What to do in the garden in April
April is one of the busiest gardening months in the calendar! Now’s the time to get stuck in with regularly cutting the grass, sowing your favourite veggies outdoors, and keeping on top of the weeds. Here’s our list of what to do in the garden in April!
What to plant in April…
Think about using a trellis to trail up plants such as clematis and honeysuckle, the results are always very effective. Alternatively, hanging baskets and wall-mounted planters are great for adding interest and instant colour high up fences and walls. For a really unique look that’s simple to implement, get your hands on some rustic mesh that can be fixed to a wall or fence and attach terracotta pots filled with different types of flowers and herbs to create instant 3D interest.
The weather’s picking up, so it’s the perfect time to get sowing and growing.
What to sow indoors
You can also get growing veg indoors including:
- Marrows
- Courgettes
- Pumpkins
- Squash
- Sweet peppers
- Tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Aubergines
- Celery
- Celeriac
- Salads
- Globe artichokes.
What to sow outdoors
As well as sowing indoors, you can now start sowing plants outdoors too (just watch out for any unexpected frosts). Vegetable seeds that are great for sowing outdoors in April include:
- Beetroot
- Carrots
- Swiss chard
- Summer cauliflower
- Lettuce
- Leeks
- Radish
- Turnip
- Peas
- Perpetual spinach in well-prepared soil.
This really is the month for getting growing! Make sure you’re ready to get cracking with all the compost, propagators, specialist plant feed and useful bits and bobs like plant labels that you need and nothing will hold you back. It can still get a little chilly outdoors in April, so pre-warm your soil in spring by covering with cloches or plastic sheets to allow for early planting and sowing. Once planted, protect seeds from frost by using a poly tunnel.
Spring lawncare
If your lawn’s looking a little worse for wear after the colder, wetter months, it’s worth thinking about weeding, feeding, and treating your lawn to bring it up to scratch in time for summer. Invest in some quality lawn seed to encourage spring growth. If you find your lawn being overtaken by moss, try scarifying your lawn to remove the worst of it. You can do this by using a rake over the surface, or with an electric scarifier.
Recommended lawn care repair products:
If your lawn's looking patchy, plug any gaps with our great quality lawn seeds. All it takes is regular watering with your sprinkler and within days your lawn will start to look luscious again.
If you like the no maintenance option, fake grass is a great alternative. Check out our range of artificial grass if you’re thinking of going down the artificial route.
Main jobs for lawn care:
- Sowing lawn seed to repair any bare patches
- Mowing your lawn more regularly as it gets warmer
- Towards the end of the month, remember to lower your mower blades to get a neater cut.
Stay out after dark with garden lighting
Make the most of your outdoor space even after dark by creating a mood which enhances your garden’s best features. Whether you’re buying on a budget or strapped for space, garden lighting can change the feel of any setting.
To save time and energy look for outdoor solar lights. Quick to get up and running, without the need for professional help, garden solar lights are also eco-friendly being a renewable energy source. What’s great about solar lights is that they allow you to be as creative as you want, giving you the freedom to put them anywhere you like without the hassle or restrictions of wires.
April checklist
Fruit and veg
- Sow brassica in seed beds or trays
- Plant main crop potatoes
- Plant asparagus and rhubarb crowns
- Sow crops such as beetroot, carrots, coriander and spinach
- Continue sowing seeds in trays indoors
- Sow peas outdoors
- Cover fruit blossom with fleece to protect them against night frosts.
Ornamental
- Continue weeding
- Check for pests and disease, treating with pest control accordingly
- Plant up hanging baskets
- Start training climbers
- Water bulbs as they start to appear
- Plant summer bedding plants such as begonia, sweet peas, and geraniums.
Lawn
- Weed and feed lawn
- Sow lawn seed where needed or over-seed to help encourage vigorous regrowth
- Get the mower out and start regular trims.
Adhoc jobs
- Top up raised beds with compost, leaves, and grass clippings as mulch to deter weeds
- Lay weed guard before they start actively growing
- Remove dirt and clean paths and paving
- Invest in a water butt, installing them under a downpipe to make the most of the rainfall
- Top up bird baths and bird feeders for our feathered friends.
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