April Tasks

April is the time to start sorting out your flower beds.  Deadhead your spring bulbs and start thinking about providing supports for your tall perennials.  One of the most important April tasks it to provide support for climbers.  Before you know it the clematis will have grown several feet and gotten tangled in the process.

When thinking about April tasks don't forget to plant some summer bulbs in pots which can later be transferred into the border.  Lillies are particularly suitable for this and the make a wonderful splash of colour in the border in summer.  You can either transfer them into the ground or just place the posts in your border.

If you are growing hostas now is the time to protect the new foliage from the slugs.  Surround the clumps with copper rings or other slug barriers, such as crushed egg shells or replellent gel.  Some of the thick-leafed varieties are  more resistant to attack and you could try growing these in the ground and growing the more delicate varieties in pots and wrapping copper tape around the rims to stop snails from climbing up and feasting on the leaves.

Among your April tasks are the removal of old leaves from palms and cordylines, which will have been battered by the winter cold.  Carefully remove the dead and brown leaves by pulling them gently downwards.  Now is the time to support your tall perennials, like delphiniums, because they grow at a fast rate once the weather gets warmer.

In the vegetable garden you should check your fruit trees for woolly aphid and blast these off with water.  Cover your seed beds with cloches to warm the soil.  Spray apple and other fruit trees with a suitable fungicide to prevent mildew disease.  April is also the time to plant your asparagus crowns.  Once the conditions are right you should sow Brussels sprouts, cabbages, broccoli, mangetout, beetroot, broad beans, carrots, chicory, spring onions, spinach beet, turnips, parsley, radishes, rocket, lettuce and other salad leaves.

One of your April tasks should be planning your summer border.  If you have a greenhouse you can save a lot of money by growing perennials from seed.  Sow them this month and you should have strong plants ready for planting out in summer and they should be ready to bloom next year.  You can buy small plug plants, either by mail order or from garden centres, DIY stores or your local market.  You can also sow your spring vegetables in a warm greenhouse or propagator for planting out in late May.  Sow cucumber, melon, sweet and chilli peppers, aubergine, tomatoes and strawberries.

Check that your greenhouse heater is working, in case there are late frosts.  Make sure you open the vents on warm days.