{"id":576,"date":"2021-04-11T17:31:08","date_gmt":"2021-04-11T23:31:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/echters.com\/wordpress\/?p=576"},"modified":"2024-07-22T11:04:06","modified_gmt":"2024-07-22T17:04:06","slug":"green-thumb-tips-april","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/echters.com\/wordpress\/?p=576","title":{"rendered":"April Garden Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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“April hath put a spirit of youth in everything.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

~ William Shakespeare<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Flower Gardens<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watering plants that have been recently planted outdoors is\ntricky. The rule is to water them in thoroughly after they are planted. Then\nwatch the area next to the edge of the original soil ball to see if it is\ngetting dry. You want to encourage the roots to move out into the surrounding\nsoil to get water without letting the original soil ball get too dry. Reduce\nthe watering frequency with time, but water thoroughly each time you water.\nDon’t just wet the surface of the soil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An easy way to harden plants that are going outdoors is to\ncover them with Plant & Seed Guard for a few days after you plant them. You\ncan use wire supports if necessary to hold the fabric away from the plants.\nAttach it to the ground with wire staples. It\u2019s re-usable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pot begonias and dahlias now and keep them indoors until\nlater in May. This will give them a good head start and they will bloom earlier\nafter putting them outside. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plant gladioli, lilies, cannas, callas, ranunculus,\ncrocosmia and other summer blooming bulbs toward the end of April. Plant\npansies between the bulbs to give you early color.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fertilize your spring-flowering bulbs after the blooms have\ngone with Gro Rich Rose & Perennial fertilizer. Wait until the leaves turn\nbrown to remove them. The leaves help build strength in the bulbs for next\nyear. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Place your plant supports into position early. If you wait\nuntil they really need support, it may be difficult as the plant will be too\nlarge. This is especially true for peonies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you hand water, use a nozzle with a shut-off or trigger\nnozzle that stops the flow of water when released so you don’t waste water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before transplanting, be sure that your plants are not dry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Flowering annual starts which can be planted out in early April after \u201chardening them off\u201d are alyssum, dusty miller, sweet peas, anchusa, larkspur, centaurea, pansies, dracaena, and snapdragons. When is it safe to plant other flower<\/strong><\/em>s?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pinch back your annuals to promote stronger, bushier plants and more flower production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More on Planting and Caring for Annuals <\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perennials & Roses & Vines<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have a fence you\u2019d like to hide there are several\nplants you can use besides shrubs. Vines like trumpet vine, silver lace vine,\nwisteria, honeysuckle vine, Virginia creeper and climbing roses which are\nperennials can be used. Annual vines like sweet peas, morning glories, Scarlet runner beans are just a\nfew good fence covers. Remember other tall plants like sunflower or hollyhocks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Group flowers and vegetables with the same water needs\ntogether to take advantage of their lower water requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When planning your flower bed, whether it is planted in\nannuals or perennials, don\u2019t overlook ornamental grasses for a beautiful\ncontrasting texture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spring is the best time to divide perennials that bloom in\nmid or late summer such as asters and chrysanthemums. Wait until September to\ndivide early spring-flowering perennials like bleeding hearts and peonies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plant wildflower seeds in April. Improve your soil before\nplanting by raking in either peat moss or compost or a combination of the two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Add some spice to predictable bulb and perennial beds by\nbroadcasting seeds of annuals like larkspur, cosmos, poppies, bachelor buttons\nor other annuals among your established plants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More on Planting and Caring for Perennials <\/a>and Roses<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trees & Shrubs<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

April is the best time to plant new trees and shrubs. Improve\nthe soil first with compost and\/or peat moss. Then apply MYKE Tree & Shrub\nTransplanter and water in with Root Stimulator, both of which reduce transplant\nshock and stimulate root growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When planting large trees, stake them for the first year. Use\n2\u201d wide staking straps around the tree. Do not use wire, twine or rope on the tree itself. Place the\nstakes 2-3 feet away from the tree, tie the strap to the stake and leave a little slack. Let the tree sway\nslightly to develop roots and caliper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

