As temperatures warm, many garden plants are unfurling new leaves and bursting into bloom. It’s a great time to set out starts of annual flowers and cold-hardy vegetables, because by planting now you’ll catch that first flush of spring growth and have a head start on the growing season. Read on to learn what to do to your garden in April.
Condition Your Soil
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- Many garden favorites prefer alkaline soil to best soak up the its nutrients. But most of the Pacific Northwest tends to have more acidic soil, so these garden plants need a little help to perform well. Sprinkle garden lime in a circle around the base of each lime-loving plant to make sure the pH in your garden stays alkaline enough for these beauties. Lawns also prefer alkaline soil, and likewise, April is the perfect time to adjust the pH with a fast-acting garden lime.
Plant Flowers
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- Annual flowers to plant in April include snapdragons, sweet William or annual dianthus, nasturtium, calendula (shown), marigold, pansy, dusty miller and sweet alyssum. Sweet alyssum and calendula are great choices of annual flowers to incorporate into vegetable garden areas, because the flowers attract pollinators that will help you get a good crop.
Plant Cool-Weather Vegetables
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- April is the perfect time to set out starts of cold-tolerant vegetables. While it’s not yet time to set out starts of heat-loving plants like tomatoes, squash, corn or peppers, by planting less-sensitive veggies now you can get a great jump on the season. Vegetables to plant now include cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Chinese vegetables such as pak choi, Swiss chard, carrots, beets, celery, lettuce, onions and herbs such as parsley, chervil and cilantro. Hold off on basil for now. Onion sets are available at nurseries now, and these already-sprouted starts take off quickly in the damp, cool weather.
Get Your Starts and Seedlings Going
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- A package of seeds will usually announce if the plant should be started indoors, with instructions that include various phrases. Choose the right container to start off the seeds. Be sure to select the right spot with enough light for your seeds to germinate and augment the space with grow lights or a heat mat if necessary. It’s important to keep the seeds moist, but not too wet. Gently prepare seedlings for the outdoors by hardening them off if you plan to move them into your garden.
Pull Weeds
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- April is also an important time to stay on top of weeding. While no herbicide works in cool weather, there are a number of tools that can help you weed more quickly and easily. The hori-hori, or Japanese soil knife, is an effective tool for slicing into soil and removing weeds even with a deep taproot.
Control Snails
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- You’ll want to protect your new starts and seedlings from the ravages of snails and slugs. It’s also smart to protect the shoots of emerging perennials, which are susceptible to damage. Place pet-safe iron phosphate bait around growing seedlings. Simply sprinkle a small amount of bait around new plants. Just don’t set it into piles, which can mold or be easily eaten by pets or kids. By sprinkling, you make it less likely that anyone would consume the quantities necessary to cause iron poisoning.
Happy gardening and I hope you all have a wonderful April!
Resources: Houzz.com
