April arrives with a flourish! One minute we’re admiring frothy cherry blossom against bright blue skies, the next we’re reaching for a fleece to protect tender shoots from a sharp overnight frost. It is a month of promise — and unpredictability — but also one of the most exciting times to be in the garden. Sweet peas can be sown outside now. Prune penstemons and other slightly tender plants, divide herbaceous perennials.
Put supports in place for perennials before they get too big. Protect fruit blossom from late frosts, tie in climbing and rambling roses. Feed shrubs and roses. Deadhead spent spring bulbs, but leave the foliage to die back naturally so the bulbs can store energy for next year. A regular hoe on dry days keeps the emerging weeds in check before they get established. This is prime sowing season. Direct sow hardy vegetables such as carrots, beetroot, peas and spinach once the soil has warmed a little. Under cover, you can start courgettes, pumpkins and sweetcorn ready for planting out in May. Successional sowing — little and often — avoids gluts later in the summer.
Mow lawns whenever the grass is growing with an aim to maintain a constant height thoughout the year. If you have bulbs in the lawn, wait six weeks after flowering before you mow the area. Re edge lawns. Apply a spring lawn fertiliser. Sow new lawns or repair bare patches. Keep an eye on pests as new growth emerges. Slugs are particularly fond of tender young leaves, especially after rain. And while it’s hedge-trimming season for some, always check carefully for nesting birds before doing any significant pruning.
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