April is perfect time to take stock of the plants in your\nyard. Are there plants that have overgrown their spaces? Are some sickly and\nunattractive? Now is the time to pull them out and replace them with a new and\nvibrant plant. This is what garden renewal is about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cut back butterfly bushes, blue mist spireas, Russian sage\nand other late summer-blooming shrubs at this time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you didn\u2019t get around to pruning your shrubs and trees in\nMarch, you can still do some pruning now, the earlier the better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Start your fertilizing program for roses, trees and shrubs\nwhen the leaves appear on the branches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Protect your ash trees from Emerald Ash Borers. Use\nFerti-lome Tree and Shrub Systemic Insect Drench for easy-to-use systemic\nprotection from insects all year long. Follow the label directions and just mix\nit with water in a watering can or bucket and pour the solution around the base\nof trees or shrubs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watch for distorted leaflets on honeylocust trees.\nLeafhoppers can damage this trees fine leaves. They can also damage lawns. A\ngood insecticide can help eliminate these tiny pests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you don’t have room for two different fruit trees for\ncross pollination, try one of our 4-in-1 apple, pear or sweet cherry trees for a great crop of fruit. There are\nfour different grafts on one tree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are you tired of raking up crabapples in the summer? Spray\ncrabapple trees with Monterey Floral Growth Regulator at mid to full bloom.\nThis will prevent the fruit from forming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check for borer holes in your shade, spruce and pine trees.\nEvidence of these borers will be small holes, possibly with evidence of sap\nand\/or sawdust. Our plant doctors can recommend the proper treatment depending\non the type of tree and borer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remove protective tree wrap from young trees around April 1.\nCheck the trunk for any problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember the worms on the ash trees last year? Watch for\nthem again this year and spray with Eight from Bonide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although annuals look beautiful planted around new trees,\nthere is a danger of over-watering your trees while trying keep your flowers\npretty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are several trees, shrubs, and flowers which will\nattract those all-important pollinators \u2013 the bees. Anyone with a fruit tree or\na vegetable garden knows their importance. Stop by our Plant Doctor desk for a list of these plants. Remember to refrain from spraying\ninsecticides while bees are present. Something to note: bumblebees are more\neffective pollinators than honeybees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deep-root waterers get water under the lawn which is useful\nfor trees, shrubs and roses. Some of these tools also have a container for\ndissolving fertilizer pellets to feed your plants right at the roots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before transplanting, always make sure trees and shrubs are\nnot dry to help avoid transplant stress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Start treating your pine and spruce trees for insects like\nscale, tussock moth, Cooley spruce gall, pine tip moth, pitch mass borer, and\nips beetle. Come in and we can recommend the appropriate preventive treatments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vegetable Gardens<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s time to plant seeds of peas, turnips, carrots, beets,\nspinach, Swiss chard, lettuce, radishes. Plant garlic cloves, seed potatoes,\ndormant strawberry plants and onion sets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep an N-sulate cover handy for unexpected frosts after\nyour garden is planted. It will keep the frost off new seedlings as they emerge\nfrom the soil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mid-April is the time to set out broccoli, cabbage,\ncauliflower, kohlrabi, Swiss chard, radicchio, and Brussels sprouts plants. Be\nsure to \u201charden them off\u201d first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enjoy an earlier growing season by four weeks by setting out\nSeason Starter plant protectors in April. You can set tomatoes and pepper\nplants inside them ten days after initial setup of your Season Starter. The\nsetup period allows the soil beneath the solar shelters to warm to a\ntemperature suitable for plant growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vegetable gardens benefit from watering at ground level,\ninstead of watering overhead. Watering with soaker hoses helps to prevent many\ndiseases and insects.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember to rotate your vegetable crop plantings each year.\nPlant each variety of vegetable in a different part of your garden than you did\nlast year. This will minimize repeated problems with disease and insects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plant your fast growing crops in two-week intervals to\nprolong the availability of lettuce, spinach, peas, and radishes. When the\nweather gets too hot for these vegetables, plant some in the shade of taller\nplants, like pole beans and corn. This system is also good for gardeners with\nlimited space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By placing a floating row cover over your carrot, lettuce,\nand spinach seed, your seeds will germinate quicker, and the birds won\u2019t make a\nmeal of them. Floating row covers also eliminate cabbage loopers on cabbage,\nbroccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts.  Keep your cover handy in\ncase there is a cold snap for any newly planted vegetables and flowers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use soaker hoses in your vegetable garden and flower beds.\nYou can either lay the hose on top of the soil next to the plant or bury it to\nget water directly to the roots. Soaker hoses can also be used to water trees and shrubs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lawns<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Early April is the best time to start fertilizing your lawn.\nBy using a fertilizer with pre-emergent (weed and grass preventer), you will be\nable to eliminate a lot of annual grass and weed seeds by keeping them from\ngerminating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

April is a good time to seed or overseed lawns. Use a good grass seed and apply New Lawn Starter fertilizer after the seed is sown. Keep the area moist even after germination. Do not apply a pre-emergent crabgrass control before or after seeding, as this will prevent grass seed germination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Core aerate your lawn before fertilizing this month. Not\nonly does this help the lawn\u2019s vigor and health, it also reduces maintenance\nand water usage. Be sure your lawn is well watered a day or two before\naeration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep your mower blade sharp. Dull blades can invite lawn\ndiseases to enter grass blades. Bring your rotary mower blades into Echter\u2019s\nfor sharpening. You can bring them in on or off the mower. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use a rain gauge to measure the amount of water you are\nputting on your lawn. Apply 3\/4\u201d to 1\u201d slowly enough to evenly soak the lawn\nwithout running off the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inspect your irrigation system regularly. Be sure sprinkler\nheads are not plugged and are properly adjusted for the radius and the level of\nspray needed. As surrounding plants grow, you will need to modify your system.\nEspecially check for leaks in the sprinkler lines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Houseplants<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On a nice warm day, take your houseplants outside and give\nthem a shower, or use your bathroom shower. The plants will appreciate a good\ncleaning after being inside all winter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Birds<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s spring cleaning season even for birds. If you haven’t\ncleaned your bird houses this year, clean them out and then spray them with a bird feeder cleaner before\nthe new birds arrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Continue feeding the birds at your feeders. Seed-producing\nplants are just beginning to grow and there are now more birds competing for the depleted wild seed\nsupply. Give them a supply of water also.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More on Feeding Birds in Colorado<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“April hath put a spirit of youth in everything.” ~ William Shakespeare Flower Gardens Watering plants that have been recently planted outdoors is tricky. The rule is to water them in thoroughly after they are planted. Then watch the area next to the edge of the original soil ball to see if it is getting … Continue reading April Garden Tips<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-576","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-tips"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/echters.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/576","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/echters.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/echters.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/echters.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/echters.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=576"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/echters.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/576\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2426,"href":"https:\/\/echters.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/576\/revisions\/2426"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/echters.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=576"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/echters.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=576"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/echters.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=576"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}