What to do in April

April is a busy time in the garden, with temperatures warming up and the growing season fully underway though it can be a challenge second guessing what the weather is going to do, will there be more frosts ?:

Things to do in April:

• Provide protection for newly planted trees and shrubs in cold exposed positions.
• Continue watering newly planted trees and shrubs.
• Plant evergreen trees and shrubs.
• Tie in the new shoots of climbers.
• Prune early flowering shrubs as well as those grown for large or colourful foliage.
• Give grey leaved shrubs a trim to keep them bushy.
• Divide perennials and stake tall growing ones.
• Pot up or transplant self-sown seedlings.
• Sow annual climbers and grasses.
• Deadhead daffodils
• Hoe to suppress weeds but always dig perennial weeds right out.
• Sow or lay turf for new lawns and feed established lawns.
• Sow greenhouse crops such as tomatoes and continue sowing and planting vegetables outdoors.
• Prick out or pot up seedlings before they get congested and grow leggy.

Last Chance:

• Cut down any dead growth of perennials if you have not already.
• Plant summer flowering bulbs and sow sweet peas.

Getting Ahead:

• Prepare trenches for runner beans.
• Plant up hanging baskets if you have space under cover to shelter them for a few more weeks.

The Weather

• April is a mild month with average day time temperatures ranging from 11°C to 12°C, spring is in full swing, but watch out as frosts are still possible, particularly early in the month.
• April showers are common, but rainfall is usually moderate.
• More sunshine than in the winter months, but still plenty of cloudy days.

General Tasks

Vegetables & Herbs

Fruit

The Flower Garden

The Greenhouse

Containers

Trees & Shrubs

Hedges

The Lawn

Wildlife and the Pond

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