Gardening
Tasks For April
Clean-up.
Spread Compost/Bark around trees and shrubs--a key
ingredient to any successful landscape. Applying a
natural Hardwood
mulch reduces soil water loss, suppresses weeds, protects
against temperature extremes, and provides a nice aesthetic finish
to your landscaping beds. 3” annually is sufficient for
all your needs. Be careful when using the wood mulches and dyed
products as they have the tendency to steal nitrogen away from
your plants.
Apply
Preemergent herbicide for crabgrass control. Crabgrass
controls are usually pre-emergent in nature (killing
crabgrass seeds prior to germination). When applying
pre-emergents, you usually cannot overseed unless the
pre-emergent label specifically permits it. The chemical
will kill all the seed. Apply pre-emergents about April
15th for good seasonal control or when soil temperature
reach 50 degrees. Another gauge to follow is the Forsythia
blossom. The key to the effectiveness of pre-emergents
is to water the chemical in after application to create
that barrier on the surface to stop all germinating
weeds.
Divide late-blooming Perennials such as:
Aster Phlox Coreopsis
Mums Sedum Grasses
Coral Bells Rudbeckia Coneflower (Back to Top)
Spring Bulbs:
Q: Why don’t tulips come back with the
same vigor they showed the first year?
A: Well, we hate to burst your bubble if you are a tulip grower,
but we almost consider them an annual bulb anymore because of
all their associated problems. Many possibilities exist for their
second year disappearance act. They could have been pulled off
or cleaned up too early. Maybe they weren’t planted deep
enough (6-8”) or insect and disease invaded them. Perhaps
the fastest growing problem among tulips is the threat that rodents
present. Little critters love digging for these hidden treasures.
This is one reason why daffodils always come back, because they
are poisonous to most rodents. The conclusion: If your still
determined to see a beautiful tulip display every spring, plan
on planting a new batch every Fall.
When it comes to spring bulbs, especially tulips and daffodils,
size does matter. Make sure you know what your buying….the
bigger, the better.
Easter Lily:
Q: Can you plant your Easter Lily
outside after it is done blooming?
A: Of Course!! Easter Lilies make great garden plants and
will return year after year with summer blooms. When planted
outside, they bypass Easter and wait until summer to show off
their blossoms. The key to pulling this off is to plants the
bulbs deep and in well drained soil. Once the Lily is done blooming
inside, remove the faded flowers and cut off the top of the stem.
Carefully remove the plant from the pot and plant it slightly
deeper than originally growing. The ideal location to place your
Lily would be in the morning sun and afternoon shade. (Back
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