideal growing space such a wide range of plants, fruit & vegetables.
Follow our list of jobs to ensure your garden structure is in the best condition to host your plants & crops:
Maintain good plant hygiene by picking off dead leaves & faded blooms before fungal diseases can take hold
Attach guttering to the greenhouse & install a water butt to take advantage of the usual April showers
Improve air circulation by opening greenhouse doors & vents on warm days or install automatic vent openers
Let as much light in to your greenhouse as possible by cleaning your the glazing
Pinch out the shoot tips of your fuchsias which will help to develop bushier plants
Sow herbs in trays or pots including coriander, parsley, basil, fennel and chives
In deep pots, sow sweet peas and keep them frost-free in a greenhouse or on a sunny windowsill
For nutrient-rich pickings in just a few weeks, sow quick-growing microgreens, such as kale & mustard
In pots, begin to sow runner beans, cucumbers, French beans, pumpkins, courgettes and sweetcorn
Prick out seedlings growing in pots and trays as soon as they produce their first true leaves
Thin out heavy fruit sets on nectarines and peaches, leaving fruits about 10cm apart
Once a week with liquid fertiliser, start feeding houseplants continuing through to autumn
Transplant greenhouse tomatoes into large containers or growing bags and tie in the stems to supports
Plant up pots and hanging baskets with summer bedding, but keep indoors until after the last frost
Spring is here & with it a brand new set of planting and pruning tasks for you to complete! As the weather continues to improve throughout the year, more exciting planting opportunities will present themselves.
In April there are plenty of new planting and sowing jobs to allow you to grow brighter and more diverse ranges including water lilies in your pond, polyanthus in borders and so much more. As with almost all gardening, maintenance and aftercare is just as important, protecting your new plants from pests is going to be a common theme this month too!
Browse the tasks below and make sure you complete the jobs that are relevant to your outdoor space.
Into gaps in borders, sow hardy annuals, such as love-in-a-mist & pot marigolds, as well as native wildflowers
At the base of supports, sow sweet peas and transplant any sown in autumn into their final positions
In a sunny and open site, sow sunflowers before watering regularly and protecting seedlings from slugs and snails
Create & enjoy instant colour by planting primulas & polyanthus in pots & at the front of borders
Plant pineapple lily (eucomis) bulbs in pots for exotic-looking summer flowers
In your garden pond begin to add aquatic plants, such as waterlilies and irises
Take basal cuttings from groups of perennials such as campanulas, delphiniums and lupins
Prevent the waste of energy setting seed by deadheading your spring bulbs and bedding
Hydrangeas are to be pruned, cutting back the old stems to a health shoot lower down
Divide & replant mature clumps of hardy perennials to reinvigorate them, including hostas, asters and daylilies
With disease-prone roses, be sure to spray the new leaves with a fungicide to help control mildew, rust and blackspot
Protect the new shoots of lupins, delphiniums, hostas and other vulnerable plants from slugs and snails
Keep an eye out for aphids on roses and rub them off before they develop into major infestations
By April the growing season has really begun, your growing efforts from last month should now be yielding some results but as with all gardening, now is not the time to rest on your laurels. With the weather and temperature constantly improving, your opportunities for growing are constantly increasing.
From outdoor tomatoes, chillies & courgettes to radishes to herbs, Spring will bring your garden and/or greenhouse a new lease of life and you the chance to begin producing your favourite fruits and vegetables. Planning ahead and deciding on your space usage is very important too as your options increase. make sure you are growing compatible foods together and they are being provided with all of the necessary sunlight, nutrients and moisture they need.
You can see all of the growing tasks for the upcoming month below:
Deter cabbage root fly from laying their eggs by putting cardboard collars around the stems of brassicas
Pinch out the tips of broad beans, if they’re covered in aphids, or spray shoots with a soap-based solution
Keep an eye on emerging seedlings as they will need protection from hungry slugs and snails
Sow rocket and any other easy salad leaves but do so only in small batches
In a sunny bed or container, sow herbs such as parsley, coriander, dill & chamomile
Make the most of temporary gaps by sow fast-growing crops, such as radishes
In your vegetable plot, sow flowering companions such as pot marigolds and borage
Ready for May/June planting, sow in pots outdoor varieties of tomatoes, chillies & courgettes
Now is the time to start planting your second-early and maincrop potatoes
Continue the planting of your bare-root asparagus crowns and Jerusalem artichoke tubers
To extend the cropping period, keep planting batches of garlic, shallots & onions every few weeks
Divide & replant in pots, borders or herb beds, clumps of hardy herbs, such as lemon balm and chives
