Your April Garden Checklist
I know it's spring outside because the wisteria planted by my front door has begun to burst into bloom. It started with a single delicate spray of flowers at the end of March, but now, the whole plant is starting to flush blue, and it looks stellar. At the same time, it's erupting with new shoots,
Posted — UpdatedThis is also the time to divide most summer and fall-blooming perennial plants and redistribute them (along with some fertilizer). Leave irises, day lilies, and oriental poppies alone for now, though -- you'll want to relocate them later in the year. Meanwhile, fertilizer your bulbs and cut off dead flowers, but let their foliage remain so they can gather energy. Older bulbs should be dug up, divided, and replanted.
If you've had insect or fungus problems with your fruit trees in the past, now is the time to spray them with an appropriate product. There are a number of organic products like copper sulfate on the market, but no matter what you use, remember to follow the directions carefully and wear face protection while you work. Even organic solutions can cause skin and eye irritation!
Rake, fertilize, and overseed your lawn to get it growing lush and healthy. Meanwhile, step up your mowing schedule (like me, you probably need to, just because the grass is growing so fast). Save money on fertilizer by setting your blades high and leaving the clippings behind -- they're a great source of nitrogen and as they break down, they'll enrich the soil for the growing grass left behind. The tradeoff, however, is that you'll have to mow more often!
All this work in the garden should be generating some serious compost fodder. Make sure to maintain your balance of greens and browns to keep the compost healthy, because you'll be wanting to use it. This is also the time to get your mulch up to speed after a rough winter. Remove thick mulch to give roots some more room to breathe, and add a fresh layer of light mulch to help them retain moisture as the temperatures start to heat up.